The embossed and taut belly looks good on any type of figure.
Help achieve this result special exercises And competent technique their implementation.
In the article we will analyze how to pump up the cubes, what workouts are possible, and the main nuances.
We swing the abdominal muscles
The upper press is often referred to as 2 pairs of cubes under the chest. But the press is a single muscle, and those same cubes are formed due to the location of the tendons. Those. isolated exercises for this zone simply do not exist - all movements will pump both the upper and lower abdomen (the difference is only in the degree of load of these areas).
From the point of view of biology and hormonal levels in the body, it is much easier for men to build muscle than women. But in women, the layer of fat in the abdomen is much thinner, so the treasured cubes will be visible faster.
- reduce the thickness of subcutaneous fat. The overall indicator of body fat for visible cubes is most often individual - for one it is less than 8%, while for the other the press is clearly visible even at 14%. Based on the individual characteristics of the body, a strategy for losing weight is built. In the fight against the "outstanding" belly, the main role belongs to dietary nutrition, and to increase the relief of muscles, specialized fat burning exercises are needed;
- correct your posture. Passive sitting posture of the body during the day guarantees negative changes in your posture. As a result, the abdominal muscles noticeably relax, gradually the body weight is transferred from the abdominal area to the lower back. As a result, you can get stretched muscles and chronic pain in the lumbar back. To correct such disorders, static training and relaxing yoga classes are best suited;
- pump the abdominal muscles. A large number of training exercises affect the external muscles of the abdomen, almost without affecting the functioning of the internal. At the same time, only with the participation of the latter, you can pump up the top and, like athletes. The basic exercises are often called the elbow stand (classic plank) and a special exercise for breathing work - vacuum;
- train your body. It is completely wrong to understand the abs as one solid muscle on the front side of the abdomen. In addition to it, there are also internal ones: abdominal, transverse, lumbar muscles, diaphragm, etc. It is impossible to build a proportional and taut figure, leaving the muscles of the body without attention;
- how to pump muscles correctly. Strengthening the muscles of the abdomen is impossible without training for muscle hypertrophy. Learn how to do 2-3 strength combos twice a week (4 sets of 10-12 reps). The key element of such training should be competent technique, and not the desire to increase the number of repetitions;
Important! Various exercises with a large number of repetitions (for example, 50 or more twists) will never bring the expected result - they are aimed at increasing endurance, and not at pumping muscles.
- control your muscles. To speed up training progress, it is quite important to learn how to control your own abdominal muscles in the process of training - you must use them when performing targeted movements. In other words, if you can constantly tighten the press during the training, this will significantly increase the overall effectiveness of the training.
Be sure to check out:
Effective exercises to pump up cubes on the upper abdomen
The muscles of the abdominal region and the body are classified as a slow type - its main task is to ensure correct posture and optimal intra-abdominal pressure (i.e., it is not focused on lifting weights, like a biceps, which is made up of a fast type of fibers).
For this reason, static ligaments are considered the most important exercises for this zone, which require maintaining long-term muscle tension.
3 weeks of regular plank performance, and you can noticeably strengthen the muscles of the body, as well as get clearer cubes.
The most respected and “working” exercises for tightening and strengthening the abdominal muscles in dynamics are straight leg lifts in the hang and the well-known “bike”. Technically competent execution of these exercises involves 2 times more muscles than the practice of classical twisting in a prone position.
Important! Pay attention to technology - even the most best workout for the press will be completely useless (in some cases - dangerous!) with illiterate implementation.
Loads at home and in the gym for pumping
A set of exercises for the upper press:
- Classic crunches. Lie on your back, place your hands on the back of your head or “cross over” in the chest area. Legs can be bent at the knee joint or placed on a chair / sofa of medium height. While exhaling, raise the body to the maximum point, while inhaling, lower it to the starting position. Multiplicity of performance: 3 sets of 20-25 repetitions. The legs must be bent so that the lower back is pressed as tightly as possible to the floor. If they are left straight, then the buttocks may interfere - the lower back may be in a deflection (the risk of injury, sprains increases).
- Fold. Lie down on a special mat or choose a flat surface. Stretch your arms up (parallel to the floor surface) or along your body (the second option is somewhat easier), your feet should be pressed to the floor. Start moving your knees and body towards a meeting. The legs should be slightly bent, since this exercise cannot be performed in an even state. The main task is to maintain balance in the process of training, strenuously straining the muscles of the body. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Don't forget about correct breathing: on the rise of the body, exhale, returning back - inhale.
- Alternate pleat. Lie on a flat surface, knees should be bent (legs can be placed on any high surface - sofa, chair). Place your hands behind your head, while the elbows must be directed to the sides. Raise your body, reaching with your left elbow to the opposite knee. Then lower yourself to the starting position. Breathe as deeply as possible - so swinging the upper part of the press is much more productive. Then repeat the movement for the other leg. Multiplicity: 15-20 times for each leg.
Detailed Relief Training Program Plan
Exercises for beginners
- Before starting the main workout, always use warm-up exercises - this prevents injuries. If weighting agents are provided for in any exercise, do the first set without additional weight, but add light weight for the second and third.
- Pay attention to cardio workouts at least 3 times a week. Best time for such a load - early morning or evening (approximately 2 hours before bedtime).
- The training program should include 3-4 special exercises - classic twists, creases, hanging leg raises, etc.
- Each exercise should be performed in 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
- Rest between sets should be about 30 seconds, during this time you should not sit down - try to move.
- The frequency of training is at least 4 times a week, it is recommended to alternate with days devoted to cardio loads. When exercising in relief (as opposed to a period of muscle building), the body does not need much time to recover.
Classes for advanced athletes
V. Oleinik, fitness instructor, leading coach of the BodyArtfitness network
If you are seriously thinking about the relief press, you need to understand that there are no “magic” techniques. Main rules - regular classes and proper nutrition. Paradoxically, but, for the most part, the press trains in the kitchen, and not in the process of training (body relief can only be achieved with a special diet). As a rule, for an ideal abdomen, you need a body fat content of no more than 10%. The size of the muscles is far from the most important indicator, since under the fat layer they will be completely invisible.
E. Oprea, trainer, celebrity fitness instructor in New York
You should perform special exercises for the press as often as possible. So you can not only increase the total calorie consumption per day, but also get the desired effect much faster.
In this case, it is necessary to develop the most comfortable mode for your body. Since psychological rest and a good mood before the next lesson play a big role in sports results.
S. Karev, candidate master of sports in athletics, World Class network coach
In any exercise, even the most familiar and familiar to you, try to feel the muscle work. Without such a small nuance, training will be ineffective. A banal example from my practice: the next day after twisting, your neck and lumbar hurts instead of the “correct” dorepatura in the press area. This means that the technique of this exercise was violated - you simply raised your head, and the abdominal muscles practically did not participate in the movements.
Useful video
Main conclusions
If desired, and with a little perseverance, you can get a tightened upper press with the help of home workouts:
- perform specialized exercises for pumping the press, paying great attention to technique and breathing;
- exercise regularly (at least 4 times a week);
- reduce the subcutaneous fat layer in the abdomen with a special diet.
Before starting training, you should get the advice of a professional trainer - this can achieve better results and reduce the risk of injury!
The embossed inflated press is the dream of many and the object of envy. Before the start of the beach season, everyone wants to look fit and slender. A smooth, slender belly and press cubes are the main indicator of a good physical form- with such it is not a shame to flaunt in an open swimsuit or swimming trunks along the beach. How to properly pump up the upper press in order to achieve a slim and beautiful figure?
Upper press - what is it?
The upper press is not even a separate muscle, it is part of the rectus abdominis muscle - more precisely, this is its upper section. In this article, we bring to your attention a set of exercises for the upper press. This complex, which contains all best exercises for the press, will allow you to get a flat and toned stomach in a fairly short time.
Most of the exercises proposed here will easily help you properly help pump up the upper press at home. Some of the exercises can only be performed in the gym.
The abdominal press can be conditionally divided into several departments or parts:
- The abdominal wall, which forms the external and internal oblique, as well as transverse muscles;
- Anterior wall with rectus and pyramidal muscles;
- Back wall with square muscles of the lower back.
To strengthen each of these departments, a well-defined set of exercises is needed.
Things to Remember
The features of pumping the press are such that you need to approach this matter without fanaticism. If you want to achieve embossed cubes, you should know that not everyone and not always gets them in the end. The quality of training is irrelevant. It's just that each organism has its own genetic feature and its own capabilities.
During the period of active pumping up of the press, take care of a competent diet. It doesn't have to be weight loss. The diet should include more fresh vegetables and fruits. Milk protein is a must. This will help you see the results of your workouts faster.
Upper Press Exercises
To get started, we offer you a video on how to pump up the upper press - a set of exercises at home. These exercises are generally quite simple, but also very effective. They are ideal for beginners.
Now more active and advanced exercises in terms of load. They are perfect for the gym. Ideally, if during their execution you will be supervised by an experienced instructor.
Trunk raises on an incline bench
This exercise for the upper part of the rectus abdominis muscle - helps to achieve relief in the upper abdomen - the coveted abs cubes. The quadriceps and hip flexors are also well involved.
How to:
- Sit on the top edge incline bench. Lock your legs and lean back so that your body is almost parallel to the floor.
- Raise your torso to a position perpendicular to the floor.
What to do with hands? Hands can be laid behind the back, crossed on the chest. It is important to properly fix the feet. If there is no bench, you can use any inclined surface, fixing it to the Swedish wall. In this case, the legs cling to the crossbars of the Swedish wall and it is better to bend them a little at the knees in order not to burden the spine.
By the way, thanks to the Swedish wall, you can change the slope of the bench and adjust the degree of resistance (load on the muscles) during the exercise. The minimum slope is suitable for beginners, a steeper angle of inclination is for experienced athletes.
To create more resistance, you can take a weight on your chest - for example, a “pancake” from a barbell or a pair of dumbbells in your hands.
Do 3 sets of 10-20 reps depending on your ability. Over time, the load can be increased.
As an option for the home - you can perform this exercise just lying on the floor. Legs should be securely fixed and bent at the knees.
Body twist
This exercise is for the upper abs and obliques.
How to:
- lie on the floor, bend your knees at an angle of 90 degrees, and put your hands behind your head, you can clasp them into a “lock”.
- Slowly lift your shoulders and lift them off the floor, leaning slightly forward. At the same time, the lower back should remain on the floor, only the chest, shoulders, arms and head rise. In the lower part of the body, in the hip joint, no movements are made - this must be monitored.
- Return to starting position.
Perform 3 sets of 10-20 times.
Twisting on the block
This exercise engages the entire rectus abdominis, not just the upper section. In addition, the oblique abdominal muscles are also included. The exercise is performed using a special simulator with weighting blocks. Adjust the load (number of blocks) on your own or with the help of a trainer, depending on the degree of your physical fitness.
How to:
- Stand in the starting position with your back to the upper pulley and grab the cable holder/handle with both hands.
- Lean forward, twisting the body to the right.
- We return to the starting position.
- We repeat the exercise now with twisting the body to the left.
Perform the exercise in 3 sets of 20 times.
Exercise for the upper press on the horizontal bar
This exercise is difficult to perform and requires good preparation.
How to:
- Grab the bar with bent knees and hanging upside down.
- Raise your body until your elbows touch your knees.
- In this case, you can make turns left and right.
This exercise works the upper part of the press.
"Frog"
According to contemporaries, this is Bruce Lee's favorite exercise in order to pump up the press. The effect is almost not long in coming with a competent approach to implementation.
How to:
- Hanging on your hands on the bar, bend your knees and lift them up to the level of your stomach.
- Don't help yourself by rocking and tensing your back muscles. Pulling up is done only due to the work of the abdominal muscles.
- Hold this position until a strong burning sensation appears in the muscles.
- Do 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
In the future, you can raise your knees to chest level.
Beginners should carefully listen to their body. Watch out for experienced trainers, listen to their advice on how to properly pump the upper press. This will help to avoid injury, overtraining, disappointment. Train properly and your figure will find its beauty.
The press consists of three main sections: upper, lower and side. In order for the stomach to be flat and a beautiful relief appear, it is necessary to work out each department. And the easiest way to do this is with the muscles of the upper press. What exercises will be most effective at home?
How to pump up the upper press?
All abdominal exercises should be performed in the morning - before breakfast, which will allow the muscles to strengthen best.
You need to understand what kind of stomach you want to get as a result of the exercises - flat or with “cubes”. To keep the stomach flat, cardio workouts are recommended, which are fast paced.
It is also important to remove a layer of fat from the abdomen, and to achieve this goal, you cannot do without a diet. Review your diet and give preference to the principles of a proper, balanced diet. Give up a lot of carbohydrates, sweets and overeating. A protein diet is preferred, and if there is a problem with being overweight, then a diet (protein) and exercise will help to quickly get rid of it.
- you can’t miss a day of training, if you can’t do the whole set of exercises because of your well-being, you need to reduce their intensity and not do everything, but only a part;
- The best time to workout is in the morning. If this is not possible, then you can postpone the exercises to a later time, but not earlier than 1.5 after eating and 1.5 hours before bedtime;
- before any workout, even 10-15 minute exercises for the press, you need a warm-up - warming up all the muscles. It is enough to remember the school warm-up: tilts in different directions, squats, stretching exercises, all the main joints. Warm-up time 15 minutes.
Upper Press Exercises
The main thing in achieving results is a systematic and correct approach. Even 10 minutes of exercise a day will achieve results.
Twisting will allow you to simultaneously act on the upper and side press. Sit comfortably on your back, bend your knees. Hands at the back of the head, elbows apart. Raising the body, round your back, you need to touch opposite knees with your elbows.
No less effective exercise on the bench. As you sit on it, hold on to it with your hands. Bend your knees. As you lift and straighten your right leg, simultaneously lift your buttocks, your body should form a straight line with your leg. Having taken a starting position, change legs. Such an exercise will give a practical uniform load on the upper and lower abdominal muscles.
Lie on the floor, preferably with a mat under your back. Raise your torso and legs at the same time until they touch and your knees touch your chest. Sometimes, such an exercise is called a "penknife" because of the similarity of movements.
Swinging your legs will allow you to pump up all sections of the press. Lying on the floor, raise your straight legs at 90º. Slowly lower them straight, locking in each position. Then again raise and lower them to the right side, as if twisting the pelvis, then to the left.
One of the most simple exercises, which is classified as additional, will raise the body. Lying on your back, bend your knees. Hands in the lock at the back of the head, lift the even body by 20 - 45º, the chin looks up and the neck muscles are stretched. During the exercise, you should feel the tension in the muscles of the upper press and neck, which will get rid of the second chin. Gradually complicate the exercise - stretch your arms simultaneously with the body, place them on your chest.
To pump up the abdominal muscles, it is enough to have a fitness training mat and know. Additional devices will be needed for advanced athletes. Since the upper press comes into the desired shape very quickly and is easily restored, there will be no problems with its training if all the recommendations and instructions are followed.
How to pump the muscles of the upper press for girls?
Especially for girls, a complex has been developed, which consists of 6 effective exercises.
No. 1. Rack
Despite the apparent ease, it is quite difficult to perform a rack. Start with 20 seconds and build up with each workout:
- Starting position - lying on the stomach;
- Rise on your elbows, keeping a straight line of the back and legs;
- Hold this position and lower yourself to rest for 10 seconds;
- Repeat the task.
No. 2. Twisting
- Take a position lying on your back. The head is raised, and keep your legs hanging, bent at the knees at a right angle;
- Tearing the shoulder blades off the floor, pull the chin to the chest, twisting the upper part of the press into an accordion;
- Hold this position for 10 seconds;
- Return to starting position.
No. 3. deflections
This task also seems relatively easy, but you should not ignore it, since it is one of the best, thanks to which you can tone the upper abdominal muscles:
- Lie on the floor on your stomach, stretching your legs and arms along the body;
- Lift up the torso, tearing it off the floor as much as possible. At the same time, take your arms and legs as high as possible to the ceiling;
- Return to the starting position after a delay of 3 seconds and repeat the task.
Breathe deeply and evenly while doing this, feeling the work of the abdominal muscles.
No. 4. Combined lifts
In this task, the torso is raised with bent knees, as well as using dumbbells. Allows you to provide the muscles with a more detailed study:
- Sit on a mat with your knees bent, leaving your torso on the floor;
- Pull your torso to your knees, while keeping your hands straight in front of you, without helping them in the process of execution;
- Get down on the floor;
- Now pull yourself up again, but at the same time grab the dumbbells lying next to you and pull them to your chest;
- Get down on the floor again.
Do the task rhythmically, but not too fast. The total number of repetitions is 30 times for a beginner.
No. 5. Running from a prone position
Outwardly, this task resembles climbing on the floor in place:
- Lean on your palms, keep your back straight. Bend one leg at the knee;
- Change legs abruptly, as if jumping up.
Do the task 40 times in total.
If it’s still hard for you to “run” while lying down, then you can make it easier for yourself by simply changing legs alternately, first bending one, returning it back and bending the other. It’s easier to do this way and the load is less, but then you need to try to switch to an advanced version of the task.
No. 6. Twisting from a position on the hands
- Stay in the same position as for the previous task - leaning on your palms and keeping a straight back;
- Pull one knee towards you, and then bring it to the opposite side, making a kind of twisting;
- Return to starting position and repeat for the second leg.
In total, you need to do this 16 times. In the advanced version, try to move your legs as far as possible, and do the task itself more slowly. This will increase the load.
Upper press tasks for men
Loads for men should be higher than for women. You can start working right away with light weights and use a variety of exercise machines to help.
No. 1. Press from the bench at an angle
To complete the task, you will need a bench at an inclination of 30 degrees:
- Sit on the bench so that your head is lower than your legs. Attach your feet to the support. Keep your hands behind your head or in front of you, crossed;
- Rise up to touch your elbows to your knees. It is not necessary to do this, but the main thing is to almost get it;
- Slowly lower yourself back and repeat the task.
During execution, you can use a combination of light and deep lifts. To do this, in the first lift, rise low, and in the second, reach your elbows to your knees. This will provide a different load on the muscles and make them work better.
If you want to make the task even more difficult, cross your arms in front of you and in this initial position rise up. The higher the angle of the bench, the more difficult it will be to do the exercise.
No. 2. Fold forward with a load
For the task you will need a simulator:
- Position yourself with your back to him, kneeling, and grasping the weight with your hands. Set small weights initially;
- With force, pull the weight in front of you, trying to tilt your hands straight to the floor. You will have a prayer pose. Keep your back slightly rounded;
- Hold at the peak point for a few seconds and slowly rise.
Start with 20 reps and gradually increase the load and reps.
No. 3. Press in the hang with raised legs
You will need a crossbar:
- Hook your hands on the crossbar;
- Pull up the outstretched legs so that you get a right angle;
- Hold this position for a few seconds;
- Return to the starting point.
Repeat the task 15 times. In the future, you can use dumbbells or weights to increase the load on the legs.
This exercise involves all the muscles of the abdomen, so it can be called universal.
No. 4. Triple complex with the addition of a load
This is a combined task of three exercises. The main thing is not to get confused:
- Lie on a flat surface, pull up your knees, put your hands behind your head;
- Rise torso up;
- Get down;
- Pick up the dumbbells lying next to you, cross your arms over your chest and lower yourself again;
- Return to starting position, stretch your legs;
- Rise up again, now with straight legs and dumbbells on your chest;
- Go back;
- Repeat the complex from the very beginning.
The cycle is built in such a way as to gradually increase the complexity of the load in one approach. In total, repeat the complex 10 times.
In general, it is better for men to go to the gym, where you can do much more exercises for the press, which we wrote about. .
How to pump up abdominal muscles at home?
It is easy to pump up the upper press at home, since it is not necessary to have special simulators for the work of these muscles - it is enough to work with own weight or supplement the load with dumbbells (water bottles).
Exercise number 1. lazy press
This task can be done early in the morning, before getting out of bed. Find 2 minutes immediately after waking up to complete it. This does not guarantee you cubes, but elasticity and tone will definitely appear in a couple of weeks:
- Lying in bed on a flat surface, raise your chin, looking at your feet;
- Hold this position, experiencing tension in the abdominal muscles, for one minute;
- Lie down for 5 seconds in relaxation and repeat the task again.
Start with 3 sets of a minute, gradually increasing the load, watching how easy it becomes for you to perform a lazy press. If the voltage is low, then the number of approaches and the duration of the task should be increased.
Exercise number 2. Classic press
The simplest and at the same time the most effective task for the upper abdominal muscles:
- Hook your feet to the edge of the bed. It is best to keep your legs bent at the knees, but if you already have some training, then keep your legs straight or pull them up with your knees bent;
- Throw your hands behind your head and do not help yourself with them in the process of completing the task;
- Rise at a calm pace, forcing the muscles to tighten;
- Get down to the starting position.
Repeat the task 30 times. Over time, the load needs to be increased and the task to be complicated by weighting agents. Also, at a certain stage, you need to learn how to do without support - the legs are freely fixed on the floor or hang in a bent position in the air.
In the most difficult version of the exercise, the legs can be raised to a small height.
Exercise number 3. oblique turns
To complete this task, you need to find a surface in order to throw your legs there. A bed or sofa is quite suitable:
- Position yourself so that your back is on the floor and your legs are hanging (a simplified version is in a bent position on the floor);
- Close your hands in a lock behind your head;
- Raise the torso so that the right elbow touches the left knee and the left elbow of the right knee alternately, while pulling the right knee to the left elbow, and vice versa (see photo below);
- Repeat the task for each pair 15 times.
There are several options for this exercise. Use the heaviest or all at once.
- Alternate repetitions . In this form, you first do press-ups of the left elbow to the right knee 15 times, and then repeat the task for the other pair. It is important to keep a calm pace of climbs.
- Pair lifts . During the task, you first raise the right elbow to the left knee, lower, and then raise the left elbow to the right knee and lower again. The effectiveness of the exercise does not suffer from this. The total number of repetitions for a beginner is from 30 times.
- Delayed lifts . In this version of the task, you raise your right elbow to your left knee, and then immediately, without lowering, stretch your left elbow to the opposite side. Do 5 times for each side and lower yourself. Thus, you will increase the load on the abdominal muscles by delaying in static tension.
Read more about what exercises for the press can be done at home.
Video exercises for the upper press
See clearly how to properly pump up the abdominal muscles and achieve a beautiful relief.
Pumping up a beautiful and elastic press is quite simple - regular exercises against the background proper nutrition help pretty quickly. Find the most suitable combination of exercises for yourself and perform them regularly, constantly and systematically increasing the load. Only in this case you will notice a positive progress on your stomach.
The press is a solid muscle. You can not train only its top, middle or bottom. But you can emphasize by doing exercises for the upper press or focusing only on training the lower abdomen. If the lower zone is difficult to train due to the small amount of muscle fibers and the abundance of connective tissue, then working with the upper press is much easier. It remains only to find out which exercises are suitable for men and women, and which are useless and dangerous to health.
Remember a simple rule: lower press trains more when lifting legs with twisting of the coccyx, and the upper one - in movements with lifting the body. Exercises for the lower and upper abdomen are difficult for those who do not have a neuromuscular connection - the ability to feel a certain muscle group. This connection is formed gradually during full-body training.
However, with obesity, as well as with poor physical training, it is undesirable to pump the upper press and increase the load on the abdominal region. Better start with recreational gymnastics and basic exercises. Worst of all, when men copy the training of performing athletes. Looking at a photo of an idol, non-professionals think that an athlete's training program will help them achieve the same results. But a professional at the time of the competition in the body contains 5-7% fat, and amateurs do not sit on such strict diets.
A big mistake is also made by novice athletes who repeat daily exercises for the upper press for girls from different videos. So they get not a flat, but a voluminous stomach. The reason is too much workload. There are many white muscle fibers in the rectus abdominis muscles. Everyday training makes them grow quickly, but the results of the work are hidden under a layer of "fat" - the cubes are not visible, and the stomach sticks out even more.
"Fat-free" is achieved by calorie restriction, but not daily stress. Moreover, training contributes to the accumulation of glycogen in the muscles. And for every gram of glycogen, the body stores three grams of water. So the muscles become rounded and full. If you conduct classes every day, then the intramuscular glycogen depot is constantly preserved. This is the worst strategy for training abdominal muscles!
How to pump up a beautiful upper press at home and in the gym?
Breathing plays a huge role: the abdominal muscles contract as much as possible when the lungs are completely freed from air. It is necessary to exhale completely and loudly when lifting the body up. After such training, the stomach will be as hard as a membrane, and even a centimeter layer of fat will not spoil its appearance.
Cubes stand out thanks to the tendon jumpers on the rectus abdominis muscle. Their number and location is determined genetically. Often they are not visible due to a layer of fat, but sometimes it is not possible to draw cubes due to a small range of motion. This is especially true for those who pump the press with weights on the chest. At the same time, willy-nilly, the "span" of the body is reduced.
To make the upper press look good, it needs a certain muscle mass. But these muscles, like others, need rest. For some reason, it never occurs to anyone to do 100 repetitions for biceps every day, but many do not allow their press to recover. Most pros recommend exercising your abs 1-2 times per week. In this mode, glycogen has time to "drain" and the waist becomes smaller than when training every 2-3 days.
Another fact in defense of rare training for the press is the rapid fatigue of the body after such exercises. The fact is that during all kinds of twisting, there is a load on the solar plexus - the largest nerve bundle in the body. If you put a lot of pressure on it, then overtraining quickly occurs.
Effective exercises for the upper press
The legs can be bent at the knees and put the feet on the floor closer to the pelvis, throw on the sofa (bending at the knee at an angle of 90 degrees), keep bent in the hang. In all positions, the front surface of the thigh is turned off, which strives to participate in the training of the press.
The closer to the pelvis the hands are located, the easier it is to perform the exercise. It is best to cross them on the chest or bend at the elbows, holding the fists at the chin. The most difficult thing is to keep your hands behind your head, because in this case there is a desire to pull your elbows and neck towards your legs, which often leads to injury.
Twisting in the simulator while sitting
Sitting on the crunch machine, grasp the top handles with your hands and place your feet under the rollers. The angle at the elbow should not exceed 90 degrees. Use your abdominal muscles to twist forward. Do not fold completely (the body should not touch the hips) and always keep the abdominal muscles in tension. 
The simulator with handles allows you to master crunches while lying on your back with an increased amplitude. During twisting, the abdominal muscles contract as much as possible, and at the lowest point they are completely stretched without strain on the back. 
Kneeling crunches at a crossover block or a rope-handle trainer (prayer)
Get on your knees facing the block simulator and grab the handle with your hands. Rounding your back, lean forward and try to touch your legs with your elbows. The handle should be behind the head at about the level of the neck. Perform a movement without jerking with light weight due to the work of the abdominal muscles, not the arms. 
Exercise is good, but also does not relax his upper part. The load level is slightly less than when twisting on the horizontal bar. The movement is performed with emphasis on the forearms and the back tightly pressed against the simulator. The press is always under control, the legs do not hang out. You need to raise your legs slightly bent at the knees as high as possible, turning the tailbone slightly forward. At the top, the legs are held for 1-2 seconds and not lowered to the end. 
Pumping up the press is easy - the hardest thing is to get rid of the fat layer, under which the muscles are hiding. And in order to achieve this and get a traced relief press, you need to do basic exercises on the whole body and conduct cardio training.
Ineffective and dangerous exercises
For many, pain in sports is synonymous with performance. However, pain is not a sign that the exercise is beneficial. Correctly compose training programs taking into account individual characteristics, do not forget to do the plank and vacuum, do not harm your health and watch your diet!
