Performing stomach vaccuums

[Southernfish]

This has seemed to me to have almost disappeared in bodybuilding nowadays. Seems it was more a thing of what they did back in the 70s and 80s. I was wondering if anyone actually does this and if they have found it to be beneficial in bringing out their abdominals and/or strengthening their core?

 

[MBB]

For the last month I've been doing 10 stomach vacuums on the drive to and from work, so 20 a day 5 days a week. I have to say that my core/stability strength has improved and I have noticed a visual improvement in my abdominals whilst still being at the same BF% (approx 15%). I also haven't done any other sort of ab training for a couple of months and feel that vacuums have really helped keep the strength up in my core.

 

[Mrrippedzilla]

Vacuums are useful to train the TVA (a muscle behind your abs) & can improve your posture, which translates to better stability.
They're also useful for some bodybuilders who have an "ab gut" because it should help "flatten" them out.

They do absolutely nothing for your abs, since that's not the target muscle group - in fact they shouldn't even be called an ab exercise.
This is, I suspect, why people don't do them anymore - they target a muscle (TVA) that doesn't have alot of room for hypertrophy.

 

[MBB]

They do absolutely nothing for your abs, since that's not the target muscle group - in fact they shouldn't even be called an ab exercise.

I think the visual improvement I have noticed is from an improvement in posture and stability which has translated to better training in general, which has had a spill over effect onto the abs. Regardless though I think it's a great exercise and more people should be doing them.

 

[Southernfish]

I think the visual improvement I have noticed is from an improvement in posture and stability which has translated to better training in general, which has had a spill over effect onto the abs. Regardless though I think it's a great exercise and more people should be doing them.

I think why a lot of people don't is because they have no clue what they are, ask any younger dude about a stomach vacuum and I bet they say 'What?'

 

[cdiggity]

What is a stomach vacuum?

 

[Southernfish]

It an exercise primarily for your waistline, It works your Transverse abdominis which is the muscle located underneath both the external and internal obliques and also wraps around your spine. It is the deepest of all the abdominal muscles. You basically inhale and then exhale all the air in your lungs and suck your stomach in as much as possible then when you cant hold your breath any long you let your stomach out. You used to see guys like Frank Zane and Arnold do them during their posing routines back in the day>

 

[MBB]

One thing I like to do with the vacuums is inhale into my abdomen and then as I exhale from my abdomen I pull my belly button to my spine. Try that over inhaling into your lungs as it gives a slightly different (I find more intense) contraction.

 

[Southernfish]

One thing I like to do with the vacuums is inhale into my abdomen and then as I exhale from my abdomen I pull my belly button to my spine. Try that over inhaling into your lungs as it gives a slightly different (I find more intense) contraction.

Ya exactly, the belly button to spine way of looking at it is exactly what you are trying to achieve.

 

[Dlipstein]

Glad to see this post, months late though. I have wanted to incorporate these and no one I have asked seems to know what they are. Cool idea about how to spend the commute to and from work. Here is some info I found: build-some-muscle.com/stomach-vacuum.html.