How to get a sculpted body? With the best abdominal bench, of course! Whenever we think of our physical form we look with envy at those who show off powerful, carefully sculpted abs. What is striking is not so much aesthetic image, as the tonicity of the muscles of the belly.
The bacon, which for some will also be sexy but not infrequently is just a symptom of laziness, is often a consequence of a sedentary lifestyle, very harmful to health. The fat mass located mainly in the abdomen leads to heart failure.
It causes an accumulation of triglycerides and fats in the blood, which can cause the emergence of diseases even more rooted as diabetes. As all athletes know well, to get – and maintain – a good physical shape, two things are needed: a healthy and not excessively caloric diet and an active life.
For those who do not have much time to go to the gym, the abdominal bench can be a useful tool that allows you to perform complementary physical exercises at home: to tone the stomach, train the abdominals and strengthen the back muscles that must support the our body.
Table of Contents
Considerations before purchase
The health of the abdominals is important because it depends on the support of the spine and the maintenance of a correct posture. The most common abdominal exercises consist of traditional bending on the ground, with knees bent and hands behind the nape as you move your torso forward.
Who does not have a particular practice with these exercises can be helped by tools that allow you to do them better, such as the ab roller and the medicine ball? The most suitable solution for a complete training, however, is undoubtedly the multi-purpose bench, able to train other parts of the body.
There are multiple factors to consider before buying a bench. The first is the type of use. If you are at the initial level, it is good to rely on an economic and partially assisted product. Not to be underestimated, then, the quality of the materials, which must be robust to withstand the stresses in an appropriate manner.
The materials are bound to another element, the weight of the bench, to be taken into account if the instrument is frequently moved. Some items are made of aluminum and rubber quite light, while others are made of steel and are decidedly heavier.
Size also plays an important role. If the space is tyrannical, it is better to prefer, to fixed models, those that can be closed, which when not in use can be placed under the bed or in the closet. Last but not least, any health problems should be considered. If you suffer from disorders of the spine, it is better to opt for a product that does not stress it too much. In any case, it is suggested to ask for advice from your doctor or physiotherapist.
Technical aspects
The abdominal bench is an exerciser designed to train the muscles of the abdomen and to make them flat and sculpted faster than other instruments. To choose the most suitable model to meet specific needs, ask yourself two questions: in which position do you want to work: static or dynamic? And then: what is your level of commitment?
The dynamic work involves the flexion of the bust, and is recommended for those who want to sculpt the abdominals and shape the silhouette. The static one, instead, serves to tone up the muscles that allow postural balance.
For those who want to start toning the abdominals, the tilting tools are the most suitable. Some of these have evolved with an axis that supports the back in the correct position and helps lift movement. Those who train regularly will be able to choose between the different types of inclined benches, because it is also possible to exercise other muscle groups with the help of dumbbells.
During practice, it is important to perform each action slowly. You have to keep the abdominals, and the lumbar area contracted, without too much emphasis on the amplitude of the movement with excess of effort or strain (it is better to concentrate on smaller, but well controlled movements). It is then necessary to keep the neck relaxed and in the correct position, to avoid discomfort to the cervical area.
Various types
Who wants to start but is not familiar with this type of muscular training, you can find a tilting tool useful. This instrument, light and suitable for non-intensive training, is provided with a foam cushion that supports the garment and allows the abdominals to be stressed while keeping the cervical area stable.
Two side arms on which to place the hands help to perform the crunch, ie the flexion of the bust performed by the abdominals, in a correct and simple way. You are lying on the floor with a variable leg position. The system of the side arms is also applied to some benches equipped with a comfortable backrest that supports the torso during the push of the abdominals, with the help of the arms.
Leaning with your arms, you can take many positions, acting on high, low and oblique abdominals. The advantage of this type of machine, in a certain sense assisted, is to allow greater control of the position of the neck and back, avoiding incorrect habits. It is particularly suitable for beginners but also appreciated by those who train at home.
Those who train regularly can choose a classic bench without assisted support, which allows you to perform oblique abdominals at different inclinations. It is the most robust type (it also holds 150 kg of weight), equipped with both footrests and foam handlebars for the hands. The movement is done by twisting the bust without any support, while the feet and legs are blocked by foam cushions to counterbalance the movement and ensure stability.
Finally, there are the multi-purpose benches that can also be positioned horizontally. They have mobile footrests and ropes to practice exercises even for the legs and arms.
The most effective exercises
Before starting, it is useful to know a little more closely the structure of our body. Abdominal muscles are distinguished in abdominal rectum, external and internal oblique abdominals, transverse muscle. The abdominal rectum is responsible for the flexion of the trunk and the spine. The obliques allow the torsion of the torso and its lateral bowing, the transversus forms a layer of containment of the abdominal viscera.
The upper part of the abdominal rectus and the obliques act simultaneously to flex the torso, while the lower part stabilizes the pelvis and contrasts such as flexion during the efforts. Precisely for this reason, strengthening the abdominals improves posture and resistance, counteracting a sedentary lifestyle.
To train the lower abdominals, the most appropriate exercise to perform on the bench is to lie down in the supine position: grasping the handles, lift the legs up to form an angle of 30 ° with the bench; hold the position for a few seconds and then return to the starting point.
To train the high abs, you always start lying down on your back: place your feet on the bench and, bending your knees, slowly raise your torso without arching your back and without stretching your neck to form a 45° angle between the back and the bench . Hold the position for a few seconds and then return to the starting point.
The exercise to train the oblique abdominals consists in lying down on the bench resting the back. Then bend your legs and, with your hands crossed over your chest, rotate your pelvis and rest on your thigh, knee and leg sideways on the bench. Then lift the torso without detaching the legs from the bench. Keep for a few seconds then repeat right and left.
Depending on the tools available, other exercises such as cycling and different types of crunches with raised legs are possible.
The 10 best abdominal benches
Before buying the abdominal bench you must be sure of your intentions, focusing on the type of training you want to practice keeping fit. When choosing the tool, it is good to consider which exercises will be performed on the bench: it is important that the body is facilitated in the execution of the movements, and that it is not hindered by anything.
Another thing to keep in mind is the quality of the bench, especially its structure: knowing that it will have to support the whole body, the materials used must be absolutely stable and resistant. Also pay attention to the mechanisms used to lock the bench in different positions: they must be absolutely secure.
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