“How to reduce the waistline?” is a very frequent question for all those who find themselves wanting to lose a few extra pounds. The stereotype of the six squares of the abdomen or a flat stomach is often connected to the thought that for get rid of excess fat it is necessary to perform countless exercises for i abdominal muscles. But is it true or is it a hoax? In reality this is not the case: muscle training does not selectively burn fat in the area we are boosting.
Where is fat deposited and how is it made?
The menas a result of testosteronetend to deposit excess fat a abdominal level. For the donne it’s slightly different because, for one matter hormonalthere is a predisposition to hoard in other districts, such as thighs and hips. But there are also women with the so-called “android conformation” which tend to deposit excess fat on the belly. What you feel by pinching your “bacon” with two fingers is the subcutaneous fat which is the hardest to get rid of but is more “healthy”. There is also the visceral fat which, if in excess, helps to give roundness to the abdomen. The latter is directly proportional to the risk of events cardiovascularinsulin resistance, glucose intolerance e diabetes type II.
Following a series of metabolic mechanisms, our body converts excess nutrients into fat. These are deposited within the adipose cell in the form of “droplets“. It is precisely the volume of the lipid droplet that increases the size of the adipose tissue: try to imagine these cells as many balloons which swell. When we lose weight these cells are emptied but are not eliminated! Do you think that the number of fat cells is predominantly predefined in the growth phase based on nutrition and lifestyle. As adults we can only try to limit the accumulation of fat inside them.
Belly and abs: eternal enemies?
When we train the abdomen we go to give a stimulus to the muscle fibers. In base al type of workout and to genetic predisposition our abdominal muscles can respond by improving strength, volume and endurance. This happens whether you have excess fat or not! Doing core exercises won’t reduce your waistline, but it can improve your waistline muscle tone below. The so-called “muscle definition” (i.e. the reduction of subcutaneous fat) mainly depends on a balance between:
- How much and what we eat
- How much we burn during physical activity
In general for reduce excess fat the best strategy is to execute aerobic activity (i.e. at an intensity that still allows us to chat) such as a brisk walk, run or bicycle. Another example would be gymnastics classes with music as long as you can appreciate an increase in your breathing rate. L’aerobic activity allows the activation of particular metabolic processes that lead to the reduction of our fat stocks. Do you think that this process, called “lipolysis”, continues even in the hours when you are not doing any activity.
Even training in weight room can lead to the reduction of fat stocks, also because the muscle tissue increases the body’s energy demands.
The turtle definition training
Who performs well structured and complete workouts use the deep muscles of the abdomen for correct execution of the movement. As a result, selective ab training, other than through core-stability exercises, could take a back seat.
Those who need to have greater muscle volume or greater abdominal strength can focus some training sessions on stimulating this district. There are various types of exercises but please, be careful with the execution! Many exercises, especially those in “closure” (i.e. those in which the back bends forward), can have negative repercussions on the back. If you have any doubts about your training, let one follow you movement specialist!