5 famous bodybuilders who were helped by vacuum to become champions

The exercise is gaining popularity, and more and more people resort to it not only to give relief to the body, but also to reduce weight. Experienced instructors and professional athletes will not agree with such requests. Vacuum is a movement aimed at pumping deep abdominal muscles, which can not be engaged by other classic exercises on the abs. Before performing it, it is necessary to delve into the history and understand how and for what it was used previously.

Vacuum became world famous thanks to Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was he who showed aspiring bodybuilders how to achieve a beautiful body aesthetic for a bodybuilder with the help of special abdominal movements. Thanks to the technique, it is possible to create beautiful abs and a narrow waist. So the vacuum began to be universally used by athletes.

But Schwarzenegger was not a pioneer. Thanks to his fame, he was only able to popularize the technique. Vacuum came to the professional sports and fitness industry from yoga. Here it has its own name – uddiyana bandha or “abdominal lock”.

When performing asana there is a contraction of certain groups of abdominal muscles, which stimulate blood circulation and saturate internal organs with oxygen. Many yoga lovers compare the sensations received with “flight” and assure that the body feels as if it is saturated with energy.

Whatever it is, a noticeable visual effect from the exercises is observed in any case. That’s why bodybuilders resort to it. But there are differences in vacuum technique in fitness and yoga.

Athletes performing the Schwarzenegger method of exercise work the transverse abdominal muscles to reduce the intra-abdominal space. As they exhale, they keep the abdomen tight.

Yoga does not aim to work the deep abs. You do not need to tense them when performing uddiyana bandha. After exhaling, the intercostal muscles will be engaged. The abdomen can be relaxed as much as possible.

To accurately do the exercise and achieve high performance, a professional bodybuilder needs to follow the instructions exactly and observe the technique.

How to do a vacuum correctly for experienced athletes?

Vacuum in fitness is performed to strengthen the transverse abdominal muscles. To maximize the effect, trainers advise performing them as often as possible, on average five times a week. It is necessary to develop the habit of feeling the tension in the abdomen. Once the muscles become toned, there will be no need for constant monitoring of their condition.

The sequence of actions:

1. Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, put your hands on your hips.

2. Slowly take a deep breath through your nose, taking in as much air as possible into your lungs.

3. Then release the air from the lungs and strongly pull the walls of the abdomen to the spine, as if you want to bring the navel closer to it.

4. Fix yourself in this position and hold your abdomen as long as you can. But no more than 20 seconds. Then return to the starting position and breathe as usual.

5. Rest. Repeat the exercise 2-4 times.

While the description of the exercise is easy for beginners, the technique can be difficult. If you have never used it before, trainers advise you to start doing the vacuum sitting on a chair, standing on all fours or half lying down.

How to do a vacuum correctly for beginners?

1. Lie on your back with your arms along your body. Bend your legs at the knees, placing your feet on the floor.

2. Slowly exhale, gradually releasing air from your lungs, relax your abdomen.

3. Once a full exhalation is made, tense your abs and lift your head, neck and shoulders off the floor.

4. Exhale again and tense your abs even more, trying to pull your abdomen inward.

5. Hold this pose for 10-15 seconds, then relax your muscles and return to the starting position.

6. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times.

It is recommended to perform the vacuum in the morning on an empty stomach. It is important to remember that the technique should not cause pain or discomfort. If you experience any pressure, stop immediately.

5 bodybuilders who were helped by “vacuum”

The alley of fame of bodybuilders, in addition to Arnold Schwarzenegger, is rich in the names of athletes who also thanks to this exercise were able to declare themselves to the whole world.

Frank Zane

His biography is rightly considered stellar. He is a three-time winner of the title “Mr. Olympia”. In 1968 at the competition “Mr. Universe” he bypassed Schwarzenegger and won the competition of athletes with less weight and volumes.

Frank Zane emphasized the vacuum and used it not only in training but also while posing on set. The star bodybuilder wrote several books and trained future athletes. His figure was repeatedly recognized as the most aesthetic for its slim waist, broad shoulders and moderately pumped muscles.

Frank Zane

Sean Ray

The name of the famous bodybuilder entered the New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, compiled by American athletes – Bill Dobbins and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The athlete was not once in the top five strongest in various competitions. Sean 13 times fought for the title of “Mr. Olympia”, but never received proper recognition. Fans following his career were surprised by this every time.

Ray in 1990 was caught doping and disqualified from the Arnold Classic. But a year later, he passed the tests and was able to win the competition. The vacuum technique helped the athlete to look spectacular on stage and to be recognized by the public.

Sean Ray

Artem Dolgin

The athlete is one of the hundred best athletes in the world with a relief musculature. He fights for the title of high honors in competitions organized by the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness.

Artyom notes that he trains every day – morning and evening. Vacuum is an obligatory exercise in his program. He can do it sitting down, even when driving a car.

Artyom Dolgin

John Grimek

The athlete is an athlete from the old school of bodybuilders. For his outstanding musculature and aesthetic appearance, he received the high title of “Mr. Universe” in 1948. These competitions became significant for Grimek. Vacuum helped to achieve the victory. During the final pose, the athlete put on an athletic belt and pulled in his abdominal muscles so strongly that a bowler hat passed freely between the belt and abs. The spectacular stunt captivated the jury and they awarded him first place unconditionally.

John Grimek

Joe Vader

The founder of the International Federation of Bodybuilders and the “Mr. Olympia” contest, coach and mentor of many famous bodybuilders adhered to the principles of natural muscle building. At a very young age, he wrote a book on proper training methods, where vacuum was also a mandatory exercise.

Joe Vader

What else is a vacuum good for?

Undoubtedly, the most important task of the exercise is to strengthen the transverse abdominal muscles, which are very difficult to use during a regular abs workout. But the technique can be performed not only for this purpose.

Instructor-methodist of the LFC center of the Clinic of Academician Roitberg

Vacuum contributes to the narrowing of the waist and the appearance of a flat belly. Pumped transverse muscles will be able to protect both the spine and internal organs, since the violation of their work strongly affects the formation of divergence of the white line of the abdomen. Often people have umbilical hernias as a result of weakness of just this transverse muscle.

Using the vacuum technique in training will indirectly help to increase the volume of the lungs. The technique is also useful for women, as it is an excellent prophylactic means of preventing the prolapse of reproductive organs.

However, despite all the advantages, vacuum is a rather unsafe exercise.

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The technique should be excluded from training during menstruation and, of course, pregnancy. In addition, the exercise is not recommended for people with high blood pressure, infectious diseases, venous thrombosis, increased intracranial pressure, chronic diseases of internal organs, uterine myoma and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

It is important to note that the abdominal vacuum will not help to visibly lose weight on its own. It is rather an important part of the exercise complex. Nevertheless, training with its help has an extremely positive effect on digestion. Due to a slight oxygen deficit and blood flow to the organs, metabolism improves.

Recall, in case of painful sensations, the technique should be immediately stopped. And you should start performing the exercise only after consulting with your doctor and under the supervision of a trainer.