Vacuum is an exercise for a flat belly and spiritual growth

Vacuum is an exercise for a flat belly and spiritual growth

There are two ways to work your hardest-to-reach muscles.

Vacuum is one of the favorite exercises of fitness bloggers. Many are trying to achieve a flat stomach in a short period of time with its help. And it really helps: the vacuum trains the internal muscles, thanks to which the fat layer is burned.

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I do the vacuum in my morning classes. You need to do this exercise on an empty stomach, you can drink a glass of water 20-30 minutes before practicing. Vacuum exercises affect the work of internal organs – they improve the flow of arterial blood and increase the outflow of venous blood. Stimulate intestinal motility. If a person has no contraindications, then at home I recommend to perform vacuum daily in the morning, after waking up.

Čo je to vákuum?

Yogis were the first to use this exercise. The meaning of vacuum is alternate contraction and relaxation of transverse abdominal muscles in combination with a special breathing technique.

These muscles are one of the most difficult to reach, so it is difficult to reach them with the help of classical twists. But they are the ones responsible for the tone of the abdomen and the waspy waist.

Vacuum is one of the few exercises that can pump the transverse abdominal muscles.

The “Golden Rule” of the three bandhas

Since we’re talking about a yogic exercise, let’s go back to the basics. Bandhas are a combination of clamps (or simply locks) at certain levels of the body. They hold energy in certain parts of the body, control various processes and expose certain areas to internal massage.

While performing yogic exercises, energy flows accumulate and shift, which allows the physical and mental sides of a person to come into balance.

When practicing the internal abdominal muscles, three locks should be held: throat, diaphragmatic and root locks. The most common mistake made when doing a vacuum is that many people drop the throat lock, and this can negatively affect intracranial pressure.

How to do a vacuum: option 1

Uddiyana is an exercise that tightens the front of the lumbar region by pulling the navel toward the spine and upward toward the diaphragm. It is performed sitting, lying down, or standing. The third option is most suitable for beginners.

Technique of execution (in a standing position):

• Stand up straight, spreading your legs slightly wider than the pelvis. Heels should be tightly pressed to the floor;
• Take a deep breath;
• As you exhale, lean forward with a straight back, bending your legs at the knees;
• Rest your arms, straightened at the elbows, on your thighs. To make this easier, pull your shoulders up to your ears and place your hands just above your knees;
• Perform a throat lock: tuck your chin to your sternum without straining your neck;
• Relax the abdomen and draw it inward;
• Stretch the lateral surfaces of the lumbar region, the iliopsoas muscle (you should have a feeling that the internal organs are rising up);
• Hold in this position, and then complete the bandha with a deep long exhalation: lower the abdomen down and smoothly return it to a natural, relaxed position, release the throat lock, only then you can inhale, gently and effortlessly.

How to do a vacuum: option 2

Agnisara dhauti is one of the exercises in hatha yoga. It helps the body to cleanse itself of toxins and other poisons. It improves the digestive system and metabolism.

There are four ways to perform the exercise:

• Standing without breath-holding: put your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend them, tilt the body forward and rest your hands just above the knees so that the thumbs look at the body. Arms straight. Open your mouth, stick out your tongue, breathe quickly through your mouth like a dog and move your belly in rhythm with your breathing. This is a simplified version to start with.
• Sitting without holding your breath: assume a position that is comfortable for you and repeat the same thing.

• Standing with breath-holding: assume the stance from the first variation, take a full exhalation and hold your breath by clamping your throat lock. Then start to quickly press your navel against your spine and push it back out. When you want to inhale, you should first unclench the throat lock, then it is desirable to make an exhalation and only after that calmly take a breath.
• Sitting with breath-holding: take any comfortable posture, and then repeat the pushing in and pushing out of the abdominal muscles, as in the third variant.

Remember that the key to success of any physical activity is its regularity. While performing the vacuum, pay attention not only to how the waist has decreased, but also to the moral state. After all, any breathing yogic exercises are aimed at calming the mind and improving well-being.