There are many exercises in the arsenal of fitness followers that allow you to work out and tighten your abdominal muscles. However, usually a training program consists of only a few, the most popular exercises. Over time, the muscles get used to them, and training becomes less effective. Guided by the desire to add some variety to their workout, many opt for the “Scissors” exercise, known since childhood. Let's find out how to properly perform this exercise so that it brings maximum effect.
Muscle work
Exercise “Scissors” is aimed at working out the abdominal press, in particular its lower part. The middle and upper sections of the press are also involved in the movement, but less actively. For the legs, the exercise “Scissors” is also effective, as the hip flexors are connected to the work. The target is the iliopsoas muscle. The role of synergists is played by such muscles: tailor, wide fascia tensor, comb, adductor and rectus femoris muscle. Quadriceps and abdominal muscles (straight, oblique and transverse) act as stabilizers of movement.
How to do the exercise “Scissors”?
This exercise has four difficulty levels. They differ only in the angle between the body and legs. The higher the athlete's level, the smaller this angle and the more heavily loaded the lower section of the press. For a person with average physical training, the first two levels may seem too easy, but for many they are the only way to master this exercise. These levels are for beginners, people who recover from injuries, and women in the postpartum period. Those who are overweight are also advised to start from large angles in order to protect their back from overload. So, consider each of the levels.
Zero - 90 °
Starting position - lying on your back. It does not change depending on the level. If it will be difficult to work with raised legs, you can grab hold of any stationary object with your hands. This may be the lower partition of the Swedish wall, the leg of the cabinet and so on. The main thing is that when performing the swings this object remains motionless and helps the athlete keep his lower back pressed to the floor. Having taken a starting position it is necessary to adjust breath. In general, before any exercise it is recommended to breathe correctly for 30-60 seconds. By the word "right" is meant deeply (belly) and slowly. The rhythm of breathing should prepare the body for the upcoming work.
Having taken a starting position and adjusted breathing, you need to raise your legs at an angle of 90 °. If raising straight legs is difficult, you can lift them in a bent state and then straighten. Exercise is done with such an angle of inclination of the legs at which the back will not feel discomfort. If you can easily lower your legs below 90 °, then you should immediately go to the next level. In fact, the abs and legs are included in the work even at right angles.
Having taken the necessary position, you can begin to work. The essence of the exercise “Scissors” is the simultaneous alternating crossing of legs from side to side. Breeding your legs too wide is not recommended. For one inhalation and exhalation, approximately two swings with one leg should fall, that is, there is no need to rush. Thoughts should be focused on the lower abdomen, for which the exercise is performed. Having made the movement the required number of times (it will be enough to tire the muscles by 80% in one approach), you need to return to the starting position and normalize your breathing. After a short pause (about 30 seconds), you can proceed to the second approach. 3-5 approaches 3 times a week will be enough for the training to bear fruit and muscles not to be overloaded.
First level - 60 °
You need to go to this level if lowering your legs to the specified degree does not cause discomfort. Crossing the legs occurs in exactly the same way as at the previous level. If raising your legs immediately by 60 ° is difficult, you can start moving from 90 ° and gradually lower them.
Second level - 30 °
After a month of intense training, you will most likely be able to move on to that level. In this position, it is more difficult to keep the lower back pressed to the floor, so it is recommended to put your hands under it with your palms down. Otherwise, the execution technique does not differ from previous levels. For a change, you can try to make not only horizontal, but also vertical swings.
Third level - 10 °
Everything is the same here, only the legs are even lower, the abs is straining even more. Having reached this level, it is recommended to increase the frequency of movement to 4-6 max in one inhalation / exhalation. It is important to ensure that the legs are as straight as possible and the socks are elongated.
Complicated Option
If the usual exercise “Scissors” has become too easy for you, you can complicate it. The first option is to perform movement with the pelvis raised. To do this, from the initial lying position you need to switch to the "inclined birch" position, holding the pelvis and lower back on the palms. The main thing is that when swinging the legs, the back remains stationary. The second option is to raise the body when performing the “Scissors”. Hands can be bent at the elbows, as with standard twists. Remaining in this position throughout all approaches, you can additionally lightly load the upper section of the press.
Option "on the stomach"
Having mastered the classic exercise “Scissors” for the abs, you can try the variation for the back, which is performed lying on your stomach. It is most convenient to do this exercise on a special simulator, but if desired, improvised tools can be adapted for it. The main thing is that their surface is sufficiently rigid. This option “Scissors” allows you to work out the lower back, as well as tighten the buttocks and the back of the thighs. Thus, the classical exercise and the option “on the stomach” are not mutually exclusive.
The benefits of exercise "Scissors"
Since this exercise is performed with its own weight, it is quite difficult to overload the body by performing it. In addition, the “Scissors” do not require any additional equipment, special skills and a lot of free space. They can be performed by people of any age and level of training. It is noteworthy that the exercise is suitable for people with back injuries, and in some cases it is included in the program of rehabilitation therapy. The possibility of varying the load allows you to master the movement gradually, which will be in the hands of people with poor training.
“Scissors” are among the ten most effective exercises for developing abdominal muscles and are complex, as the load focuses on the whole spectrum of muscle fibers. The Kindred to this exercise is Bicycle.