It is generally accepted that the horizontal bar is only suitable for working the muscles of the back, arms and upper body. In fact, this sports equipment is unique and universal not only for its accessibility, but also for the number of muscle groups that can be effectively pumped up with it. A set of abdominal exercises is far from limited to the ground floor. The horizontal bar is excellent proof of this.
- Is the method of pumping up the abs using pull-ups on a bar effective?
- Exercises for the press on the horizontal bar
- Hanging leg raises on the horizontal bar
- Video: technique for correctly performing hanging leg raises on the horizontal bar
- Leg raise "Corner"
- Exercise “Frog” on the horizontal bar
- Crunches
- Video: a complex version of crunches on the horizontal bar to pump up your abs
- Exercise "Pendulum"
- Vertical push-ups on the horizontal bar
- Video: how to perform vertical push-ups on a horizontal bar
- Training program on the horizontal bar for abdominal muscles
- First version of the program
- Second version of the program
- General recommendations for performing the exercise
Is the method of pumping up the abs using pull-ups on a bar effective?
Sculpted abs are the dream of both men and women, both bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. Whether you're an athlete or just want to get your body ready for beach season, working on your abdominal muscles is definitely something you should do. And in order not to do planks, push-ups and crunches inside four walls, go outside and find a horizontal bar, because training in the fresh air is good not only for your health, but also for your mood. However, we warn you right away - it won’t be easy, but the result is worth the effort .
By the way, an important advantage of swinging the press on a horizontal bar over the same plank or push-ups is that the result on this apparatus is achieved faster and can be visible after just a few exercises. The specificity of the horizontal bar requires the athlete to make a lot of effort to lift and hold the entire body above the ground, but thanks to this, the body acts as an excellent weight, which increases the effectiveness of the exercise and affects almost all muscles.
During exercises on the horizontal bar, the following muscles are included in the work:
- rectus abdominis muscle;
- trapezius muscles;
- deltoid muscles;
- triceps brachii;
- pectoralis major muscles;
- oblique and transverse abdominal muscles;
- back muscles;
- anterior thigh muscle group;
- muscles of the back of the thigh;
- small and medium gluteal muscles.
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Training regimen and nutrition
Muscles grow in the breaks between workouts, so the best regime is 2-3 sessions per week with mandatory breaks of a day or two.
For beginners, a couple of classes a week for 40-50 minutes is enough. When you feel like this time is not enough, increase the number of repetitions and approaches.
As for nutrition: reduce the amount of fats and carbohydrates, eat meat, plenty of fiber, drink water.
Muscles need nutrition, but excess fat needs to be removed.
An increase in appetite due to training is not a reason to consume junk food; because of this mistake, many people quit training, thinking that there was simply no point in exercising.
The benefits will come from a combination of stress on the abdominal muscles and proper nutrition.
Exercises for the press on the horizontal bar
There are several exercises on the horizontal bar for pumping up the abs, let’s start with the most popular and simplest of them.
Hanging leg raises on the horizontal bar
When lifting bent legs, the lateral and rectus abdominis muscles are most involved . If you are not very familiar with sports before, it may be difficult to immediately achieve the correct technique.
- Let's grab the bar so that our palms are shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees and pull them towards your chest.
- Straighten your legs so that they are parallel to the floor or slightly higher.
- Bend your legs again and press them to your chest.
- We lower our legs.
- We perform 3 sets of 10–12 lifts.
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Raising straight legs while hanging on the horizontal bar
This is a classic version of this exercise. But it doesn’t matter if you can’t do it the first time, try simplifying the exercise a little.
- We take the crossbar with our hands.
- We bend our knees.
- With an exhalation we pull them to our chest.
- Inhaling, we lower our legs.
- Perform 10–15 pull-ups.
Raising your legs bent at the knees while hanging on the horizontal bar
The back should remain straight and not too stressed throughout the entire exercise. And breaks between approaches should not exceed 30–40 seconds. Perform all movements smoothly, without sudden jerks.
Video: technique for correctly performing hanging leg raises on the horizontal bar
Leg raise "Corner"
This exercise is similar to the previous one, but has its own characteristics. The corner has an excellent effect on the muscles that stabilize the spine, pelvis and hips, on the muscles of the abdomen, hips and upper body.
- We grab the bar with a wide grip (palms slightly wider than shoulders).
- Raise your legs parallel to the floor and fix them in this position.
- We try to hold out as long as possible.
- We perform 10–12 repetitions.
The more time you can stay in this position, the greater the load on your abdominal muscles. Gradually increase the number of repetitions to 20. Having mastered the “Corner”, do not stand still and complicate it by adding pull-ups, this will at the same time pump up the muscles of the arms and shoulders. If pull-ups are already a past stage for you, then now try to raise your legs as high as possible. Our goal is for your feet to touch the bar.
By the way, you can raise your legs both in front of you and to the sides. It will be even more effective if you begin to alternate raising your legs in front of you, to the left and to the right.
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There are several more corner options:
- You can stretch your knees to your elbows.
- Raising your legs parallel to the floor, spread them apart and lower them.
- You can raise your legs while doing scissors.
- You can also do pull-ups during the corner.
Exercise “Frog” on the horizontal bar
During this exercise, the body should be static and the back should remain straight.
- Grab the bar with a wide grip.
- We bend our knees.
- Very slowly pull your legs as close to your chin as possible.
- When we begin to feel a burning sensation in the muscles, we lower our legs as slowly as we pulled them up.
- We perform 3 sets of 20–25 repetitions.
Lay down
Crunches
Crunches are an ideal exercise if you want to quickly tone your abdominal muscles.
- Let's grab the bar with a medium or wide grip.
- We bend our knees.
- We lift them, while exhaling, directing them to the left, then to the right elbow.
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To make the exercise more challenging, use weights. Having mastered crunches with bent legs, start doing them with your legs straight.
There is another version of twisting, which is completely different from the first and is performed as follows:
- We grab the bar with a medium grip.
- We raise our straight legs so that our shins touch the crossbar, that is, we make a half-turn.
- We perform 3 sets of 10–15 repetitions.
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When performing such crunches, the effectiveness of abdominal training increases significantly, because in this exercise, like nowhere else before, the hip part is most involved.
Video: a complex version of crunches on the horizontal bar to pump up your abs
Exercise "Pendulum"
Another important exercise on the horizontal bar is called “Pendulum”. It best pumps the lateral abdominal muscles.
- We grab the bar with a medium grip.
- Raise your straight legs to the level of the crossbar.
- We energetically direct both legs, first in one direction, then in the other.
- We repeat the exercise 10 times in 3 approaches.
The principle of the Pendulum
Vertical push-ups on the horizontal bar
Push-ups have always been an important exercise for the abs, and performing them on the horizontal bar was no exception.
- We grab the bar with a medium, narrow or wide grip.
- Exhale and pull yourself up so that your hips are at the level of the bar.
- As you inhale, lower yourself so that your chest or, if possible, your chin is at the level of the crossbar.
- Do 10 push-ups.
Vertical push-ups on the horizontal bar
If you have mastered the previous exercises on the horizontal bar well, then it will not be difficult for you to pull yourself up with a completely straight body and legs. If this position is difficult for you, then when lowering, stretch your legs parallel to the floor.
Video: how to perform vertical push-ups on a horizontal bar
Video on how to properly pump up your abs with vertical push-ups
Weekly training programs for different levels of training
Considering that everyone's level of physical fitness is different, it is necessary to plan workouts with different loads and difficulties.
Zero level
Girls and women just starting training should use the recommendations specified for the first week of training. Preparation for using equipment is necessary in order to fully master all techniques in the future. It is necessary to adhere to strictly dosed loads and the rules of their gradual increase.
For a week, we can recommend the following exercises on the bar:
| Day | Workout |
| 1 | corner; frog; pelvic lift. |
| 2 | straight leg lift; lateral twists; bike. |
| 3 | body twisting; pendulum; horizontal scissors. |
| 4 | corner hold; wipers; vertical scissors. |
| 5 | Repeat training from day 2. |
| 6 | Complex 3 days. |
All workouts begin with a warm-up, which can include morning exercises. Exercises are performed in 3 sets of 5 – 10 repetitions (depending on physical readiness). If all the techniques are successful, then you should not increase the number of repetitions. A stable complex should be performed within a month.
You can add the number of repetitions only one exercise per day.
After a month of training, add 2 to 5 repetitions to each element of the complex.
You should definitely rest one day a week. If classes cause difficulty, then training according to the specified scheme can be carried out every other day.
During menstruation, as well as 1 - 2 days before and after it, you should not exercise.
For girls
Girls who have undergone good initial training can be recommended to conduct classes with alternating high and low loads every other day.
Then the complexes of elements can be arranged as follows.
A day with a high load. Since these days involve a large number of exercises, they should be performed only in 2 sets of 15 elements each. You should not try to increase the load. You can add only one repetition per week.
The lesson includes the whole range of the most effective techniques:
- wipers;
- pelvic lift;
- scissors;
- bike;
- frog;
- pendulum;
- lateral twists;
- body twisting;
- straight leg lift;
- corner.
Low load day:
- bike;
- frog;
- lateral twists;
- scissors.
Number of repetitions: 15, sets: 3. In addition, cardio training is recommended on these days.
For obese women
If you are overweight, the approach to organizing the training process on gymnastic equipment should be strictly individual.
Conventionally, overweight women in this regard can be divided into 3 groups:
- Women who have previously received good physical training and exceed the weight norm by no more than 20%.
- Girls who have a genetically determined dense physique and exceed the norm by no more than 10 kg.
- Women with significant deviations from the normative weight.
For the first group, it is advisable to recommend a typical week for beginners before bringing the weight back to normal. Be sure to do active cardio training every other day.
The second group should follow the same pattern, but reduce the number of repetitions by half.
For the third group, it is not recommended to exercise on the crossbar before losing weight. To pump up your abdominal muscles, you should use parallel bars, as described above. From this position, a corner, pelvic lift and frog are made. Perform 10-15 exercises in one approach. You should not increase the load to avoid the formation of hematomas on the inner (supporting) sides of the shoulders.
The considered exercises on the uneven bars and horizontal bar provide the most necessary elements that affect the abs functionally and do not pump up its volume.
Article design: Oleg Lozinsky
Training program on the horizontal bar for abdominal muscles
To effectively work out your abs, you need to perform a whole range of exercises, and you can fully train without even visiting the gym. Apart from the horizontal bar, you will not need any other sports equipment.
First version of the program
Include the following exercises in your training program:
- lateral crunches on the horizontal bar - 20 repetitions;
- Corner pull-ups - 10 reps;
- vertical push-ups - 10 reps;
- raising legs to the bar - 8 repetitions;
- “Pendulum” - 6 repetitions;
- "Corner" for a while.
Perform the exercises one after another, giving yourself a break of 30-60 seconds. A set of exercises is one cycle; during a workout you should perform four cycles, with a two-minute rest between them. You can also dilute the workout with one of the classic abdominal exercises for 15 repetitions. Train two to three times a week, giving your muscles a day off every other day.
Second version of the program
To prevent muscles from getting used to a monotonous load, it is advisable to alternate programs.
- hanging straight leg raise - 15 reps;
- hanging bent leg raise - 15 reps;
- “Pendulum” - 10–12 repetitions;
- crunches with bent legs - 20 repetitions;
- straight leg crunches - 10-15 reps.
After resting for 2-3 minutes, repeat the set of exercises. For maximum benefits, perform this program 2-3 times a week.
Contraindications to exercises on the horizontal bar and uneven bars
Despite the simplicity of exercise techniques and accessibility, the horizontal bar and parallel bars are among the most potentially dangerous gymnastic equipment.
Exercises on them are strictly contraindicated for the following diseases:
- diseases in the acute period;
- injured hands;
- varicose veins;
- atherosclerosis;
Abdominal exercises on the horizontal bar cannot be performed if you have atherosclerosis. - epilepsy;
- intervertebral hernia;
- disc protrusion;
- very overweight.
Particular caution should be observed in the presence of other diseases that have a general contraindication - physical activity.
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General recommendations for performing the exercise
Don’t forget that the key to success is not only the amount of time spent on exercises, but also the quality of their implementation.
- Start every workout with a warm-up.
- Warm up your lower back thoroughly by bending over.
- In any of the listed exercises, while inhaling, we lower ourselves, and while exhaling, we pull ourselves up.
- It is important to ensure that your back is straight.
- Try to load your back as little as possible; all pull-ups should be done using the strength of your arms and abs.
- Do not swing your body during exercises, this will significantly reduce the load and, therefore, efficiency.
- To prevent your arms from getting tired quickly, use special straps.
- Gradually increase the number of repetitions and complicate the exercises themselves.
- The break between sets should be at least 30 seconds, maximum 2 minutes.
- Don't forget that your workouts should be regular: start with 2-3 workouts a week, with a rest day in between.
If you want to pump up beautiful abs, then you should work hard. But don’t limit yourself to doing planks or push-ups within four walls: feel free to go outside, fresh air and bright sun will additionally motivate you to achieve results faster! A horizontal bar can be found in almost any yard or gym, so don’t put off your dream of a toned body and get to work.
Exercises for the upper abs
There are also many good exercises for focusing on the upper abs, but we will look at three of them. Perhaps one of the best exercises is prayer. It can be performed either standing or kneeling. In order for the abdominal muscles to work, you need to bend your torso, but if the exercise is performed with a straight back, then the iliopsoas muscle will work more.
If you don’t have an expander at hand, you can lift your body to the bar while hanging on your feet. Here you can also use various suitable equipment to increase the load.
The last good option here is seated crunches with an expander. Thanks to the rubber band, the exercise becomes more difficult to perform, but the effectiveness increases significantly.
Common mistakes
When performing abdominal crunches, try to avoid the following mistakes:
- Jerks with the body or legs. All movements must be smooth and controlled.
- Do not lift your body high from the floor. You do crunches, but lifting your torso is a different exercise.
- There should be no arching in the back. If you can't do one more rep without arching your lower back, you've already done your maximum.
- Often, when performing body crunches, there is a desire to press your hands on your head, thereby supposedly helping yourself to rise. This is a misconception - you will only harm your spine.
- Exhale as you force, and inhale as you relax. Improper breathing will significantly reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.
By following these simple recommendations, you can effectively work out your abdominal muscles and make your figure slim and your muscles toned and beautiful.
In addition to the frog, you can try oblique crunches, bicycle exercises, and Roman chair sit-ups. There are many abdominal exercises, the main thing is to do them regularly, then the results will not be long in coming.
Execution technique
Let's look at two versions of frog pull-ups below. In the first case, the body is twisted, and the emphasis of the load falls on the upper and middle part of the rectus abdominis muscle. In the second version, the pelvis is twisted and the lower part of the press works the most.
Twist version:
- Lie down on the floor or on a gymnastics mat. Place your hands behind your head. Bend your legs at the knees, place your feet on the floor with your soles close to each other, and spread your knees to the sides as wide as possible. Tighten your abs and press your lower back to the floor. She remains in this position throughout the entire exercise. That is, you cannot lift your lower back off the mat.
- As you exhale, twist your body forward using your abdominal muscles. In this case, the shoulder blades come off the floor by no more than 10-15 centimeters. There is no movement in the hip joint. You don't need to lift your body completely. Try not to put pressure on the back of your head with your hands, concentrate specifically on working your abdominal muscles.
- As you inhale, lower your body to the starting position. Don't relax your abs.
Pelvic twist version:
- In the starting position, you lie on your back, legs extended, back pressed to the mat. For convenience, your palms can be placed under your buttocks. This will help you control the depressed position of your back as you twist your pelvis. Tighten your abs and lift your legs a few centimeters off the floor.
- As you exhale, twist your pelvis and pull your knees toward your shoulders. While lifting, spread your knees to the side.
- As you inhale, return to the starting position.
With this version of frog crunches, the lower part of the abs works the most.
What muscles work when doing pull-ups on the horizontal bar?
- Back muscles. During pull-ups, the back muscles are well worked, due to which it becomes more prominent. Your figure looks more athletic and your posture becomes straighter.
- Arm muscles. The heaviest load during pull-ups falls on your arms. There are several techniques for this exercise that allow you to work absolutely all the muscles in your arms - pull-ups with a straight, wide, narrow, reverse grip.
- Abdominal muscles. As already mentioned, there is a load on the abs, but it is insignificant. But pull-ups are not the only exercises that can be performed on the horizontal bar.
If you are going to conduct your workout using a horizontal bar, remember your safety.
