The stomach vacuum is the only ab exercise that actually shrinks your stomach. Breathe all the way out, suck your stomach in as hard as you can, and hold it for 20 to 30 seconds, three times.
Why a vacuum instead of crunches
Regular ab exercises make your abs look better if you’re already lean. If you have belly fat, they just build the muscle under the fat and make your belly bulge out more.
The vacuum works a different muscle: your transverse abdominis, the sleeve of muscle that wraps around your core and keeps it stable. Train it and it pulls your waist in, so your waistline looks smaller even while you still have some belly fat.
How to do a stomach vacuum
- Breathe all the way out and let yourself slump.
- Stand up tall and suck your stomach in, like you’re posing on stage at a bodybuilding show.
- Hold it.
- Do 3 sets of 20 to 30 seconds.
Do it standing in front of a mirror. It feels a little strange at first, but watching your waist pull in is the best feedback you can get, and it’s the most effective way I’ve found to do it.
What the vacuum won’t do
A vacuum doesn’t burn fat off your stomach. Nothing does, because there’s no such thing as spot reduction. What it does is pull your waist in so it looks smaller while you lose the fat the way that actually works: fewer calories. I cover that part in my top 10 tips for getting six pack abs.
If you still have stomach fat, this is the ab exercise to focus on until your stomach is flat. Once you can see your abs, that’s the time to add regular ab work.
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This is general fitness information, not medical advice.
