Stomach Vacuum
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Stomach Vacuum
- To begin, stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart from each other. Place your hands on your hips. This is the starting position.
- Now slowly inhale as much air as possible and then start to exhale as much as possible while bringing your stomach in as much as possible and hold this position. Try to visualize your navel touching your backbone.
- One isometric contraction is around 20 seconds. During the 20 second hold, try to breathe normally. Then inhale and bring your stomach back to the starting position.
- Once you have practiced this exercise, try to perform this exercise for longer than 20 seconds. Tip: You can work your way up to 40-60 seconds.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of sets.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Stomach Vacuum
7 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Overhead Stretch
A beginner compound mobility exercise that works the abs.
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2
Seated Overhead Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the abs.
-
3
Standing Lateral Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the abs.
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4
Torso Rotation
A beginner mobility exercise that works the abs, using an exercise ball.
-
5
Lower Back Curl
A beginner mobility exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
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6
Scissor Kick
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
-
7
Toe Touchers
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do stomach vacuum work?
Stomach Vacuum primarily works the abs.
What equipment do I need for stomach vacuum?
None. Stomach Vacuum is a bodyweight movement you can do anywhere you have floor space.
Stomach Vacuum: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Stomach Vacuum is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of stomach vacuum?
Overhead Stretch, Seated Overhead Stretch, Standing Lateral Stretch train the same primary muscles and are listed with 4 more alternatives above.
How do I log stomach vacuum in Fitnit?
As time held rather than reps. Fitnit records the seconds and credits them to the abs on your body map, so you can see which muscles you train hard and never stretch.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
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