Best way to train the vacuum is not to merely practice the vacuum

[Pericles28]

Sucking in and vacuuming all day is only going to cause issues up the kinetic chain. Want more rib flare? More shoulder issues? More of a sympathetic nervous system response all the time! ? Practice your vacuums but don’t spend the whole day doing it and don’t use a waist trainer. Unless you want to compress your organs and diaphram all
Day…

Waist Trainers: What You Should Know

Curious if waist trainers really provide the weight-loss solution that many claim? Here’s what you should know about the risks of wearing these compressing undergarments — and why they might not work as well as you think.

health.clevelandclinic.org

 

[aHarness]

Vacuuming in the stomach, entire stomach, abs and everything, as much as possible, as concave as possible, all day long

I’m sorry but I simply don’t believe you pulled an actual vacuum 8 hours a day 5 days a week for 3 years. You wouldn’t be able to breathe.

When you go to “hit a vacuum” what does that mean to you? Does it feel the same as just sucking in?

 

[aHarness]

Sucking in and vacuuming all day is only going to cause issues up the kinetic chain. Want more rib flare? More shoulder issues? More of a sympathetic nervous system response all the time! ? Practice your vacuums but don’t spend the whole day doing it and don’t use a waist trainer. Unless you want to compress your organs and diaphram all
Day…

Waist Trainers: What You Should Know

Curious if waist trainers really provide the weight-loss solution that many claim? Here’s what you should know about the risks of wearing these compressing undergarments — and why they might not work as well as you think.

health.clevelandclinic.org

This article is just about waist trainers. Why are you extrapolating it to vacuums?

But I agree, vacuuming “all day” is pretty silly and nearly impossible.

 

[Biggerp73]

I’m sorry but I simply don’t believe you pulled an actual vacuum 8 hours a day 5 days a week for 3 years. You wouldn’t be able to breathe.

When you go to “hit a vacuum” what does that mean to you? Does it feel the same as just sucking in?

See the original post

Practicing the vacuum once a day is good, but keeping your vacuum sucked in 24/7, as your permanent posture, even if the intensity of vacuum is rather moderate, is infinitely more effective than practicing it once per day

 

[aHarness]

See the original post

Moderate or not moderate, a vacuum is a vacuum and sucking in is just sucking in. They are different things.

 

[hawkmoon]

Wish I could do a vacuum, but it's not happening.

I have stubborn chronic bloat issues that won't go away. Drawing in my abs as hard as possible ends up with me painfully pulling muscles where my lower abs connect to my pelvis.
I'm going to continue work at it though, because I cannot compete like this next year.

Open to ideas...

 

[aHarness]

Wish I could do a vacuum, but it's not happening.

I have stubborn chronic bloat issues that won't go away. Drawing in my abs as hard as possible ends up with me painfully pulling muscles where my lower abs connect to my pelvis.
I'm going to continue work at it though, because I cannot compete like this next year.

Open to ideas...

I assume you’ve already tried pulling the vacuum leaning/bent over on something?

 

[hawkmoon]

I assume you’ve already tried pulling the vacuum leaning/bent over on something?

In every position imaginable

 

[Biggerp73]

Moderate or not moderate, a vacuum is a vacuum and sucking in is just sucking in. They are different things.

Actually it's just a difference of degree....

...... or maybe you just have a weird ability to suck in your belly fat without vacuuming in your abdomen...

 

[Biggerp73]

Wish I could do a vacuum, but it's not happening.

I have stubborn chronic bloat issues that won't go away. Drawing in my abs as hard as possible ends up with me painfully pulling muscles where my lower abs connect to my pelvis.
I'm going to continue work at it though, because I cannot compete like this next year.

Open to ideas...

If going to failure causes injury, try sub-failure higher volume training

Ie

All day suck-it-in, not a few minutes of full vacuum

Ie


My original suggestion at the beginning of this thread

 

[bbxtreme]

Wish I could do a vacuum, but it's not happening.

I have stubborn chronic bloat issues that won't go away. Drawing in my abs as hard as possible ends up with me painfully pulling muscles where my lower abs connect to my pelvis.
I'm going to continue work at it though, because I cannot compete like this next year.

Open to ideas...

There’s a good post somewhere in @TheOtherOne55 log on an exercise that Dante posted. I may quote it wrong but essentially lay on your back and practice hitting them.

The biggest thing I have changed in the last year or so is training abs fasted along with hitting vacuums standing and on the floor. I use the floor position to really stretch everything out. The foam roller is so great as you get older.

It doesn’t matter who you are IMO- pushing heavy food and training heavy can make it tough to fully stretch and hit any ab movement. Making it a habit to do them fasted and posing in general year round has been a big change for me.

 

[hawkmoon]

Thanks guys, appreciate the advice. Dante tried to help me out but I wasn't able to move the dial.

I'm going to keep trying while addressing the bloat at the same time. I wake up with distention so there really isn't a time where being unfed helps.

 

[aHarness]

Actually it's just a difference of degree....

...... or maybe you just have a weird ability to suck in your belly fat without vacuuming in your abdomen...

Yes hitting a vacuum to any degree will suck in your abdomen, but sucking in your abdomen does not equal to a vacuum.

My point is that if it’s an actual vacuum, regardless of the degree, it’ll restrict your breathing equally. I think you are just equating sucking in your gut to a vacuum.

 

[Biggerp73]

Yes hitting a vacuum to any degree will suck in your abdomen, but sucking in your abdomen does not equal to a vacuum.

My point is that if it’s an actual vacuum, regardless of the degree, it’ll restrict your breathing equally. I think you are just equating sucking in your gut to a vacuum.

Why don't you describe what you think the difference is

 

[aHarness]

Why don't you describe what you think the difference is

I can’t tell if you’re being snarky but I’ll try best but it’s very hard over text. I’d recommend watching some YouTube/ig tutorials for sure. Essentially for a vacuum you exhale all your air first then pull in your bellow button to your spine without sucking in any air.

Sucking in your stomach is just, well, sucking in your gut like chicks do when they want to look skinny. @bbxtreme @danieltx or @TheOtherOne55 can probably give a better explanation. I’m not sure if @b-boy actively utilized them in his poses when competing but he likely has good insight either way as I’m sure he still did them.

 

[bbxtreme]

I can’t tell if you’re being snarky but I’ll try best but it’s very hard over text. I’d recommend watching some YouTube/ig tutorials for sure. Essentially for a vacuum you exhale all your air first then pull in your bellow button to your spine without sucking in any air.

Sucking in your stomach is just, well, sucking in your gut like chicks do when they want to look skinny. @bbxtreme @danieltx or @TheOtherOne55 can probably give a better explanation. I’m not sure if @b-boy actively utilized them in his poses when competing but he likely has good insight either way as I’m sure he still did them.

To do a TRUE vacuum you pull your stomach up into your diaphragm. It’s not a “sucking in” motion- it’s an up and in motion to where you should feel it coming under your diaphragm and ribs.

Let’s say you master that which does take work and practice. Once you have that portion fully engaged you then fully exhale all of the air from your lungs and diaphragm. This will tighten things up MUCH more and takes practice as you’re hitting a pose- front double bi, etc.

I’ve avoided commenting on this thread, but unless someone is walking around and not breathing all day, you’re not doing a vacuum. You’re controlling your midsection.

Think of it this way- it’s called a vacuum for a reason. You’re pulling or vacuuming everything out of your stomach and midsection, including air.

 

[aHarness]

To do a TRUE vacuum you pull your stomach up into your diaphragm. It’s not a “sucking in” motion- it’s an up and in motion to where you should feel it coming under your diaphragm and ribs.

Let’s say you master that which does take work and practice. Once you have that portion fully engaged you then fully exhale all of the air from your lungs and diaphragm. This will tighten things up MUCH more and takes practice as you’re hitting a pose- front double bi, etc.

Appreciate it, much better worded than I could have done.

I’ve avoided commenting on this thread, but unless someone is walking around and not breathing all day, you’re not doing a vacuum. You’re controlling your midsection.

I mean I’ve been saying this multiple times through the thread but it’s not seeming to matter haha

 

[Biggerp73]

I can’t tell if you’re being snarky but I’ll try best but it’s very hard over text. I’d recommend watching some YouTube/ig tutorials for sure. Essentially for a vacuum you exhale all your air first then pull in your bellow button to your spine without sucking in any air.

Sucking in your stomach is just, well, sucking in your gut like chicks do when they want to look skinny. @bbxtreme @danieltx or @TheOtherOne55 can probably give a better explanation. I’m not sure if @b-boy actively utilized them in his poses when competing but he likely has good insight either way as I’m sure he still did them.

To do a TRUE vacuum you pull your stomach up into your diaphragm. It’s not a “sucking in” motion- it’s an up and in motion to where you should feel it coming under your diaphragm and ribs.

Let’s say you master that which does take work and practice. Once you have that portion fully engaged you then fully exhale all of the air from your lungs and diaphragm. This will tighten things up MUCH more and takes practice as you’re hitting a pose- front double bi, etc.

I’ve avoided commenting on this thread, but unless someone is walking around and not breathing all day, you’re not doing a vacuum. You’re controlling your midsection.

Think of it this way- it’s called a vacuum for a reason. You’re pulling or vacuuming everything out of your stomach and midsection, including air.

You both realize this can be done in degrees and doesn't have to be all or nothing...

I'm not talking about a once in a blue moon bring in the belly fat pose that a woman might do for a picture

I'm talking about sucking your abdomen completely up and in under your rib cage

You can do this, very concave, all day long, without effecting your breathing

 

[bbxtreme]

You both realize this can be done in degrees and doesn't have to be all or nothing...

I'm not talking about a once in a blue moon bring in the belly fat pose that a woman might do for a picture

I'm talking about sucking your abdomen completely up and in under your rib cage

You can do this, very concave, all day long, without effecting your breathing

I think controlling your midsection like this is very important for bodybuilders. I know I am tough on some of your post here hence I wasn’t commenting. But there’s nothing wrong with what you’re doing IMO.

The only time I would see it causing an issue is if it makes you breathe more shallow. Proper breathing is more important than over controlling your midsection for health.

I think everyone was just trying to clarify a full competitor vacuum pose vs what you do. Nothing wrong with either.