Hypopressive gymnastics is a method that was created in the 70s and has gained space in gyms and rehabilitation clinics, because in addition to strengthening the abdominal and back muscles, it has proven useful as a form of prevention and treatment of various changes such as hernias, changes in the genital region, balance and posture.
To do hypopressive gymnastics, you must exhale maximally and then ‘suck’ the entire abdomen inwards, without breathing and maintaining this maximum contraction. This movement improves intestinal function, slims the waist and improves posture, combating back pain and postural imbalances.
The main benefits of hypopressive gymnastics are:
1. Slim to the waist
Hypopressive pressure decreases abdominal circumference due to isometric contractions maintained for long periods during exercise. By sucking the organs in there is a change in internal abdominal pressure that tones the rectus abdominis, and is also a great tool to combat abdominal diastasis, which is the separation of the rectus abdominis muscles during pregnancy.
2. Tone your back muscles
With this exercise there is a decrease in abdominal pressure and the vertebrae will be decompressed, which is very useful for reducing chronic low back pain, preventing and combating herniated discs.
3. Combat the loss of urine and feces
During the contraction, the muscles of the perineum are sucked upwards, repositioning the bladder and strengthening the ligaments, which support them, being very useful for combating urinary and fecal incontinence and even uterine prolapse.
4. Prevent hernias
With hypopressive therapy it is possible to prevent disc, inguinal and abdominal hernias because the method reduces intra-abdominal pressure, realigning the entire body.
5. Combat spinal deviations
The exercises are great for combating spinal deviations such as hyperlordosis, scoliosis and hyperkyphosis because they promote reprogramming and alignment of the spine and pelvis.
6. Improve sexual performance
When performing this exercise there is an increase in blood flow in the intimate region, which also improves sensitivity and pleasure.
7. Improve posture and balance
The method improves muscle tone by reducing the work and tension of muscle groups that are working excessively and increasing the tone of groups that are working less, normalizing the tone of the entire body. When combined with other exercises such as the pyramid or abdominal plank, for example, it helps to improve body posture and when combined with exercises such as standing on just 1 foot or forming a plane or star, it helps to improve the body’s balance.
How to do hypopressive exercises
To start, you just need to sit with your legs crossed, inhale normally and then do a forced exhalation, removing all the air from your lungs. When you reach this point, you must suck your belly in, maintaining this apnea for as long as you can, until it is essential to breathe. Then breathe normally and do the same exercises more often.
When you master this technique, you can change your posture to stretch other muscles in your body, favoring your spine, for example. Check out 4 hypopressive exercises you can do at home.
Hypopressive exercise for the back
A good hypopressive exercise for the back is:
- Keep your legs hip-width apart and remove all air from your lungs and suck your abdomen in;
- Lean your body forward, trying to touch the floor with your hands, keeping your legs straight. Your body should be positioned like a pyramid;
- You should stay in this position for as long as you can without breathing, then inhale normally and rise slowly.
- You can stand on your toes and push the floor with your hands, keeping your spine and head well aligned. If you can, leave the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands always touching the floor.
You can do this hypopressive gymnastics daily, committing to maintaining maximum contraction in apnea for as long as possible. There is no minimum or maximum number of repetitions and you can do as many as you feel comfortable without getting dizzy.
