How to Do Stomach Vacuums Properly: Top Tips and Recommendations

Are you curious about how to do stomach vacuums properly? One thing’s for sure – this exercise can majorly upgrade your core strength while also reducing your back pain. Sounds magical? We feel it too! 

In an age where quick fixes and miracle routines are rampant, stomach vacuums are often misunderstood and shrouded in myths. Contrary to popular belief, these exercises won’t directly give you six-pack abs or magically melt away belly fat. However, they offer a variety of benefits, such as strengthening your core, improving posture, and alleviating lower-back pain. (2, 11) 

Imagine an exercise that engages your deep abdominal muscles and promotes better breathing techniques and core stability. Stomach vacuums do exactly that. They help you build a strong foundation you can rely on, every day, every week. 

In our article, we look at the true benefits of stomach vacuum exercises, debunk common myths, and provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to do them correctly.

How Do You Do a Stomach Vacuum Step by Step?

The ab vacuum exercise involves a breathing process where a deep abdominal muscle, the transverse abdominis, is contracted. By contracting this muscle, you activate and strengthen it. This deep muscle plays a crucial role as it surrounds the abdomen and provides support for the spine (9).

Some trainers recommend this exercise due to the positive impact it has on core stability. Core stability plays an important role in many of our normal daily activities, and an even greater role in athletic endeavors.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to performing the stomach vacuum exercise:

How to Do Stomach Vacuums Correctly

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Keep your back straight without rounding it. 
3. Prepare your body for the exercise by breathing in slowly through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. 
4. Once you exhale, suck in your stomach as far as you can. Imagine you’re walking into a cold lake or pool (8).
5. Hold this position for 20 seconds and then exhale through your mouth. 
6. Release by breathing out. 

It’s okay if you can’t drive your belly button far. This will improve with practice. In addition, some people may find it helpful to start with shorter holds to prevent feeling fatigued or dizzy. 

Does the Stomach Vacuum Exercise Really Work?

You may have heard theories about the “magical” effects of stomach hollowing on your waist and abs: your waist can become super thin and you can end up with a six-pack core. The bad news is that stomach vacuuming has nothing to do with weight loss or six-packs. Therefore, don’t expect to shed fat, build muscle, or burn calories. 

If stomach vacuuming alone could melt away waist fat and extra weight, everyone would be doing it religiously. While these exercises won’t directly lead to weight loss, they can enhance core engagement during workouts. 

What Are the Benefits of Doing Stomach Vacuums?

• Back Pain Reduction: Strengthening the transverse abdominis helps stabilize the core, which some research has suggested may be beneficial for pain reduction in the lumbar region  (4).
• Better Breathwork: The stomach vacuum is ultimately a breathing exercise. Improved breath control is unsurprisingly a theme of many modes of exercise and plays an important role in core stability and stress reduction.
• Injury Prevention: Learning how to stabilize your core is vital for weightlifting, athletic endeavors, and many daily living activities. 
• Strengthened Core: The stomach vacuum improves activation of the transversus abdominis, which acts as the body’s natural “corset” around the internal organs and lumbar spine when activated. By strengthening this important muscle, you provide stability to a very important area. 

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How Many Stomach Vacuums Should You Do a Day?

The number of stomach vacuums you can safely perform in a day is dependent on your fitness level, experience, and overall health. Here are some key considerations and guidelines to help you determine an appropriate number:

• Beginners

• Start with 1-2 sets of 3-5 repetitions per day
• Focus on mastering the technique and correctly engaging the transverse abdominis 
• Make sure you hold each vacuum for 10-15 seconds initially

• Intermediate Level

• After 1-2 weeks, increase to 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps per day
• Hold each vacuum for 15-30 seconds as your core strength improves
• Pay attention to correcting your form and avoid overexertion

• Advanced Level

• Experienced practitioners are able to perform 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps per day
• Each vacuum can be held for 30-60 seconds
• It’s imperative to listen to your body and avoid performing the exercise if you feel any discomfort or pain

Another tip is to make sure you perform stomach vacuums on an empty stomach or at least 2-3 hours after eating to maximize effectiveness and comfort. Incorporate deep, controlled breathing to increase muscle engagement and oxygen flow. Consistency is key. Practice daily or every other day to build strength gradually. 

And finally, avoid overtraining. Give your muscles time to recover as this is essential for building strength and preventing any kind of unwanted injury. 

How to Do Stomach Vacuum Exercise in Bed

If you feel like getting out of bed in the morning to perform a vacuum pose is not your thing, you can try the lying option instead. As mentioned above, abdominal vacuuming can be done in different ways – some of them are more challenging and some less so. If you’d like to discover how to do the belly vacuum in bed, continue reading. 

Lying Stomach Vacuum on Your Back

There are actually two ways you can do it in bed – supine and prone. We’ll start with the most common one – supine (lying on your back):

• Lie on your bed. Keep your spine neutral, knees bent, and feet flat. 
• Inhale through your nose and exhale through your pursed mouth slowly. Once you exhale, suck in your stomach (slowly) by drawing in your lower abs. Contract your abdominal muscles. 
• While holding your belly in, don’t forget to breathe. 
• Hold in this position for 20 seconds. Then release and repeat 2-3 times. 

Face-Down Stomach Vacuum

The second way is prone (face-down version):

• Lie on your stomach, keeping your legs straight and your arms extended above your head. 
• Take a deep breath through your nose and breathe out slowly through your mouth. 
• Inhale and draw your stomach in slowly. 
• Hold in this position for 20 seconds and exhale. 
• Repeat 2-3 times. 

The prone version may be more difficult for some people as you’ll experience mild resistance on your ribcage as you inhale. This resistance can actually enhance the exercise by strengthening the muscle groups responsible for the rib expansion that occurs while your lungs fill with oxygen. This can translate well into improved oxygen intake during aerobic activity.  

Read more: Does Holding In Your Stomach Help Flatten It? Unraveling the Myths

Can Stomach Vacuum Help You Lose Weight? 

The short answer is no. Although stomach vacuum exercises are beneficial for core strength and posture, they cannot be exclusively credited with weight loss. Here are some key points to consider:

Understanding the Stomach Vacuum 

The primary purpose of the stomach vacuum is to engage and strengthen the transverse abdominis, a deep abdominal muscle. As previously mentioned, this helps improve core stability, postural control, and lower-back pain.

Impact on Weight Loss

Calorie Burn: Stomach vacuums alone don’t burn a significant number of calories (7). Weight loss occurs when there is a calorie deficit, which can be achieved through a combination of diet and overall physical activity.

Spot Reduction Myth 

Targeted exercises, including stomach vacuums, cannot lead to fat loss in specific areas (3). It’s important to be clear right from the start that weight loss is a systemic process that affects the entire body and must be undertaken more holistically.

Core Strength and Metabolism

Although they can lead to a stronger core, which helps improve the suite of exercises you’re doing on a regular basis, it’s important to note that stomach vacuums don’t directly contribute to substantial calorie expenditure.

Benefits Complementary to Weight Loss

Better Exercise Performance

A strong core can improve your ability to perform other higher-intensity workouts more effectively, potentially helping with overall calorie burn (6).

Improved Posture 

Better posture can make other physical activities more efficient and reduce the risk of injury, supporting an active lifestyle that contributes to weight management (6).

If you’re looking to lose weight, it’s essential to focus on a nutrient-rich, calorie-controlled diet that’s tailored to your weight loss goals. At the same time, you should include a mix of cardiovascular exercises and strength training to boost calorie burn and muscle mass.

Remember, sustainable weight loss requires a consistent, holistic approach, including healthy eating, regular exercise, and adequate rest. Without any of these crucial elements in place, it will be difficult to achieve your goals. 

Whether you’re looking to simply pep up your fitness routine, jazz up your diet with mouth-watering low-calorie recipes or want to get your act together and significantly drop that number on your scale – BetterMe app has got you covered! Improve your body and revamp your life with us!

Does the Stomach Vacuum Have Negative Effects?

The many myths and benefits of the stomach vacuum exercise include:

Benefits of Stomach Vacuum

This exercise can significantly enhance your core strength and stability, improve your postural control, reduce lower-back pain, and improve breath control during workouts.

Common Misconceptions

• Visible Abs Myth: Many people mistakenly believe that doing stomach vacuums will give them visible abs. Such a misconception is often positively marketed on social media, where influencers may suggest that perfect abs are possible simply by performing this exercise. 
• Incorrect Execution: Despite its easy-to-do-nature, some people may not be breathing correctly or holding their breath for too long when starting out, which can lead to exhaustion and fatigue.  
• Belly Fat Reduction: Another common myth is that stomach vacuums help reduce belly fat. It’s important to understand that to lose fat, you must achieve a caloric deficit through a combination of diet and exercise (5). There’s no such thing as “spot reducing” fat in one specific area of your body. When you lose weight, body fat percentage will decrease throughout your body.
• No Six-Pack Abs: Stomach vacuums won’t directly give you six-pack abs. You need to train the rectus abdominis muscle and maintain a low body fat percentage in order to achieve that look.

Read more: Toned Stomach vs Flat Stomach: Which One Is Best, and Why?

FAQs

• Do stomach vacuums reduce waist size?

Stomach vacuums can help tone your abdominal muscles, which may lead to a slight reduction in waist size due to improved muscle tone and posture. This exercise targets the transverse abdominis, a deep core muscle that helps pull in the abdominal wall, creating a flatter appearance. However, it’s important to understand that stomach vacuums alone won’t drastically reduce waist size or burn a significant amount of fat. 

For more noticeable results, you should combine stomach vacuums with a comprehensive fitness routine that includes cardio, strength training, and a healthy diet to reduce overall body fat. Consistency in your exercise routine and healthy lifestyle choices are key to achieving and maintaining a smaller waistline.

• How long does it take to see results from a stomach vacuum?

The time it takes to see results from stomach vacuums varies depending on factors including your starting fitness level, consistency, and overall lifestyle. Generally, you may start to notice improved core strength and better posture within a few weeks of regular practice. 

It may take around 4 to 6 weeks of consistent practice, combined with a healthy diet and other forms of exercise, to see visible changes in muscle tone and waist size. It’s important to remember that patience and consistency are crucial. Performing stomach vacuums correctly and regularly will gradually enhance your core stability and contribute to a slimmer appearance over time.

• How can I get a smaller waist?

Getting a smaller waist is a recipe with many ingredients, including:

• A Balanced Diet: Focus on a diet rich in whole foods, lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Avoid processed foods and excessive sugar.
• Doing Cardio Exercise and Strength Training: Incorporate regular cardiovascular exercises such as running, cycling, or swimming to burn calories and reduce overall body fat.

In addition, engage in strength training exercises to build muscle and boost metabolism. Include core exercises that target the abdominal muscles, such as planks and Russian twists.

Hydration, rest, and consistency are also important factors that are an important part of the recipe. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and support metabolic processes. Maintain a consistent workout and healthy eating routine for lasting results. Remember, spot reduction is a myth – overall fat loss is a more sustainable, long-term solution for a smaller waistline.

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, you’ve learned that although stomach vacuum exercises are great for core strength and stability, improving your postural control, reducing lower-back pain, and helping you breathe better during workouts, there are also misconceptions associated with the exercise. Some say it will help reduce belly fat and some promise six-pack abs, but none of this is true. Targeted exercises can only reap results when incorporated into a more wholesome workout routine. In addition, stomach vacuum exercises aren’t calorie-intensive exercises and only help shed a few calories when performed routinely. 

Overall, the stomach vacuum exercise is a useful tool that contracts your deepest abdominal muscle – transverse abdominis – which is responsible for spine and organ protection. While performing a stomach vacuum, proper form and rest are essential. And if your goal is weight loss, combining these core exercises with a good meal plan, proper hydration, sleep, and consistency may do the trick for you!