“Scissors” is an exercise that can be seen in Pilates, barre, or strength training. It is aimed primarily at strengthening the muscles of the lower press, and at the same time makes your entire core work.
The buttocks, hip flexors, and quadriceps are also connected to the scissors. And if you do “scissors” while lying on your stomach, you will strengthen your back muscles.
4 reasons to do “scissors”
1. You will strengthen your core muscles
And a strong crust, in turn, is:
- good balance,
- reduction of back pain,
- improved endurance.
2. You will prevent injury
By strengthening your abs, hip flexors, and quads with scissors, you train these muscles to move correctly. The correct technique of movements is the key to the absence of injuries.
3. You will improve your posture.
Scissors are an excellent exercise for improving posture as they engage the back muscles.
4. You will burn calories
HIIT isn’t the only way to burn a lot of calories. Scissors can raise your heart rate and make you sweat harder than you think.
How to make “scissors”
Regular “scissors”
- The starting position is lying on your back. Raise your straight legs to an angle of 45 degrees above the floor, stretch your arms along the body, palms facing the floor (as an option, you can put your hands under the buttocks).
- Try not to bend in the lower back, stretch your socks.
- Without lowering your feet to the floor, start simultaneously raising one and lowering the other, alternating.
- Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each leg.
To complicate matters: Lift your head and neck off the floor, making sure you keep your back straight.
Cross “scissors”
- The starting position is lying on your back. Raise your straight legs to an angle of 45 degrees above the floor, stretch your arms along the body, palms facing the floor (as an option, you can put your hands under the buttocks).
- Try not to bend in the lower back, stretch your socks.
- Without lowering your feet to the floor, begin to cross your legs – one passes under the other, alternating.
- Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each leg.
To complicate matters: Lift your head and neck off the floor, making sure you keep your back straight. Spread your legs wider with each rep.
Inverted “scissors”
- Starting position – lying on your stomach, elbows to the sides, hands together near the head. Place your chin or forehead in your palms.
- While contracting your core muscles, lift your straight legs off the floor to hip level or slightly higher.
- Without lowering your feet to the floor, start simultaneously raising one and lowering the other, alternating, as if you are swimming.
- Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each leg.
Safety engineering
The scissors exercise is simple. Nevertheless, there are nuances here. To avoid the risk of injury, follow these simple rules:
- Do not bend in the lower back. It is very important to maintain a natural back position in this exercise. To do this, imagine that there is a grape below your lower back, and while performing the “scissors” you need not to crush it, but also not to lose contact with it. It is in this position that the core muscles will work as efficiently as possible.
- Tighten your abs. Throughout the exercise, remember to work your abs. If you do the exercise with your legs, you will not get the desired effect.
- Stretch after exercise. After doing the scissors, you may feel tension in your thigh muscles. Be sure to do some stretching exercises.