Exercise scissors for the legs: what muscles work, benefits for women, video, how to do

Content

Exercises for strengthening the muscles of the lower body must be performed in accordance with standard technique, following the recommendations of a fitness trainer based on the health of the individual. One of the most effective options for loading the legs is the "Scissors" exercise.

You can do it both in the gym with additional weights, and at home with your own weight.

What muscles work in the leg scissors exercise

Exercise "Scissors" for the legs during execution involves not only the muscles of the lower body, but also the press, and, if using dumbbells, arms, shoulders and pectoral muscles.

Leg scissors exercise: which muscles work, the benefits, how to do it — Muscles of the legs and abdomen, working in the exercise "Scissors"

The main load in this case is distributed between:

iliopsoas muscle (located in the lower abdomen and is considered one of the most difficult to reach muscles during traditional sports);
rectus abdominis muscle (the part of the press that is involved in performing the vast majority of exercises, regardless of the starting position, as well as the targeted muscle area);
long abdominal muscle. It belongs to the type of internal muscles, for the development of which it is necessary to perform special exercises. "Scissors" is one of them;
short adductor femoris (part of the muscles with which a person can bend the leg and rotate the hip to the outside);
comb muscle... It is the portion of the thigh musculature that lies between the pubic crest and the crest line of the femur. Responsible for the ability to flex the hip and bring it with rotation to the outside;
transverse abdominal muscle (the condition of this part of the muscles determines the girth of the waist, the ability to maintain balance, and also maintain a beautiful posture for a long time without overstrain in the back);
quadriceps... The quadriceps femoris is the largest of all the major muscle groups in the lower part of the human body. This is one of the stabilizers in the Scissors.

Benefits and benefits for women

Among the main positive effects of the exercise "Scissors" on the female body and the body, fitness trainers call:

pulling up the lower abdomen. In most cases, it is the lower abdomen that is most problematic for girls of average or full build. Women's physiology is such that the deposited fat mass is concentrated in this area, since nature provides for the preservation of the ability for a woman to bear a child, regardless of the external conditions in which she has to be;
the entire abdominal area becomes flatter (despite the fact that during the exercise the main load goes to the lower part of the press, the rest of the muscle groups in this area are also involved, although not to such a large extent);
strengthening and tightening the thigh muscles (due to the fact that the lower limbs become more slender, the gap between the upper legs increases, which has a positive effect on the general appearance of the girl);
visible decrease in waist size (this becomes possible by reducing the number and size of folds on the sides of the athlete);
increased overall body flexibility;
strengthening the muscles in the lower back;
active fat burning. For 7-10 minutes of performing "Scissors" in various variations, it is possible to burn up to 70 Kcal. To maintain the speed of metabolic processes that directly affect the reduction of subcutaneous fat, fitness trainers recommend that their wards alternate exercise options within the same workout. For example, as the final stage of the lesson, you can perform the classic "Scissors", and then do this exercise with weights previously fixed on the legs.

disadvantages

Exercise "Scissors" for legs, along with the advantages, has a number of disadvantages.

It is necessary to take them into account when deciding to include these loads as a permanent component of the training complex:

the inability to make the abdominal muscles pronounced (despite the frequency and correctness of the "Scissors", it is impossible to achieve "cubes" in the lower abdomen with their help);
the risk of harm to your own health if the exercise is not performed correctly (for example, non-compliance with the recommended technique can lead to stretching of the leg muscles, pain in the lower abdomen, and deterioration of the muscles of the back and neck);
the presence of absolute contraindications to the implementation of the "Scissors" (ignoring these recommendations can lead not only to a decrease in the effectiveness of physical activity, but also to a deterioration in the health of a particular person);
the presence of details in the "Scissors" technique, which must be taken into account for safe sports (most often such nuances, for example, the position of the chin, are not perceived by the athlete as an important detail, which increases the risk of injury during sports);
low efficiency of the exercise for people with a large amount of subcutaneous fat (due to excess weight, it becomes difficult to perform the "Scissors" correctly, which means there will be no result from such exercises, regardless of their regularity)

Contraindications

Exercise "Scissors", like other options for physical activity, has a number of contraindications, which must be taken into account when making a final decision on the advisability of including loads of this type in the training complex.

Contraindications:

benign or malignant growths in the lower body. Muscle pumping stimulates local blood circulation, which increases the rate of metabolic processes in the body. When the metabolism is accelerated, the neoplasm will be fed with blood, which can lead to both tumor growth and its transition from the “benign” to “malignant” type;
increased body temperature (regardless of the reasons that provoked a change in its level);
exacerbation of chronic diseases (of any type);
inflammatory processes in the body, regardless of the area of their course;
back or lower limb injuries;
recent surgery (if less than 6 months have passed since the operation);
menstruation (at the beginning of the cycle, it is not recommended to load the muscles of the lower abdomen, as this can lead to an increase in the volume of discharge and the onset of bleeding, which can only be stopped with medication);
serious diseases of the cardiovascular system (for example, tachycardia, arrhythmia, etc.).

Leg exercise options

The leg scissors exercise can be performed in several ways, the most effective of which are:

Exercise	Algorithm of execution
"Bent scissors"	Lie on the floor, press your lower back to the floor, stretch your legs in a natural position, place your arms above your head, without lifting from the support. Bend your legs, then raise them above the floor so that an angle of 90 degrees is formed between the support surface and the thigh. Spread your legs to the sides, and then bring them back to their original position for 3-5 counts. Place the heels of both feet together, and then press firmly on the inner arches of the feet. Fix the position for 10 seconds, then partially relax the lower limbs, spreading them in opposite directions. Repeat the above steps 10 times, then pause for 30 seconds and resume the exercise.
"Diagonal scissors"	Sit on the floor, then slightly push the body back so that it is locked diagonally. Hands can be placed on the chest, behind the head or leaning slightly on them, placing them behind the body. The back should be straight. Legs, without bending, tear off the floor and raise as high as possible. As you exhale, spread your legs to the sides, and then, without pauses, connect them with an overlap. Do 16 repetitions of the exercise so that with each contact from above, the right and left legs are alternately turned out (8 for each leg). After completing the specified number of repetitions, you need to take a short pause, allowing the muscles to recover (no more than 30 seconds). After rest, the exercise must be resumed. The optimal number of approaches is 4.

Technique for performing female scissors at home

The technique of performing female scissors at home may vary depending on the physical fitness of a particular athlete.

Newbies

For girls who have no experience in sports, it is recommended to do "Scissors" as follows:

Exercise

Algorithm of execution

Classic scissors

Lie on the floor, press your lower back firmly to the floor, place your arms along the body, and without bending your legs, raise them above the supporting surface so that they are perpendicular to it. The chin should be directed slightly upward to relieve the harmful stress on the neck muscles.
As you exhale, spread your legs apart. At the extreme points between the limbs, a distance of no more than 10-15 cm should be maintained.
Without pauses at the lateral points, the feet must be brought to each other, crossing them in their original position. Regardless of the position of the limbs, they should remain straight.
Perform 20 repetitions (so that the right leg is on top 10 times, and the left leg is 10 times).
Take a short pause, returning your legs to their original position (20-25 seconds).
Repeat the above steps 20 more times.

The total number of approaches should be at least 3 pieces.

Alternate leg raises

Lie on the floor, press your lower back tightly to the floor, place your arms along the body, and without bending your legs, raise them above the supporting surface so that they are perpendicular to it. The chin should be directed slightly upward to relieve the harmful stress on the neck muscles.
As you exhale, lower your right leg and, at the same time, tear off your shoulder blades and stretch your right elbow towards the left leg, which remains in its original position.
Without pausing in this position, swap the lower limbs. The left elbow should be raised at this stage.
The optimal number of repetitions of this exercise is 22 times (11 lifts of each leg), approaches - 2.

Pro

For girls who already have previous experience in sports, it is recommended to do "Scissors" as follows:

Exercise	Algorithm of execution
Weighted scissors	Weights must be fixed on the legs. If they are absent, you can use improvised means, for example, by fixing water bottles with scotch tape on the calves. Lie on the floor, press your lower back firmly to the floor, place your arms along the body, and without bending your legs, raise them above the supporting surface so that they are perpendicular to it. The chin should be directed slightly upward to relieve the harmful stress on the neck muscles. Spread your legs apart so that when you are at the extreme points between them, a distance of no more than 15 cm remains. Without pausing in this position, the legs should be closed, crossing them in the starting position. With each leg spread, the lower limbs must be lowered 2-3 cm to the floor. Having reached the lowest point (5 cm from the floor), the lower limbs must be lifted up, still without pauses for rest. The optimal number of approaches is 5 pcs.
Reverse scissors on the floor	The technique for performing such an exercise is similar to the above. The only difference is in the starting position. In this case, the athlete should lie on her stomach, lowering her limbs by 1-2 cm to the floor with each crossing of her legs. The exercise should not provoke pain or discomfort in the back (in the presence of unpleasant sensations, it is recommended to reduce the load, for example, remove weights, or exclude this exercise from the training complex). The optimal number of repetitions is 10, and approaches are 5 pcs.

Exercise scissors in the gym

"Scissors" can be done not only at home, but also include this exercise for the legs and the press in the training complex, designed for athletes doing in the gym:

Exercise	Algorithm of execution
Reverse scissors on a horizontal bench	Lie on a horizontal bench with your stomach down. Grasp the support surface with your hands, stretch your legs in a natural position. To increase the load on the ankles, weights can be fixed. As you exhale, raise your legs off the floor so that they are parallel to the support. Raise the right leg to the highest possible level, while the left limb should be laid down. Without pausing in this position, the legs need to be swapped. During a change in the position of the lower limbs, the body and body should remain motionless, and the neck should be as relaxed as possible. Alternate leg raises should be performed within 1 minute. at an average or fast pace. The optimal number of such approaches is 3. with rest pauses, no longer than 30 seconds.
Vertical scissors	Lie on the floor, press your lower back firmly to the floor, place your arms along the body, and without bending your legs, raise them above the supporting surface so that they are perpendicular to it. The chin should be directed slightly upward to relieve the harmful stress on the neck muscles. On exhalation, the right leg must be raised up, and the left, at the same time, lowered down. Without fixing the position, the legs must be swapped. When changing the position of the legs, the body and limbs should remain in their original position, and the lower back pressed against the floor. It is recommended to perform "Vertical scissors" at a medium or fast pace. With good physical preparation, dumbbells or weights can be hung on the chain to the legs, while the initial position of the athlete will then assume her location on a horizontal bench. The optimal number of repetitions is 30. (15 for each leg), and approaches - 2 pcs.

Possible mistakes

When performing the "Scissors" fitness trainers recommend that athletes pay special attention to adherence to technique.

The most common mistakes made not only by beginners, but also by people who regularly play sports are:

lifting the lower back from the floor during a change in the position of the lower limbs (this error can lead to overstrain of the muscles of the lower back, as well as increase the risk of injury to the spine);
bending the knees when changing the position of the lower limbs (if the legs stop being straight, the load on the press is automatically reduced, which leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of the exercise being performed);
lifting legs too high... This mistake is often made by people with strong abs, who believe that a large distance between the floor and legs is the key to the high efficiency of the exercise performed. In the initial position, the legs should be lifted no higher than 90 degrees from the floor, and in the lower position, if the complicated version of the "Scissors" is performed, 5-10 cm should remain between the floor and the limbs;
neck tension while moving the legs during the exercise (due to the incorrect distribution of the load, athletes will not be able to achieve the most effective workout of the muscles of the press and legs due to the rapid onset of overwork and the occurrence of concomitant discomfort).

"Scissors" is one of the most effective exercises with which you can strengthen not only the muscles of the legs, but also the muscles of the abdominal region.

To achieve the desired result (for example, increasing endurance, drawing a relief, losing weight, and so on), it is important for an athlete to follow the exercise technique recommended by a fitness trainer, and also exercise regularly, at least 3 times a week.

Scissors exercise video

How to do the scissors exercise:

Leg scissors exercise: which muscles work, the benefits, how to do it