Anokhin volitional gymnastics: feedback from practitioners

Anokhin volitional gymnastics gained its first admirers more than a hundred years ago, at the beginning of the twentieth century. Due to its simplicity, safety and effectiveness, this system of exercises is still in demand. Anokhin’s gymnastics is chosen by people who want to quickly put their body in order or to keep it in good shape without much effort. It is ideal for those who do not have time for fitness rooms or for medical reasons cannot exercise.

Athlete

Alexander Konstantinovich Anokhin, who was born in 1882, was an excellent doctor, but his true passion was sports and a thirst for knowledge of human capabilities. Living and working in Kiev, Anokhin in every possible way promoted a healthy lifestyle, trained weightlifters, he himself was a role model, surprising people with huge physical strength and an athletic figure.

But he was not a purely practitioner. Alexander Konstantinovich was interested in the deep nature of things, he tried to create an exercise system that develops primarily physical strength, not muscle. At the head of the system, he put the person’s ability to subjugate certain muscle groups by willpower. Anokhin excluded from the volitional gymnastics any influence from the outside: barbells, dumbbells, exercise machines. All muscle work was accomplished through internal volitional effort. In this case, the most important role was given to proper breathing and full concentration of attention on the necessary muscle groups.

After Anokhin, there remained a lot of theoretical and practical materials written by him under the name Ross, but the book “Strong-willed gymnastics. Psycho-physiological movements. " It has been reprinted several times and still remains a full manual for classes. It not only describes in detail all the exercises, but also gives a detailed theoretical justification of the effectiveness of this gymnastics.

Briefly about the essence of volitional gymnastics

The Anokhin system is very easily mastered even by unsportsmanlike people. The exercises are intuitive and technically simple. A person performs gymnastic movements, while consciously and concentratedly straining certain muscle groups. At its core, the Anokhin system resembles modern isometric exercises, but its main difference from them is the complete absence of external influences: exercise equipment, dumbbells, weights, and other shells.

The main gymnastic instruments are the will and nerve impulses that are sent to the muscles. During the volitional gymnastics of Anokhin, a person clearly represents overcoming an imaginary effort. The better imagination is used, the more muscles are loaded. With proper concentration, the body works the same way as when lifting or repelling real weights.

Anokhin said that without nerves, muscles can be considered dead capital. Huge muscles do not mean tremendous strength. He liked to cite as an example cases when slender people lifted incredible weights, tore chains or fled at an incredible speed in dangerous situations. Anokhin believed that in every person a reserve of powerful forces is hidden, and the nervous system or will is the key to this reserve.

The Russian volitional gymnastics created by him is based on this belief. Willpower is a reliable and always affordable means with which you can give your muscles a varied load at any time. Anokhin argued that, in addition to a toned, strong and agile body, his gymnastics gives a person invaluable skills: the ability to control and feel his own body at a whole new level, as well as the ability to use the hidden reserves of the body of his own free will, and not just in borderline situations.

Breath

Anokhin considered correct breathing to be an essential and most important element of strong-willed gymnastics. In his book, he devoted a whole section to breathing, convincing readers that inhalations and exhalations made at the wrong time, convulsive breathing, and his delay negate the effect of volitional and physical efforts. To prevent this from happening, at first you need to carefully control each inhale and exhale when doing gymnastics, until proper breathing becomes automatic. This may take several days or a couple of weeks, but such an extremely useful and important skill cannot be neglected. It is no accident that Anokhin described the breathing pattern for each exercise of volitional gymnastics.

The basic principles of the Anokhin system

Before you begin to engage in the Anokhin system, it is important to learn and master its main principles. This will help to carry out exercises more meaningfully, learn to control their movements, understand and analyze sensations in the muscles, and most importantly - improve the final result.

1. Concentration. Movements are performed with maximum concentration of attention.
2. Voltage. Muscles should be loaded with extreme tension, this is achieved due to the effort of will and imagination, that is, imitation of a certain load.
3. Localization. We need to learn not to dissipate energy, but to focus our efforts on the right muscles and muscle groups. Gradually, this skill is improved, over time, a person can easily transfer volitional effort to different muscles and change the intensity of the load as he wishes.
4. Proper breathing.
5. Impeccable technology. In volitional gymnastics, the quality of exercise is much more important than their quantity. It is better to do the exercise three times correctly than ten times incorrectly. Strength will certainly come with time, but getting rid of habitual errors in technique or breathing is very troublesome.
6. Continuity. You can not take breaks in the exercise program. Gymnastics should become an indispensable and desirable part of every day without exception.
7. Visualization. Anokhin recommended exercising naked or in sports shorts in front of a mirror to see how muscles work.

Advantages of the Anokhin system

In accordance with the opinions of those who have already tried the set of exercises in practice, the set of exercises has the following advantages:

• Efficiency. Gymnastics takes a total of only 20 to 30 minutes per day, but is able to dramatically change the appearance and well-being of a person in a few weeks.
• Security. You need to try very hard to inflict injury on yourself by doing Anokhin's volitional gymnastics. All exercises are performed smoothly, without external loads, all muscle tension is created by internal volitional effort.
• Purposefulness. Willpower can be transferred to the desired muscle group. For example, you can pump your biceps or lower legs stronger if necessary.
• Simplicity. Exercise is technically simple, and movement is natural. There is enough desire for classes, 20 minutes a day and a small room.
• Special skills. The system trains not only the body, but also the will, the ability to concentrate and control your body. These skills are useful in many different areas of life.
• Save time and money. Gymnastics Anokhin takes very little time, it can be done at home or in the office. Therefore, in order to quickly regain muscle tone and a toned figure, you do not need to spend money on a swimming pool, fitness room, personal trainer or home exercise equipment.

Limitations

There are practically no restrictions for classes on the Anokhin system. The author himself in his book forbade only children to do gymnastics. The rest of the exercises are available to everyone who allows immediate health. As evidenced by numerous reviews. Volitional gymnastics is dangerous for injured muscles and tendons that need rest. Do not deal with exacerbations of chronic ailments of the joints and spine, during the flu, colds, fever. But these warnings, most likely, are unnecessary, a reasonable person will not load the body during an illness, when the body needs all the resources for recovery.

Program

There are 15 exercises in the Anokhin system. They all go in strict order; the author categorically forbids changing their places or excluding them from the program. An illness can be a good reason, for example, if a knee hurts, squats can be ruled out.

Exercises are performed twice a day: morning and evening. Each exercise is done 10 times, but here it all depends on the physical capabilities of the person. If you do not have enough strength and endurance, then you need to do the maximum amount with the utmost effort and the right technique. Each exercise takes 5-6 seconds, that is, 10 repetitions last about a minute.

The beginner program for beginners is designed for 12 weeks. The first two weeks you need to perform the first five exercises. Thus, it becomes possible to get used to volitional gymnastics in a gentle mode, to master the correct breathing and rhythm of movements. Then, every week, one exercise on the list is added to the complex. At week 12, a person will perform 15 exercises in the morning and evening, which will take him a total of half an hour.

Useful Tips

To get the maximum effect, you should adhere to such recommendations:

• Gymnastics is performed twice a day, best before breakfast and before bedtime. Ideal time: in the morning at least half an hour before meals or one hour after breakfast, and in the evening half an hour before dinner or a couple of hours after it.
• Before exercise, the room should be ventilated.
• After gymnastics, you need to take a shower and rub yourself thoroughly with a towel.
• In order for the Anokhin system to give the best result, it is advisable to sleep enough (on average 8 hours) and observe moderation in food. Of course, sleep deficit is a problem of our time, but for the sake of good health and good mood you can instill one more useful skill along with gymnastics: go to bed early.

results

Gymnastics has a beneficial effect on people with different constitutions. Over the 12 weeks of the program, a full man, a thin girl, an elderly person, and an athlete receive noticeable changes in their health and appearance. Strength in the muscles and ease of movement appears, posture is leveled, overall endurance increases, in addition to muscles, joints and ligaments become stronger. Thanks to the Anokhin system, the work of the heart and lungs improves, the skills of proper breathing and the ability to concentrate are fixed.

Testimonials of practitioners of Anokhin volitional gymnastics

Of course, there are people who criticize the Anokhin system, but their complaints are most often associated with high expectations. A person sees that his muscles are not growing, and begins to blame for exercises that are designed for a completely different effect. Gymnastics is primarily aimed at developing strength, endurance and will, and muscle relief and slight growth are pleasant bonuses.

More often, the exercise system receives the most flattering reviews. Anokhin volitional gymnastics, in the opinion of people practicing it, has a comprehensive positive effect on the body.

Those who took advantage of the complex of exercises noted a significant increase in endurance, strengthening immunity, and the manifestation of the outlines of different muscle groups. People working for a long time at the computer felt an improvement in posture, the disappearance of pain in the back and cervical spine. Former athletes who left classes for medical reasons, practicing volitional gymnastics, noted a decrease in weight, an increase in the general tone of the body, an increase in strength and endurance, the disappearance of sagging muscles of previously trained muscles.

Exercise complex

When performing the exercises, it is worth remembering that they must be done in the exact order that Dr. Anokhin recommended:

• Legs are approximately shoulder-width apart, both arms apart, fists clenched, palms turned up. Then the arms are bent at the elbow, until the fists touch the shoulders, while the nose is inhaled. In the reverse movement, the fists turn 180 °, the arms exhale straighten to their original position. It is necessary to imagine how the arms, bending, lift a large weight, for example, weights, and unbending, as if pushing something massive.

• The stance does not change, but the body is slightly tilted. Hands are straightened in front of you. First, the arms diverge to the sides, as if stretching a speculative expander, at the same moment a steady breath is made through the nose. Then the hands with an exhale are reduced to their original position, as if squeezing an invisible hard ball.

• Lie on the floor or on the bed. The body is straight, hands behind the head. Imagine that weights are attached to the legs. Raise one leg, then lower it, but not touch the floor, and at the same time raise the other leg. The housing must remain stationary. Breathing without delays and jerking, exhaling through the mouth, inhaling through the nose.

• Put your hands on the back of a chair or on a high windowsill. Straighten your body, rise on your toes. Make a deep squat, exerting strong-willed effort on the muscles of the legs, as if there is a lot of weight on the shoulders, touch the buttocks of the heels, which should remain raised. Inhale air when squatting, exhale when lifting.

• The back is straight, legs are slightly apart, arms are spread apart and bent at the elbow at right angles. At the first stage of the exercise, the arms straighten up with effort, as if raising a log above the head, when the arms return to their original position, you can imagine that they are closing a heavy hatch. Inhale when raising arms, exhale when they fall.

• Take emphasis while lying, imagine a heavy plate on your back, begin to do slow push-ups, but not allowing your chest to touch the floor. Inhale when the body moves down, exhale when the body rises.

• The back is straight, both hands are turned to the sides, during the exercise, only clenched fists move with palms down, they rise and fall in a mirror, as if trying to lift a weight or press something. Breathing without delays and jerking, exhaling through the mouth, inhaling through the nose.

• Lie on the floor, fold your palms on your chest, they can even create additional pressure, imagine a heavy plate on your chest and do chest lifts. The legs and lower torso should remain motionless. Exhale when raising the chest, inhale when lowering it.

• The legs are slightly apart and slightly bent at the knees, the body is tilted, and the arms are initially lowered along the body. Then you need to imagine skiing downhill, hands as if making repulsive movements with sticks, with effort rising to the height of the shoulders and with effort returning to the starting position. In addition to the hands, you need to strain your abs and back muscles. The breathing is even and jerky, it is desirable that the exhalation coincides with the maximum effort.

• Stand straight, feet together, put your hands on the back of a chair or other fairly high support. With effort, simultaneously lift on the inhale and lower on the exhale the socks of both legs.

• Stand straight, lower your arms along the body, squeeze your elbows to your sides, clench your fists. Imagine, as if arms were lifting alternately heavy dumbbells, bending at the elbows, and when unbending, pushing down something unyielding. The breathing is even and without jerking, you need to try to exhale coincided with maximum effort.

• To stand up straight, legs are slightly apart, extended arms should be clasped above the head, turn the body to the side by 90 ° and with an effort make a tilt, return to the starting position, and then immediately make the same tilt to the other side. Exhale when tilting the body, inhale when it rises.

• The body is straight, the feet are parallel, the hands are on the windowsill or back of the chair. Perform lifting on toes, imagining a lot of weight on the shoulders. Exhale when the body rises on toes, inhale when it falls on the heels.

• The legs are apart and bent at the knees, bent arms are located along the body, elbows are pressed to the body, the body is tilted. The pose resembles that of a skier riding from a mountain. Both hands with an exhale are extended at the elbows, and then on inhalation with effort take their initial position, the shoulders and body are motionless, the movement imitates stick repulsion from the snow.

• To stand up straight and make movements as if hands alternately lift heavy weights from the shoulder. The breathing is even and jerky, it is desirable that the exhalation coincides with the maximum effort.

Regular and proper exercise will help you achieve remarkable results.