Attention!
In each issue of our magazine, catch a new portion of exercises from Elena Karkukli. Collect a full range of exclusive exercises. The beginning is “PRO Health” No. 6.
Well-known internationally qualified face fitness coach Elena Karkukli says
- A person has a number of muscles that attach to the lower part of the face and pull the face down. These muscles pull our cheeks down, lower the lower lip and the corners of the lips. They become shortened by tension, facial habits, poor posture and incorrect head position. Therefore, in face fitness, we always not only train the muscles for a lifting effect, but also relax the depressor muscles so that the face does not fall down.
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A look into the future.
How will you look in old age Olga Shablinskaya, PRO Health: What exactly should you do?
— For a beautiful oval face, relaxation and stretching of the masticatory muscles is very important. The muscles of mastication support the frame and the entire middle part of the face. Relaxation, stretching, and massage of the strained muscle are important.
— It turns out that in face fitness the same laws apply as in regular fitness: first you need to work on the muscle, then stretch it.
— Absolutely right, after training the muscles need to be gently stretched and relaxed, that is, restore the balance between the elevator muscles, which raise the face, and the depressor muscles, which lower the face. We need to not only raise our cheeks, but also maintain a soft and pleasant facial expression, which is difficult to achieve if the muscles are tense.
— There is a saying: a woman’s age is revealed by her hands and neck. Why is the neck so prone to wrinkles?
— Our habits are of great importance. The entire front surface of the neck is covered by muscles, and when we lower our chin down, these muscles contract. Spending a lot of time on phones, gadgets or in front of the computer at work, constantly lowering our head down and pressing our chin to our neck, we cause these muscles to shorten more and more and thin skin gathers into folds faster. Therefore, in order to achieve a guaranteed result, it is very important to control the position of your head throughout the day and perform exercises for posture and neck (see PRO Health No. 6).
For a perfect oval face and smooth neck skin
"Swing"
Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky
Starting position: sit up straight, back straight, pull your head by the crown. Place one palm on your neck as shown in the photo. Don't push! Pull the skin down slightly for light resistance, literally 3mm.
Smile. Stick out your tongue and stretch it upward, as if trying to reach the tip of your nose. Use your other hand to secure the folds around your lips. To perform the exercise, sit on the edge of a chair. Lean back a little and rock back and forth (like on a rocking chair) - the movement is from the pelvis. Repeat 20 times. Watch your posture, keep your back straight! Don't throw your head back.
Result: the corners of the lips are raised, jowls and double chin are reduced, and the oval of the face is improved.
What is face fitness?
Face fitness is a system of exercises for the face. She embodies the idea of maintaining youth without resorting to plastic surgery and beauty injections. It was first voiced by plastic surgeon Reinhold Benz from Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. His book about face fitness was published in German and English.
in the photo: book by Reinhold Benz
The technique really worked, but did not gain popularity. Only a few decades later, after Jack Lalane (29.09.1915-22.01.2011) introduced it into her program, she became widely known. This bodybuilding and fitness guru, as well as an expert in the field of nutrition, exercised until his death. By his example, he proved that a person himself can build his body and improve his health to the limits limited only by his own strength and laziness.
Jack Lalane is one of the greatest fitness icons
In Russia, this method of rejuvenation became known relatively recently, only from the beginning of the 2000s. But, as in the rest of the world, the idea did not catch on immediately. This is due to the widespread belief that it is possible to become younger only through surgery and injections, as well as the persistent stereotypical opinion that intense touching of the skin and stretching it can contribute to the deterioration of its condition.
Will facial fitness remove minus 10 years in 10 minutes and is it a 100% guarantee against wrinkles in old age? You should not reassure yourself with such promises. Your skin will never stop aging. But it will look better than those who do not do gymnastics. And you will never have to resort to plastic surgery and injections, the consequences of which bring very disastrous results.
To strengthen the front of the neck
Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky
Starting position: back straight. Join your wrists. Place your hands on your neck. Tighten your neck muscles, slightly moving your neck forward, while keeping your head in place. Provide light resistance with your hands. Do it dynamically 20 times. The exercise is performed very delicately. Do not press your head on your hands. To properly activate the muscles during the exercise, you can press your tongue into the upper palate.
Result: tightened, smooth neck skin.
How to make your nose smaller: general recommendations
To know how to reduce your nose without surgery, you need to know the features of its structure. Throughout life, the shape changes due to the absence of bones inside. The muscles lose their tone, begin to sag, and the moving cartilage takes the wrong position. Therefore, reducing your nose with exercises is a good idea; sometimes you can lengthen it and make it more attractive. The famous before and after photos will show what to expect from such a complex.
- During procedures, you need to keep your skin clean and use an antiseptic;
- From time to time you can visit a cosmetologist, do additional procedures aimed at rejuvenation, massages to correct your shape;
- It is important to monitor your facial expressions during a conversation, not to make sudden movements, and to prevent the area from bending while smiling.
To relax the masticatory muscle
Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky
Starting position: place your fingers on the masticatory muscles at the level of the earlobes (as in the picture). Make clockwise gentle circular movements in place, relaxing the area. Repeat the movements counterclockwise. 30 times in each direction.
Result: recession of the cheeks and loss of their volume are reduced, facial proportions are restored.
When should you start?
The golden rule of self-care is: “The sooner, the better.” After all, prevention is always more effective than dealing with the consequences. As a rule, women do not find time to take care of themselves: at first it seems that the first signs of aging are still far away, then work and family take up too much energy. And now the reflection in the mirror ceases to please: wrinkles, “nasolabial”, crow’s feet in the corners of the eyes.
It is best to start doing facial fitness at 18–20 years old. Then the effect will gradually accumulate, and by 30 you will look much younger than your peers. The creator of one of the facial fitness systems, Alena Rossoshinskaya, claims that she should have started “yesterday”: the sooner you start the exercises, the more pronounced the result will be. However, it is never too late to start exercising: in any case, you will quickly notice the positive effect.
Advice! Try to do the exercises while in a good mood. This will make them even more effective.
It is best to start doing facial fitness at 18–20 years old. Then the effect will gradually accumulate, and by 30 you will look much younger than your peers
"Cat"
Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky
Starting position: lips are relaxed, tongue is stuck out as far as possible. Twist your tongue upward as if you were lapping up water, like a cat. It is very important to feel tension while performing the exercise. Repeat 25 times. Do not purse your lips, make sure there are no creases on your face.
Result: a clear oval face without a double chin.
Myths about face lifting exercises
There are many myths about face fitness. The most common of them are the following:
- Fast and 100% result.
Of course, face lifting exercises are different from regular fitness. But here, too, regular classes are necessary. Agree, you will not achieve an ideal figure if you go to the gym once every six months. Alas, it’s also not possible to restore youth to your face in a couple of sessions. Only systematic exercise, massage and proper care will help get rid of wrinkles, swelling and the first signs of aging. This will take at least 3-6 months, depending on the initial condition of the skin.
- The more you train, the better.
This myth is closely related to the previous one. Yes, face lifting exercises require regularity, just like regular fitness. But there are noticeable differences between these workouts. As you remember, facial muscles are flatter than skeletal muscles. The method of attaching them also differs. At one end they are fixed to the bones, and at the other end they are woven into the skin or neighboring muscles.
It turns out that the condition of one muscle significantly affects another. Spasmed muscles shorten, pulling nearby muscles and skin towards themselves - this is how wrinkles and creases form. You can cause harm if you regularly exercise a hypertonic muscle. First of all, you need to relax the muscles with a massage, and then perform tightening exercises for the face.
There are opposite situations, when the muscles are so weakened that the face simply “floats” down under the influence of gravity. In this case, it makes no sense to bring the muscles into hypotonia; they need to be pumped up.
Remember that an adequate and conscious approach is required when it comes to facial care. It is important to alternate tightening exercises with massage, selecting the optimal techniques for each zone.
- Face fitness is difficult and long.
What's the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to training? Of course, tiring and exhausting exercises on simulators, which can last more than one hour. But don’t worry, face lifting exercises don’t require much time. Just 10-15 minutes a day is enough.
If you decide to maintain your beauty naturally, be prepared for daily work. Only regularity and an integrated approach will help stop facial aging. Pull-up gymnastics, unlike beauty injections, does not bring instant results. However, the effectiveness of injections in the long term is a very controversial issue.
A visit to a cosmetologist will help temporarily hide the consequences, but will not remove the very cause of aging. Even with the busiest schedule, you can find 10-15 minutes for tightening exercises. Then you won’t have to go to a cosmetologist every six months and buy new creams with an “innovative anti-aging effect.”
- If you stop exercising, your facial condition will remain the same or become much worse.
The first result of face lifting exercises will be noticeable almost immediately. You shouldn't expect drastic changes, but you will see the effect of training. Of course, every woman needs to solve her own problems, for example, improve the oval of the face, increase the shape of the eyes or make the lips more voluminous. If the exercises are performed correctly, the result will not be long in coming.
However, this is not the only benefit of pull-up exercises. During exercise or massage, blood circulation is normalized, skin trophism is improved, and the removal of waste and toxins is enhanced. As a result, the complexion is evened out, the number of pimples and inflammations is reduced, the oval is tightened, puffiness, signs of fatigue and fine wrinkles go away. These changes will be noticeable two weeks after the start of classes.
If you stop training, then after 2-3 months everything will return to its original state. It may seem that your appearance has changed for the worse, but this is a psychological trick, nothing more. Of course, if you know how beautiful you can look, it greatly plays into the contrast. That is why, having achieved the first tangible results, you will not want to give up facial gymnastics. To maintain the tightening effect, 3-4 sessions per week will be enough.
- “After 40 it’s too late, but before 25 it’s too early.”
Facial gymnastics, like love, is suitable for all ages. No matter how old you are, proper exercise will definitely benefit you both at 20 and at 50. Muscles have no age and are easy to train due to their small size.
Some girls turn to pull-up gymnastics at a very young age. Due to personal anatomical features and overly active facial expressions, the first wrinkles may appear at the age of 18. It is important to notice the problem in time and start working with it. In addition, regular exercise stimulates blood circulation and lymph outflow. This improves complexion and reduces the number of pimples and inflammations.
The benefits of tightening exercises in older age do not require proof. Therefore, you can start working on your face at any time. The main thing is to perform the exercises correctly and alternate them with massage.
Dynamic stretching of the masseter muscle
Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky
Warm-up: carefully open and close your mouth 5 times. Make sure you don't have any clicking joints.
Starting position: place your fingers on the chewing muscles and three fingers on your earlobes. Slowly lower your lower jaw, while firmly (without fanaticism) press your fingers against the muscle and press on it, pushing it up, thus providing resistance and stretching the muscle. Hold for 5 counts and return to the starting position. Repeat 5 times.
Result: restoration of the oval of the face, the angle of the lower jaw, reduction of recession and loss of volume of the cheeks, reduction of the habit of clenching teeth, restoration of facial proportions.
Facial fitness with Alena Rossoshinskaya
Alena Rossoshinskaya does not promise miracles: it is impossible to defeat age. At 50, no one looks like a young girl. However, if you regularly perform the proposed exercises, then even at the age of 80 you will have a toned oval face, and, on the contrary, sagging cheeks and deep nasolabial folds will not appear.
The exercises should be performed regularly: only in this case will they bring results. Don’t forget about your usual care: creams, masks and regular cleansing. In addition, it makes sense to combine fitness with various salon treatments.
Advice! Immediately after completing the selected set of exercises, treat yourself to a cup of coffee or a hot bath. Thanks to this, a positive association will be formed in the subconscious between exercise and a pleasant stimulus for you.
You can see how the exercises are performed in this video:
To relax and stretch the masticatory muscles
Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky
Starting position: open your mouth. Gently massage the chewing muscles from top to bottom with the pads of your fingers or bent knuckles. Perform this massage for 30 seconds.
Result: restoration of the oval face, beautiful lines.
Exercises for the upper half of the face
First of all, you should warm up slightly: just like before strength training in the gym. The complex begins with light scratching of the scalp. It is performed with the pads of the fingers, moving from the temples and the back of the head to the crown. Exercise will help you cheer up, tune in to perform the subsequent complex, and also improve your complexion.
Next, you can begin to activate the body. This exercise is based on oriental medicine: it is believed that biologically active points are concentrated on the auricle of a person, the stimulation of which leads to improved functioning of internal organs. The ears should be rubbed and pulled in different directions.
After rubbing the ears, it’s time to exercise the eyebrows and forehead. Press your fingers to your forehead and try to frown. In total, you need to do 20 such “approaches”. The exercise allows you to make the skin of your forehead smoother, lift your eyelids and tighten existing wrinkles.
To keep the skin of the eyelids elastic, you need to press your fingertips on the area under the eyes and close your eyes as hard as you can. You need to hold on like this for 20 seconds.
Press your fingers to your forehead and try to frown. In total, you need to do 20 such “approaches”
Advice! After you finish doing the exercises, apply a tightening or toning mask to your face.
Exercise with fists
Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky
Starting position: fold your hands under your lower jaw, press your elbows to your chest. If you can't keep your back straight, lean against the back of a chair. Do not push your head forward, otherwise the exercise will be ineffective and there will be a risk of damaging the back of your neck. Press your tongue onto the upper palate, resisting with your hands, and hold for 1-2 seconds. Perform 25 times at a slow pace. Relieve tension with light pats under the chin.
Result: reduction of the double chin, tightened skin of the neck and lower face.
The most common mistakes
Maria Onufrieva, expert on natural rejuvenation of the face and body (Instagram - @cherryclub.2020):
“When trying to rejuvenate their face, many make the following mistakes:
1. Only deal with the face. It is impossible to separate the face from the body, neck, back, chest, feet and even pelvis. Everything is of great importance in facial rejuvenation.
2. Study on your own using YouTube videos. Every face is unique. It is very important to understand the cause of certain problems. For example, there is no point in trying to get rid of wrinkles on the forehead or drooping eyelids if you do not remove the clamps from the back and back of the head. You can examine your face and its condition in detail during an individual consultation with a specialist.
3. Start rejuvenating your face right away. Until your posture is restored and blood circulation improves, there is no point in working on your face. The most you will see is small changes.
4. Use only one technique, for example, only face fitness or massage. Some muscles need to be toned, while others need to be relieved of tension. Therefore, you need to do everything comprehensively, and then you will get a good and lasting result.
5. Rely on one exercise. My favorite: “Give me one exercise to make the frown line go away.” You can not do it this way. Of course, non-professional trainers can share similar advice, but this leads to a lack of results, and then we see publications that face fitness does not work. As stated above, the face, body and neck are interconnected, so an integrated approach is needed.
6. Practice from time to time. If you have already started exercising, it should become your habit forever, just like playing sports.”
To relax the chin muscles
Photo: AiF/Eduard Kudryavitsky
Starting position: grab your chin with your fingers, stroke it down. Make sure your lips are relaxed. Repeat 3-5 times. Don't pull the corners of your lips down. Don't overdo it: you can easily get bruises on your chin.
Result: relaxation of the mental muscles, softening of the jawline.
Article on the topic
What will erase years from your face? Timeline of the appearance of wrinkles
How does face fitness work?
Face fitness for the face is aimed at training weakened muscles under the skin. Over time, they get tired of holding the “frame” and become the cause of wrinkles, loss of contour, and the appearance of a double chin. Performing the same movements - facial expressions, emotions, muscles remember creases and form folds that become wrinkles.
Uniform loads make the muscles stronger and increase their resistance force. They, in turn, create a strong foundation for the skin. Metabolism improves, active blood circulation and lymph movement are stimulated. Naturally improves overall skin condition and complexion. Women note smoothness, elasticity, firmness and radiance of the skin after completing gymnastics courses, and inflammation, rashes and age spots are reduced. Face fitness copes with these problems no worse than salon procedures or traditional medicine.
For most exercises, only hands are needed, but in some cases they resort to the help of auxiliary objects: jars, spoons, special exercise equipment.
Our tissues need water
There are many factors that influence muscle loss and reduction. It is important for each of us to consume enough clean water. Average calculation: 30 ml per kilogram of weight. At a young age, we are 70-80% water, and the older we get, the smaller this percentage is. And even if you drink the amount of water your body needs every day, but at the same time drink 5 more cups of coffee a day, you safely “neutralize” this water and remove it, so dehydration continues. Accordingly, our bones, our muscles, and ligaments lose water, but our tissues need it constantly. Therefore, for the beauty of your face, it is important to follow a drinking regime.
Cosmetology
Beauty salon workers understand such issues: how to reduce the nose, how to correct the shape, reduce the hump on the upper part or narrow the wings in a short time. This question is periodically asked by girls and women who closely monitor their appearance. The services of beauty clinics take into account the wishes of clients; the specialist will offer one of the following options.
Fillers
Injecting drugs like Radiesse under the skin works with volume; the specialist will be able to raise the tip of the nose, which sag with age, and straighten the bridge of the nose if there is a small hump. It will be possible to enlarge individual areas for precise symmetry and fill in the gaps along the bone. The products are suitable not only for raising the tip of the nose: you can round it if it seems too sharp. Pain is minimal, anesthesia is used if desired. It is important to find a trusted specialist and make sure of the quality of the drugs. After about half an hour, the woman gets the opportunity to straighten her nose and improve her appearance. Over time, the filler dissolves, and after six months the session is repeated.
Sculptural facelift for the face with Galina Dubinina
Thanks to a set of exercises from Galina Dubinina, you can refuse plastic surgery and expensive salon procedures: many women who practice this system note a fairly quick and noticeable effect.
The main idea of a facelift is to influence the deeper layers of the skin, due to which the rejuvenation effect occurs. The set of exercises has no contraindications, so any woman can do facelifting, regardless of age and health. In addition, facelift has a general strengthening effect on the body as a whole, which distinguishes it from other fitness rejuvenation systems.
You can see how the exercises are performed in this video:
Advice! If you've recently had plastic surgery, put off exercising for six months.
How to avoid facial aging
Experts say that the aging process of facial muscles occurs much more rapidly and intensively than the aging process of all other human muscles. At the same time, the average person, as a rule, does not think at all about the state of his facial muscles, paying attention exclusively to the state of his body.
For example: every third person does daily morning exercises, and one in ten do facial exercises.
As a result, the facial skin loses its elasticity and attractiveness, wrinkles and other temporary changes in the epithelium appear.
To avoid this, you need to regularly do special exercises (gymnastics for the facial muscles), and they should start after 25–30 years, and preferably even earlier.
The best exercises step by step
All of Alena’s exercises are sorted into categories (zones): forehead, chin, neck, eyes, cheeks.
Exercise "toned face"
- Touch your fingers to your face;
- Massage it lightly for 1 minute with tapping movements;
- Cover your face with your palms;
- Press for 5 seconds;
- Spread your palms to the sides without lifting them from the skin;
- Relax. Do 3 reps.
Exercise to smooth out forehead wrinkles
- Place your hands on your forehead so that the fingers of your palms touch in the middle
- Massage lightly towards temples
- Relax. Do 3 reps.
To lift the upper eyelid and improve blood flow
- Place your palms on your face so that your fingertips touch the area under your eyebrows
- Touching your eyelids with your fingertips, work on the area above the eyes for a couple of seconds.
- Relax. Do 3 reps.
The same exercise should be done for the inner corners of the eyes. To do this, touch the inner eyelids with your index fingers, repeat and relax.
Before classes, Alena strongly recommends doing a warm-up for the skin of the face and scalp. This will increase blood circulation and help the results appear as early as possible. For more information on how to warm up, watch the video.
