Abdominal Exercise

Late-night television bombards viewers with junk food commercials, which often precede weight-loss supplements ads and infomercials for abdominal-exercise gadgets. A conspiracy theorist would have a field day. This food will definitely make you larger, while the supplement allegedly makes you small, but, according to the Federal Trade Commission, most expensive ab-exercise gadgets don't do anything at all. While commercials prey upon people's guilt about overeating and low self-image, fact-based research about abdominal muscles and exercise provides defenses against fraudulent information.

Misconceptions

The American Council on Exercise, a fitness certification and research organization, warns that a belief in spot reduction makes consumers vulnerable to the fallacious claims of abdominal-exercise gadget manufacturers. Abdominal fat loss results from reduced fatty food consumption and increased caloric expenditure through aerobic exercise. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) agrees. In a project appropriately called Project Absurd, the FTC targeted several abdominal-exercise belt manufacturers for making claims about fat loss electronic stimulation.
A misconception regarding upper and lower abdominal muscle isolation often accompanies the spot reduction belief. University of New Mexico exercise physiologist Len Kravitz, Ph.D, explains the source of this confusion. The entire rectus abdominus--the large, superficial abdominal muscle--contracts as a unit, but is capable of intersegmental nerve stimulation. This means that a crunch, which flexes the upper torso, initiates contraction in the upper abdominal fibers, whereas a reverse curl, which lifts the pelvis, initiates contraction in the lower fibers.

Muscle Function

Understanding abdominal muscle function helps you determine the most efficient ab workouts. The rectus abdominus muscle flexes the upper torso, whereas the internal obliques, which run diagonally across the abdominal area, rotate the torso to the right and left. The external obliques, located near the waistline, support side bending. The core muscles, consisting of the transverse abdominal muscles, the multifidus and pelvic floor, are equally important. The transverse abdominal muscle supports postural alignment. It compresses the diaphragm during exhalation. Voluntary abdominal muscle contraction also activates the transverse abdominal muscle. The multifidus connects the transverse abdominal muscle to the spine, and thus aids in postural support, and the pelvic floor muscles support the internal organs. Exercising on balance training devices, according to a 2007 "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" article, stimulates core muscle activity.

What Is Best for You

Assess your body type and fitness goals before planning an abdominal exercise program. A supine straight leg raising exercise may be less effective for anyone with extremely long legs, tight hip flexors or a hyper-extended spine. Likewise, crunches, and Pilates exercises that elevate the upper body for an extended period may cause pain in people with chronic tennis neck. Rotary sport athletes, such as golfers, tennis players, kayakers and golfers should add standing rotary exercises to their abdominal program. Snow sport enthusiasts, or anyone concerned with balance training, should emphasize core exercise.

Exercise Modalities

Use the different abdominal exercise modalities to vary your ab workout. These include slant boards; stability balls; bosu, which is a half ball; resistance bands and Pilates. The captain's chair provides abdominal exercise from an upright position, and may therefore enhance abdominal support during functional activities.

Warning

Quality trumps quantity of abdominal exercise repetitions. Use slow, controlled movements in both phases of the exercise. Neck or lower back pain usually indicates that the abdominal muscles are no longer working, and other muscle groups are compensating.