The abdominal muscles are a single muscle group located around the stomach. Unlike many of the arm and chest exercises, the abdominal muscles have to be specifically isolated for contraction. An abdominal workout typically involves calisthenics, although dumbbells can sometimes be added, depending upon the exercise, for improved efficiency.
Muscles
The rectus abdominis is a long, flat band of muscle fibers extending over much of the stomach. The creases in the muscle give a "washboard" appearance. This muscle flexes the spinal column, bringing the rib cage and/or pelvis toward each other, assists with sideways bending and helps with trunk stability. The external and internal obliques are located on the side of the rectus abdominis. Both help with the rotation of the trunk. The deepest layer is the transversus abdominis, which assists with expiration of air from the lungs and the compression of the internal organs.
Types of Exercises
The simplest abdominal exercise to perform is the crunch. However, it is not the most effective. Inclined, side and bicycle crunch variations work much better. "Fitness" magazine also lists the abdominal hold, prone plank, opposite arm and leg raise, single leg stretch, the hundred, squat thrust with twist, ballet twist, cobra and climb up as effective abdominal exercises. Each one is designed to twist or pull on the abdominal muscles.
Benefits
Because these muscles are the intercessor between the upper and lower body and also help move the spine, abdominal exercises can assist with posture. Many individuals stand with their hips tilted forward because of tight or excessively shortened hip flexors, which may exaggerate the arch in the lower back. Strong abdominal muscles counteract this tilt by pulling up on the pelvis, in addition to improving stability and the efficacy of respiration.
Misconceptions
It is believed by many people that side-to-side bending is a good exercise to shape the obliques in the sides of the torso, but deeper spinal muscles can perform this exercise more efficiently than the abdominal muscles. In fact, the soreness that many people associate with a firming of the oblique muscles is actually a product of overstretching rather than the strain of the exercise. Standing rotation exercises can be just as ineffective. In addition, abdominal muscles are relatively inactive when walking on a flat surface, so normal movements do not help either.
Routine
Dr. Len Kravitz, from the University of New Mexico,advises that you should perform abdominal exercises two to three days a week. Choose between five to 10 abdominal exercises in your regimen, combining spinal flexion, rotation and side-to-side exercises, and every two to three weeks you need to vary your workout. Each contraction should be a quality movement, fully formed and complete. Slow and controlled works best.
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