According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research´s advice provided by the National Institutes of Health, the benefits of strong core muscles, including your abs, make life easier. Everyday activities such as putting a plate on a top shelf or bending down to pick up the newspaper will be less of a strain, your posture will likely improve, and you´ll be less susceptible to lower back pain.
Muscles Targeted
The muscles you target with your ab workouts include the upper and lower rectus abdominus and your external and internal obliques. According to guidelines provided by Dr. Len Kravtiz from the University of New Mexico, the rectus abdominis is the band of muscle fibers extending vertically and creased with tendons that in extremely fit people cause the appearance of "washboard abs." Your external obliques are the outermost fibers of your trunk, are on each side of the rectus abdominis, and wrap around to the back of your core where they attach to your ribs. Your internal obliques lie beneath your external obliques. When you rotate your trunk, your external obliques are the "opposite side" muscles, meaning if you twist right, your left external oblique is working; conversely, your internal obliques are your "same side" muscles for trunk twisting.
Common Exercises
Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning examined the relative amount of electromyographic activity in your key abdominal groups. The research revealed that the reverse curl is an exceptionally good exercise for activating your external obliques, your lower rectus abdominus, and your upper abdominals. The v-sit was also recommended for activating the external obliques. The trunk curl, reverse curl and trunk curl with twist were all noted to provide similar amounts of activity in the upper abdominal muscles.
Warnings
Doing abs the wrong way can cause harm and can make your workout less effective. For example, using your arms while doing crunches can cause you to hold your neck bent with your chin toward your chest, putting you at risk for neck pain. The proper way to do crunches is to hold your neck straight and to use your stomach muscles to curl up, with your fingers only lightly cupping the back of your head. Doing abdominal exercises is recommended for treatment as well as prevention of back pain -- but remember to do back exercises, too, so that your entire core is strong and you don't develop imbalances. A common back exercise is the Superman: Lie on your stomach with your arms out in front of you, then for 10 seconds try to lift your arms and legs off the ground by 1 to 2 inches.
Timing
Doing an ab workout at the right time can play a role in whether you persist with your ab training regimen. Doing an ab workout on a full stomach or while extremely hungry can increase the likelihood you'll bail on the workout halfway through because of discomfort. The President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition recommends scheduling your workout for either pre-dinner or pre-workday. Having a light snack of a banana, a granola bar, or a cup of yogurt an hour before your workout can ensure you're not running on empty. According to the president's council, scheduling your fitness workout around the availability of exercise facilities and family responsibilities can also help you in your effort to be regular about doing it.
References
- University of New Mexico: SuperAbs Resource Manual
- Relative Activity of Abdominal Muscles During Commonly Prescribed Strengthening Exercises. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: November 2001.
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research: Core exercises--7 Reasons to Strengthen Your Core Muscles
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