Beginner's Guide to Strength Training: Beginner's Guide to Strength Training - The Abs

Beginner's Guide to Strength Training
Beginner's Guide to Strength Training - The Abs
| The Abdominal Muscles  | Ab FAQs  | Ab Exercises - Crunches  | Bicycles  | Reverse Crunches  | The Plank  | Choosing Your Ab Exercises  | Bonus Assignment and Take the Quiz

	from Paige Waehner This week, I'm covering one of my most popular topics - the abs. While it's important to work the entire body, most people have more than a passing interest in the abs. One reason is that many of us tend to store extra fat around the abs and torso and that leads to a number of questions including how to lose fat over the abs, how often to work the abs and the best moves for flatter abs. The truth is, the abs are no different from the rest of the body and specific exercises aren't necessarily the answer. You'll learn more about this as well as the basics of the abdominal muscles, what they do and how they interact in your body. Don't forget, there's a quiz at the end so make sure you read through the information carefully and click on any links so you don't miss anything.
The Abdominal Muscles
	The Abdominal Muscles
	The abdominals are made up of different muscles on the front, side and middle of the abdominal area.  When we think of the abs, most of us are focused on the flat muscle that travels down the front of the belly, from just below the chest to the pelvic area.  This muscle, called the rectus abdominis (the green muscle on the graphic, left), is often called the 'six-pack' because there are three tendinous creases there that separate the muscle, giving it that 'washboard' look. The rectus abdominis is responsible for spine flexion (which, if you remember from previous lessons, means a decrease in joint angle or when you crunch the shoulders towards the hips) and is involved in most abdominal exercises. But, there are other muscles besides the six-pack.  The internal and external obliques (the yellow and blue muscles on the graphic, left) are located on either side of the body, attaching on the ribs, and are responsible for spine flexion and rotation.  Whenever you turn or rotate the torso, the obliques are involved. The external obliques run diagonally (in the same direction as if you were putting your hand in a pocket) and the internal obliques lie under and almost at a right angle to the external obliques. The transverse abdominis (the yellow muscle on the graphic above) is actually an internal muscle forming the innermost layer of the abdominal wall.  This muscle wraps around the spine and is involved in abdomen compression rather than movements of the torso.
Sponsored Links
Ab FAQs
	Ab FAQs
	Before we get into ab exercises that target each of the muscles mentioned above, let's go through a few ab myths and FAQs so that you're clear on exactly what the abs are all about:  We all have six-pack abs.  Six-packs aren't 'created' by doing ab exercises...they already exist.  They're often just hidden behind a layer of fat. Ab exercises won't reduce fat over the abs. We can't spot reduce fat from different areas of the body with specific exercises. There is no such thing as the 'lower' abs.  The rectus abdominis is actually one long muscle, as you'll see if you check out the graphic above.  Many people think they can work the lower abs to get rid of extra fat there, but there's no way to separate the upper part of the abs from the lower part of the abs.  That doesn't mean you can't put emphasis on different areas (for example, reverse crunches do emphasize the lower part of the abs, but the upper area works as well).  Getting flat abs requires reducing overall body fat.  Whether your body reduces fat around the abs is based on genetics and hormones...not on the exercises you do. Your abdominal muscles are no different from the muscles in the rest of the body.  We often think we need to work the abs every day or do hundreds of reps of ab exercises in order to see results.  But, you should treat your abs just like the rest of the body and work them 2-3 times a week with rest days in between.  Learn more about the abs at Ab FAQs and then check out Abs Demystified to learn more about the myths surrounding the abs and how to work them.  You may find some of this information in the quiz, so pay attention.
Ab Exercises - Crunches
	Crunches on the Ball
	Now we get to the exercises that target the abs.  There are probably hundreds of abdominal exercises and no way to cover them all here, so we'll focus on the most common ab exercises and which ones target each of the ab muscles described above. Crunches on the Ball Crunches are probably the most common ab exercise and are often included in most standard ab routines.  The crunch is an isolation exercise targeting the rectus abdominis.  The version shown below is on an exercise ball which allows for a bit more range of motion and also involves more stabilizer muscles.   Step by Step: Crunches on the Ball 1. Lie on a ball, positioning it under the mid-back so that you're in a table-top position.  (roll forward to an incline if you're a beginner and need a less challenging exercise). 2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head. 3. Contract your abs to lift the shoulders off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips. 4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., you shouldn't roll). 5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 12-16 reps. Do's and Don'ts Do: Try to make a c-shape at the top of the movement, rather than collapsing the shoulders towards the hips Do: Avoid pulling on the neck Do:  Prop the feet against a wall if you need more stability Don't: Allow the ball to roll around as you crunch up, but use your body to keep the ball in place Variations: Crunches on the Floor Vertical Leg Crunch Long Arm Crunch Crunch and Reach with a Med Ball
Bicycles
	Bicycles
	This isolation exercise is a great way to target the obliques while also involving the rectus abdominis.  The is a more advanced exercise, but it's also easy to modify.  To make it harder, you can take the legs lower towards the floor and to make it easier, you can keep the knees bent instead of straightening them all the way.  The key to this exercise is, first, to avoid pulling on the neck which can cause pain and injury.  The second important key is to keep the movement slow and controlled rather than swinging the body. Step by Step: Bicycle 1. Lie on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head, gently cradling the head. 2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck. 3. Straighten the left leg out to about a 45-degree angle (or lower if you're more advanced) while simultaneously rotating the upper body to the right, bringing the left shoulder towards the right hip. 4. Slowly switch sides, bringing the right shoulder towards the left hip. 5. Keep the movement slow and controlled 6. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 12-16 reps Do's and Don'ts Do: Rotate, bringing the shoulder towards the hip rather than the elbow to the knee Do: Raise the legs higher to protect the lower back, if needed Do: Modify by not straightening the legs all the way if this move is too difficult Don't: Pull on the neck or fold the elbows in.  Keep the elbows straight out to the sides Don't:  Allow the back to arch off the floor
Reverse Crunches
	Reverse Crunches
	While this isolation exercise targets the rectus abdominis (much like the ball crunch mentioned above), it offers a different movement with a focus on the lower part of the abs.  Remember that you can't separate the upper from the lower abs, but you can emphasize different areas.  The reverse crunch is actually the opposite of a regular crunch (hence the name 'reverse').  You crunch the hips up rather than the shoulders.  The key to this move is to use the abs to lift the hips rather than swinging the legs up. Step by Step: Reverse Crunch 1. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head for support. 2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees.  You can keep the feet together or crossed. 3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling. 4.  The movement should be small with the hips lifting a few inches off the floor 5. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps. Do's and Don'ts Do: Keep the head down on the floor, relaxing the neck Do: Use the abs to lift the legs rather than momentum Don't: Push the hands into the floor to help lift the hips.  If that's a problem, keep them behind the head Don't: Swing the legs to get the hips up.  The movement should be very slow and controlled Variations: Full Vertical Crunch
The Plank
	The Plank
	The plank exercise is an isometric move, meaning you're just holding a position rather than performing reps.  This move focuses on the TVA and it also involves the back, arms and legs to help stabilize the body.  This move is a great way to build endurance and strengthen the entire core.  A more advanced version is shown below so, if you need a modified version, check out the variations for details. Step by Step: Plank 1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor. 2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and continue resting on the elbows. 3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels. 4. Brace the abs to keep this position and avoid sagging in the shoulders. 5. If you get tired, take the knees down to the floor for more support. 6. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps. Do's and Don'ts Do: Take the hips up in the air a bit or the knees to the floor if you need more support. Do: Keep a straight line from the head to the heels. Don't: Sag in the middle, which could put too much pressure on the lower back. Variations: Modified Plank Knee Tucks Plank with a Leg Lift
Choosing Your Ab Exercises
	Choosing Your Ab Exercises
	When working the abs, you want to take the same approach as with other muscle groups.  In other words, try to work each muscle and make sure the exercises are challenging enough that you can only do 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps.  More tips: Choose exercises that target all the different muscles of the abs.  For example, a simple routine would target the rectus abdominis, the internal and external obliques and the TVA.  You can accomplish this with the exercises detailed above (ball crunches, bicycles, reverse crunches and the plank). If you're a beginner, you might want stick with more basic exercises (such as those shown) until you have a strong abdominal foundation. More advanced exercisers might want to include more dynamic moves that involve the entire body.  If you're working the abs along with the rest of the body, you'll usually choose about 2-4 exercises, depending on how much time you have. If you're working the abs separately, you might choose 4-8 exercises to work the abs and core in a variety of ways.
Bonus Assignment and Take the Quiz
	Bonus Assignment and Take the Quiz
	You can get more out of this course by actually doing the exercises discussed. By learning the moves, step by step, and focusing on your form as well as the muscles you're working, you'll get a deeper understanding of how to work your body. Your bonus assignment this week is to try the ab exercises listed and, of course, the variations as well if you're up for it. Your next assignment is to finish up this week's course by taking the quiz to find out how much you learned about the abs.
Paige Waehner About.com Guide to Exercise http://exercise.about.com www.About.com About.com is part of The New York Times Company
Learn Something New Every Day
Enroll at About U for More Online Learning About U is our collection of free online courses on About.com. Each online course is sent to you via email on a daily or weekly basis and will help you learn new skills, solve common problems, find shortcuts and quick tricks to simplify your busy life, or just learn more about your world.

Search About

Missing Lesson: http://exercise.about.com/c/ec/57lost.htm

Cancel Subscription: You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the About Beginner's Guide to Strength Training - The Abs as damuscleman0424@gmail.com. If you no longer wish to receive emails from us, please click here: http://about.com/nl/usec.htm?nl=exercise_57&e=damuscleman0424@gmail.com About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2009 About, Inc.