A New Approach to Abdominal Training

           

Perhaps the most frequently talked about topic in both general fitness and athletic conditioning is abdominal training.  Everyone wants that elusive six-pack, but very few seem to be able to find that magic formula to elicit its transformation from belly to brick…This is perhaps because most of us take a conventional approach to abdominal training, as outlined in most popular fitness publications.  In order to determine the most appropriate way to train our “abs”, we must first understand what muscles are involved, and how they contribute to our quest for a flat stomach…

            Rectus abdominus: this is the muscle that we all know and aspire to develop with all of our crunches, sit-ups, and Roman chair exercises.  Unfortunately, this muscle’s main role is to flex the trunk so that the rib cage moves toward the pelvis, causing the stomach to bulge outward as the muscle develops.  Have you ever seen the bodybuilders with the chiseled abs, but they stick out like a beer belly with moguls?  This not only fails to give us the appearance that we’re looking for, chances are it is also creating undo stress on the lower vertebrae if our lower backs and other trunk stabilizers are not strong, as well.  Instead of focusing on the rectus abdominus, we should instead direct our attention to the:

            Transversus abdominus: a thin sheet of muscle that runs across the gut and forms a natural corset around the abdomen.  Its main function is to pull in the gut, and is the first muscle to fire when performing most movements.  This muscle is traditionally neglected in most ab training routines, but is the foundation of pilates and martial arts training (hmmm…those guys & gals have some pretty good abs, don’t they??).  Along with the internal obliques whose fibers run diagonally across the abdomen, a strong transversus can significantly reduce pressure on the lower back when lifting (or sitting, for that matter!).  The external obliques form a criss-cross layer of muscle with the internal obliques, to provide additional stability and rotational strength.

 The combination of these three muscles, along with a strong lower back and pelvic floor (the ‘Kegel’ muscles), will not only strengthen and flatten the stomach, it will add much needed stability to perform almost any daily activity more safely.  Along with proper diet and exercise to shed off the underlying fat that tends to accumulate in the abdominal region, exercises that target these muscles will go a long way to produce that “beach ready” belly that you’re after!

 

Mike Wilson is a strength and conditioning specialist with PURSUIT Training and Rehabilitation.  For more information on abdominal/core training for life or sport, please call him at 604.574.2895, or e-mail mikew@pursuittraining.com.

Mike Wilson

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