Working
The Transverse Abs
A group of muscles that often gets neglected in stomach exercise
routines are the transverse abdominals, the core muscles that lie below
the rectus abdominus. Most abdominal exercises target the rectus
abdominus and the vertical abdominals, ignoring the transverse
abdominals. Even crunches, the staple of most abdominal workouts, do
nothing for the transverse abdominals. These muscles are actually the
most important to target, however, as they connect to both the lower
back muscles and the rectus abdominus and for a girdle for the entire
abdomen. Any routine aimed at flattening the stomach should include the
transverse abdominals as a focus. Using the following exercises, you
can work out your transverse abdominals and really make progress on
that flat tummy. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a
professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid
injury.
Pelvic Tilts
This stomach exercise requires lying on your back on a flat surface,
such as the floor or a bench. Use a mat or towel to cushion your spine.
Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Raise your
pelvis (and only your pelvis) off the floor, hold momentarily, and then
lower it back down. Repeat for an entire set. Maintaining a controlled
movement is crucial to this exercise. This will allow you to use your
abdominal muscles, rather than your body's momentum, to do the work on
the exercise. Also, be sure to keep your upper body on the floor
throughout.
Crunchless Crunch
This first exercise is fairly simple but can also be fairly difficult.
Essentially, it involves trying to pull the belly button in towards the
spine. This can be tricky, as it involves using muscles which you may
not be used to activating. To start, either lie or on your stomach or
kneel. You might want to try both ways and see which helps you feel the
exercise better. Relax your body as much as possible, then try to use
only the lower abdominals to move your belly button toward your spine.
Hold for ten seconds. If holding for ten seconds feels easy, hold for a
longer period. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either
cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the
transverse abdominus. When you feel this, let the contraction out.
Scissor Kicks
This stomach exercise also requires lying on the floor. Position your
hands under your butt, keeping your back pressed against the floor.
Slowly raise one leg to a height of about ten inches, then slowly lower
it back to the floor. As your lower one leg, raise the other. Repeat
this motion for an entire set. Maintaining control throughout is
important, not allowing momentum to get the better of you. Your upper
body should remain on the floor through the entire move.
There are plenty of other exercises targeting the transverse
abs, but these three ought to be enough to get you
started.
Stomach exercises like these are key to any tummy-flattening plan, and
they are especially good for pregnant and post-partum women.
About The Author
Edward
Pena is an exercise fanatic that loves to workout as often as he can.
He runs
an informational website to help people learn about exercise. His sites
offer free articles on stomach exercises and other exercise products.
To take advantage of
all this cool stuff and more, be sure to check out Ed’s site
at Pilates Guide!
|
|
|
|
