Abs Training 101

Before you embark on any specific ab workouts, it is important to understand exactly what your stomach muscles are designed to do. Read on to find out how do they work together to give you a six-pack abs.

Transverses Abdominals : Of the four front muscles, this one lies closest to your internal organs until it crosses under your navel. Below the navel, lie the lower fibers of this broad, flat, horizontal muscle which form a sheath opening with two other muscles. This permits the rectus abdominals to push through and attach securely to the pubis bone. As the transverses abdominals contracts, it compresses the internal organs, which helps the lungs to exhale and the body to perform the normal process of elimination. These are the muscles you work when you hold your stomach in because they are an essential element in your abdominal resistance program.

Internal Obliques : These two muscles lie on top of the transverses abdominals, on each side. The muscle fibers start at the hip and run diagonally upwards to align the lower ribs. Lateral flexion and torso rotation to the same side are the main functions of these muscles. These muscles are involved in the side bend exercises.

External Obliques : These wide but thin muscles originate at the border of the lower rubs and extend forwards. The fibers run at right angles to those of the internal obloquies. The primary functions of these muscles are to bend the spine to the same side and rotate the torso to the opposite side. These are the muscles involved in waist or side exercises.

Rectus Abdominals : This outermost frontal muscle stretches vertically from the ribcage to the pubis bone. The function of the rectus abdominals is to shorten the distance between the breastbone and the pelvic girdle. If you have a small percentage of body fat and have a well-developed rectus abdominals you will have what is commonly known as six-packs, namely three paired blocks of muscle on each side of the mid-line. The rectus abdominals is the main muscle worked in a basic sit-up.

Lastly, you should know that no individual muscle works in isolation. It is only by working a combination of muscle groups that you will develop a firm and flat stomach.