Ab and Core Exercise Guide: 7 Days of Ab Exercises

Ab and Core Exercise Guide: 7 Days of Ab Exercises

Day 1 - Meet Your Abs
Elizabeth Quinn
From Elizabeth Quinn, your Guide to Sports Medicine

Welcome to Day 1 of the Week Of Ab Exercises E-Course.

Let's get started with a little background lesson about the muscles that make up the abs and the core and learn why it's important to keep them strong.

What's "Core Training" and Why Does It Matter?

Core Training Takes More Than Ab Exercises
Core conditioning isn't just another fancy word for ab exercise. In fact, doing a lot of ab exercise without doing core training may actually back-fire. The abdominal muscles have very limited and specific action. The "core" consists of many different muscles that span the entire length of the torso. They help stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder and provide a solid foundation for movement A strong core helps control movements, transfer energy, shift body weight and move in any direction while distributing stress and protecting the back.

The Abdominal Muscles - One-by-One

The Rectus Abdominis
The most well-known and prominent abdominal muscle is the rectus abdominis.

The External Obliques
The external obliques are on either side of the rectus abdominis and run diagonally forming the letter V. They allow flexion, rotation and sideways bending.

The Internal Obliques
The internal oblique muscles are a pair of deep muscles that are just below the external oblique muscles. The internal and external obliques are at right angles to each other.

The Transversus Abdominis
The deepest layer of abdominal muscles is called the "transversus abdominis." This large wraps around the torso from front to back and from the ribs to the pelvis just like a corset!

The Hip Flexors
Technically the hip flexors are not really abdominal muscles, but they do facilitate movements during many ab exercises. This group of muscles help bring the legs and trunk together in a flexion movement.

Ab Exercise of The Day

Long Arm Crunch
The long arm crunch is a great exercise to strengthen the rectus abdominis, the external obliques and internal obliques. If you haven't tried this one, try it now and see what you think.

The long arm crunch is another way to strengthen the rectus abdominis, the external obliques and internal obliques.

This exercise is similar to the basic crunch and was ranked on the list of the Best and Worse Ab Exercises.

How to Do the Long Arm Crunch

• Lie on your back with your arms over your head with hands clasped and arms close to your ears.
• Keep your knees bent with feet flat on the floor.
• Contract your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the floor.
• Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

Photo (c) E. Quinn
written by:
Elizabeth Quinn
Sports Medicine Guide http://sportsmedicine.about.com/b/

Ab and Core Exercise Guide: 7 Days of Ab Exercises