Of all the muscle groups in the human body, what men and women desire most are a slender waist and six pack abs. But beyond the aesthetics of strong abdominal muscles are the health and fitness benefits to stable, strong core muscles. People who exercise their abdominal muscles reap the benefits of slender waist, strong back, protected internal organs, and clothes that fit. Achieving six-pack abs is perhaps not quite as difficult as you might have first thought. The real trick is not the difficulty of the exercise but how long the exercises must be done before real visible results are achieved. Included in this equation is the layer of fat over the muscles. Muscles may be built in the gym but they will be defined in the kitchen. Muscles didn't get flabby over night, nor will they strengthen and be visible overnight. Most people will have to do exercises consistently for several months before being able to see visible results. To achieve the six-pack that you really want means utilizing the most effective exercises for the muscles involved. A study from San Diego State University looked at a variety of exercises to figure out which ones really work. If you are making a commitment to exercise consistently for months you want to be using exercises that really will do the trick. The study compared 13 different exercises from a traditional crunch to more complicated exercises that require home gym equipment. The abdominal muscles were measured using an EMG machine. This machine will measure the electrical stimulation that each muscle receives as it moves. The muscles that were measured were the rectus abdominus, long flat muscle that extends the length of the stomach and the internal and external obliques, those muscles that are long and flat and extend along the sides of the abdomen. The study narrowed down the best abdominal exercises, those that stimulated the rectus and internal and external oblique muscles, to just three; - the bicycle maneuver, the captain's chair and a crunch on an exercise ball. Interestingly the study also showed that the best piece of exercise equipment that someone can own at home was the exercise ball. These balls, also called Swiss balls, are an inexpensive addition that can be purchased at most department stores and sports shops. 1. The bicycle maneuver. This is done lying flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the floor. You can place your hands beside your head or under your buttocks to support your lower back. Bring your knees to about a 45 degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. You can make this exercise even more difficult by using your arms and lifting your upper body so you touch your left knee with your right elbow and then right knee to left elbow. 2. The Captain's chair. In this exercise the participant uses a piece of gym equipment that supports the forearms while the legs dangle. Slowly lift your knees to your chest. Make the motion slow, deliberate and controlled. Bring your knees to your chest and then return them to the starting position. 3. The last good abdominal exercise is the abdominal crunch on an exercise ball. The participant sits on a ball with feet flat on the floor. Let the ball roll back slowly and lie back until your torso and thighs are parallel to the floor. Now raise your body no more than 45 degrees. To work the oblique muscles you can make the ball less stable by moving your legs closer together. Good abdominal exercises will give your sports performance a boost, improve your strength and posture, decrease back pain, and better protected internal organs. Choose the exercises that work well so that the time you spend you spend wisely. And to really define those abs make sure that you eat right!
Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
