Abs building and development
Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00 Friday, 27 February 2009 01:04
A better understanding will help you filter out the trash out there from what actually works. The abs are unique in that they can be worked harder than other muscles but are harder to display than any other muscle group in the body. Not because you haven't grown the muscle tissue or made your muscles stronger and harder - but simply because you have a layer of fat covering them!
The Abs are comprised of three main muscle groups:
1. Rectus Abdominis
The main 'vertical' muscle running from your pubic bone up to your lower ribs. This is divided by the linea alba (the white line) running down the centre and three more 'white' lines running horizontal. These lines are what divides the rectus abdominis up and give the washboard look to well developed abs.
2. External Oblique Muscles
Located on either side of the rectus abdominus they run from the ribs in a diagonal direction to the pelvis.
3. Internal Obliques
If you've found the external oblique's the internal obliques are easy to find - they lie right underneath the external! Running at right angels to the externals, they connect from the lower three ribs to the linea alba (and from there onto the lower back).
When we start out building our abs, it is safe to concentrate on the development of these three muscle groups. The smaller muscle groups that make up our midsection will naturally be involved in the exercises we do, and there really is no need as beginners to be obsessing about whether we are working our hip flexors sufficiently.
There is no great secret about abs. Companies selling products would like you to think there is, but the whole ab development routine is based around hard work, diet and more diet. To build abs you must exercise the ab muscles or your abs will look weak when you achieve your dieting goals. Diet is just as important as workouts when training your abs. To begin seeing abs you really have to be hitting at least the 10% body fat level - more than likely you'll need to bring this down to the 7-8% level before you really start having a washboard stomach.
Some of the key things to remember when developing your ab workout routing are:
1. Work all the 3 major muscle groups - Rectus Abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. That means doing a routing that exercises your midsection 'vertically‘, horizontally and in a rotation manner. Basic crunches, or crunches on an exercise ball are great ways to work your rectus abdominis in a vertical manner. Standing side bends will work your abs in a horizontal manner. Rotation exercises include bicycle crunches and oblique twists with weights or a medicine ball. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions and workout out 3 times a week.
2. Diet, diet and diet
Unless you are capable of spending inordinate amounts of time working your abs, you simply must watch what you eat. You may have superb ab development but you'll never see it unless you eat right. Body fat percentage of under 10% is a must. That means a strict diet and calorie count. Fatty foods are a big no-no. Meals with fat content of less than 10% are a must. Cardio exercise is a must to burn off existing body stores of fat. Up to an hour of cardio three days a week is a typical cardio routine for developing abs. Remember, Garbage In = Garbage out.
3. It takes time.
You can't go from being overweight and having underdeveloped abs to a washboard stomach in a month. For the average man, who is reasonably fit and not a lot overweight it will take 8-12 weeks at minimum. Crash dieting is not recommended to develop your abs, and will more than likely see you pile on even more weight in the not to distant future. If you want abs for the summer months, start in January and give yourself a 6 month window of opportunity.
