hey all, i found this article online very..very.. very good 
! i take no credit and its from fitness model rob riches
this is quite a read but its well worth it in the end to the newbies as ab training can be confusing (Was for me)
6-Pack Training
Written by Rob Riches
WBFF Fitness Champion.
Team Optimum Nutrition Athlete.
If there???s one muscle that we all want to show, it???s got to be six
pack abs right? Considered the corner-stone of physical fitness, a
clearly defined, toned mid-section tells the world that you???re one
of the elite few, the fittest of the fit.
Whether it???s a conditioned athlete, a fitness cover model, or
simply someone who watches what they eats and takes care of their
body, six pack abs are something that top most people???s wish list
when it comes to making changes about their appearance.
With so much information available on the internet, every magazine
cover, TV infomercial, and celebrity endorsed product claiming the
they have discovered the best exercises to burn the fat and sculpt
the abs, you???d expect everyone to be walking around, proudly
displaying their corset of toned muscle! Yet somehow,
everywhere I look I see people slouching in their seats,
complaining of backaches, and finishing the last bite of their
gourmet fast food meal. Something tells me that these claims don???t
quite live up to the hype!
So how do you achieve that chiseled mid-section? Is it even
possible for ???the average Joe??? to get washboard abs? Before
answering that question, a brief overview of the abdominal muscles
will help you understand what it is you???re really working down
there.
There are four muscle groups that
make up the abdominals.
The most commonly known on is the long, flat Rectus Adbominis (RA) that attaches
from between three rib bones and runs down the center of the core
to the pubis bone. By flexing this muscle, you pull the torso
towards the hips and the hips towards the torso. It???s right and
left halves are separated in the middle by a strong tendon, making
it look like some people have a deep ridge running down the center
of their stomach. This is called the linea alba (meaning
white line). There are also three horizontal tendons that cross
over the RA, giving the appearance of six packs of muscle. This
muscle is worked in sports that require jumping, running and
lifting.
There are two sets of diagonal muscles either side of the RA that
assist in twisting the trunk.
The External Oblique (EO)
is the outermost muscle which covers the side of the abdomen and
originates from the lower eight ribs and inserts on the outer part
of the hipbone and via the midline of the linea alba. The
left EO is activated when rotating the torso to the right.
Strengthening this muscle will improve such sports where trunk
rotation is important, such as golf, tennis and baseball.
The Internal Oblique (IO)
is a smaller and thinner muscle that lies underneath the external
oblique and runs in a diagonally opposite direction. It originates
from the inner part of the hip bone, and inserts into the lower six
ribs. The left IO is activated when twisting the torso to the left.
Strengthening this muscle will improve performance in such
activities as canoeing, skiing and football.
The Transverse Abdominis
(TA) runs horizontally across the abdominal wall underneath
the external and internal oblique???s. It originates from the hip
bone and lower six rib bones, and inserts into the linea alba
behind the rectus abdominis. The TA pulls the abdominal wall
inward, forcing you to exhale deeply. Strengthening this muscle
will enhance sports with short-term power such as karate, shot put,
and football.
Besides just looking good, the reason behind having a strong core
and abdominals is to maximize their involvement in exercise, while
minimizing the use of the hip flexors. Those who don???t train their
abs often have a muscle imbalance between the weaker abdominals and
the stronger hip flexors in trunk flexing movements, such as
squats, leg press, and deadlifts, which can cause the lower back to
arch leading to back pain.
Six Pack Myths.
A common mistake with abdominal training that I see people make
over and over again is that they think side bends is a good
exercise to work their obliques and tighten the sides of the
abdomen, but this is not the case. There is a deeper spinal muscle
that is activated when doing such an exercise that take over from
the abdominal muscles. Now, I???ve heard many people say that they
???feel it??? in the abs when doing side bends, but the soreness
they???re feeling is actually a result of this spinal muscle being
over stretched and often worked too fast. Aside from being an
effective exercise for increasing the lateral range of the spine,
side bends to little developing that beloved six pack.
Another false assumption that many make is that the abs are divided
into an upper and lower section, and that you can isolate one more
so over the other. Although the muscles have intersegmental nerve
stimulation, you are not able to contract one section independently
of the other. What your actually feeling when you work the abs is a
greater muscle involvement from the shortening of the muscle in the
upper or lower region depending on whether you are lifting the
trunk or the pelvis.
Perhaps one of the most misunderstood areas when it comes to Ab
training is that by focusing on Ab exercises, you can spot reduce
fat from around that area. I???m sorry to burst another one of your
bubbles, but this simply is not the case. To reduce fat content in
any given area, whether it be your stomach, your arms, legs, or
butt, you???ll have to work on reducing your total body fat levels
through eating clean and exercising to burn more calories than your
consuming each day.
If at this point you???re perhaps wondering if it???s even possible to
build that elusive six pack, then rest assured. Below I have
outlined the most effective means of abdominal training.
The most common mistake I see when it comes to ab training is how
high people go in a crunch. The abdominals actually only flex he
spine for the first 30 to 45 degrees of motion, which is about the
same as lifting your shoulder blades off the floor. Since the
abdominals really only have a small range of motion, more reps and
volume of exercise may be needed to effectively work these
muscles.
How often should you work
abs?
Abs should be trained at least 3 ??? 5 days, with a daily workout no
out of the question if you really want to develop an impressive six
pack. Unlike other muscles, you rarely fatigue the abdominals
enough that they need a day to recover. This is due to the fact
that unlike other muscles that are worked through a wider range of
motion and with progressive overload, the abdominals are being
worked constantly, every time sit, stand up, walk, twist. By doing
some sort of Ab training daily you can oppose the tightening of the
lower back muscles and hip flexors.
You will see greater results if you focus more on technique than
trying to overload the abdominals with weights. Make sure every
repetition counts, focusing on each contraction. Only think about
adding weights when you feel you really need that additional
challenge,
Amongst all these latest ab machines to hit the market in recent
years, one of the most effective abdominal exercises is still the
crunch ??? if performed correctly. As the Rectus Abdominis is
actually slightly rounded in it???s relaxed state, pulling the
abdominals in with your knees bent towards your chest, helps
maximize the effect of the crunch. Think of your abdominals
compressing like an accordion as you exhale during the upwards lift
as this further facilitates their contraction.
We all know that if were to stick with lifting the same weights in
the gym every time, our bodies would hardly change. This is due to
it adapting to that stimuli. By doing the same abdominal routine
each time it soon becomes ineffective in helping to shape your abs.
The key thing to remember here is variety. I???ve listed some
variables below that will help you challenge your Ab training and
ensure progress:
Rotate the exercises that you do.
Vary repetitions and sets
Change the sequence of the exercises
Alternate the number of exercises
Add resistance to change the type of contraction
Change the tempo of the exercise.
Feel it in the back when you
train?
The main abdominal muscles when it comes to preventing lower back
pain should be the internal obliques. These strong muscles attach
to the erector spinae muscles of the lower back and reinforce it
pulling it laterally which helps better support the spine.
To effectively work your abs you should choose between 4 to 8
exercises that combine flexion, rotation, and lateral flexion. Vary
your workout every 2-3 weeks so that your body does not adapt and
your progress becomes stagnant. Perform 12-15+ repetitions per
exercise, only adding resistance when you need to without
sacrificing quality of movement.
Many of us workout with music, but try not to let the beats dictate
the tempo of the exercise. Slow and controlled movements will help
you to visualize the abdominals contracting tighter with each
exercise, giving better results.
To get maximal results from your training, there are three areas
that you really need to focus on.
Breathing. If you don???t fully exhale with every repetition, the
abdominal muscles cannot fully contract. For example, by breathing
all the air out from the lungs as you perform a crunch, stopping
when all the air is gone, then you will be only relying on the
contraction within the abdominal muscles to begin and complete the
movement as opposed to relying on the hip flexors.
Recovery. Due to the abdominal muscles being able to recover within
a few seconds, so your abs routine should be continuous without any
rest, moving from one exercise to the next until complete
exhaustion.
Lower First. By working the lower region of the abdominals first
with an exercise like hanging knee raises or reverse crunches, they
tighten to stabilize the rest of the body, recruiting the upper
abdominals and obliques to assist with the movement. Do a lower
abdominal exercise until failure, then move immediately into a
torso twist movement to hit the obliques followed by crunches to
target the upper region.
Below is my abdominal routine that helped me win the WBFF World
Fitness Title last year, which I performed twice as a circuit 5
days a week during the final month, after my morning cardio
session.
Exercise 1: Hanging Knee Raises.
30 reps.
Exercise 2: Reverse Crunches on
Decline Bench. 20 reps
Exercise 3: Side Swiss Ball
Twists. 20 twists each side.
Exercise 4. Single Arm High Cable
Oblique Crunch. 30 reps each side
Exercise 5: Seated Straight Bar
Torso Twists. 50 total twists.
Exercise 6: High Cable Crunch. 30
reps
Exercise 7. Crunch (feet up on
bench). 30 reps.
Although the abdominals are a troublesome spot for many people, the
knowledge and tools that you now have will hopefully give you a
better understanding of how to structure your abdominal workout.
Remember that amount of rest you take in between sets should only
be as long as it takes to change exercise, and that continuous
movement and variety is key to making progress. Don???t become to
fixated on the amount of repetitions that you do with each
exercise. Instead, concentrate on your breathing and contracting of
the abs to start and complete the movement. Simply perform every
movement within all exercises until you literally cannot force
another rep!.
Hes blog very good site for repices and training and just info
RobRichesFitness.com | Fitness Personified
! i take no credit and its from fitness model rob riches this is quite a read but its well worth it in the end to the newbies as ab training can be confusing (Was for me)
6-Pack Training
Written by Rob Riches
WBFF Fitness Champion.
Team Optimum Nutrition Athlete.
If there???s one muscle that we all want to show, it???s got to be six
pack abs right? Considered the corner-stone of physical fitness, a
clearly defined, toned mid-section tells the world that you???re one
of the elite few, the fittest of the fit.
Whether it???s a conditioned athlete, a fitness cover model, or
simply someone who watches what they eats and takes care of their
body, six pack abs are something that top most people???s wish list
when it comes to making changes about their appearance.
With so much information available on the internet, every magazine
cover, TV infomercial, and celebrity endorsed product claiming the
they have discovered the best exercises to burn the fat and sculpt
the abs, you???d expect everyone to be walking around, proudly
displaying their corset of toned muscle! Yet somehow,
everywhere I look I see people slouching in their seats,
complaining of backaches, and finishing the last bite of their
gourmet fast food meal. Something tells me that these claims don???t
quite live up to the hype!
So how do you achieve that chiseled mid-section? Is it even
possible for ???the average Joe??? to get washboard abs? Before
answering that question, a brief overview of the abdominal muscles
will help you understand what it is you???re really working down
there.
There are four muscle groups that
make up the abdominals.
The most commonly known on is the long, flat Rectus Adbominis (RA) that attaches
from between three rib bones and runs down the center of the core
to the pubis bone. By flexing this muscle, you pull the torso
towards the hips and the hips towards the torso. It???s right and
left halves are separated in the middle by a strong tendon, making
it look like some people have a deep ridge running down the center
of their stomach. This is called the linea alba (meaning
white line). There are also three horizontal tendons that cross
over the RA, giving the appearance of six packs of muscle. This
muscle is worked in sports that require jumping, running and
lifting.
There are two sets of diagonal muscles either side of the RA that
assist in twisting the trunk.
The External Oblique (EO)
is the outermost muscle which covers the side of the abdomen and
originates from the lower eight ribs and inserts on the outer part
of the hipbone and via the midline of the linea alba. The
left EO is activated when rotating the torso to the right.
Strengthening this muscle will improve such sports where trunk
rotation is important, such as golf, tennis and baseball.
The Internal Oblique (IO)
is a smaller and thinner muscle that lies underneath the external
oblique and runs in a diagonally opposite direction. It originates
from the inner part of the hip bone, and inserts into the lower six
ribs. The left IO is activated when twisting the torso to the left.
Strengthening this muscle will improve performance in such
activities as canoeing, skiing and football.
The Transverse Abdominis
(TA) runs horizontally across the abdominal wall underneath
the external and internal oblique???s. It originates from the hip
bone and lower six rib bones, and inserts into the linea alba
behind the rectus abdominis. The TA pulls the abdominal wall
inward, forcing you to exhale deeply. Strengthening this muscle
will enhance sports with short-term power such as karate, shot put,
and football.
Besides just looking good, the reason behind having a strong core
and abdominals is to maximize their involvement in exercise, while
minimizing the use of the hip flexors. Those who don???t train their
abs often have a muscle imbalance between the weaker abdominals and
the stronger hip flexors in trunk flexing movements, such as
squats, leg press, and deadlifts, which can cause the lower back to
arch leading to back pain.
Six Pack Myths.
A common mistake with abdominal training that I see people make
over and over again is that they think side bends is a good
exercise to work their obliques and tighten the sides of the
abdomen, but this is not the case. There is a deeper spinal muscle
that is activated when doing such an exercise that take over from
the abdominal muscles. Now, I???ve heard many people say that they
???feel it??? in the abs when doing side bends, but the soreness
they???re feeling is actually a result of this spinal muscle being
over stretched and often worked too fast. Aside from being an
effective exercise for increasing the lateral range of the spine,
side bends to little developing that beloved six pack.
Another false assumption that many make is that the abs are divided
into an upper and lower section, and that you can isolate one more
so over the other. Although the muscles have intersegmental nerve
stimulation, you are not able to contract one section independently
of the other. What your actually feeling when you work the abs is a
greater muscle involvement from the shortening of the muscle in the
upper or lower region depending on whether you are lifting the
trunk or the pelvis.
Perhaps one of the most misunderstood areas when it comes to Ab
training is that by focusing on Ab exercises, you can spot reduce
fat from around that area. I???m sorry to burst another one of your
bubbles, but this simply is not the case. To reduce fat content in
any given area, whether it be your stomach, your arms, legs, or
butt, you???ll have to work on reducing your total body fat levels
through eating clean and exercising to burn more calories than your
consuming each day.
If at this point you???re perhaps wondering if it???s even possible to
build that elusive six pack, then rest assured. Below I have
outlined the most effective means of abdominal training.
The most common mistake I see when it comes to ab training is how
high people go in a crunch. The abdominals actually only flex he
spine for the first 30 to 45 degrees of motion, which is about the
same as lifting your shoulder blades off the floor. Since the
abdominals really only have a small range of motion, more reps and
volume of exercise may be needed to effectively work these
muscles.
How often should you work
abs?
Abs should be trained at least 3 ??? 5 days, with a daily workout no
out of the question if you really want to develop an impressive six
pack. Unlike other muscles, you rarely fatigue the abdominals
enough that they need a day to recover. This is due to the fact
that unlike other muscles that are worked through a wider range of
motion and with progressive overload, the abdominals are being
worked constantly, every time sit, stand up, walk, twist. By doing
some sort of Ab training daily you can oppose the tightening of the
lower back muscles and hip flexors.
You will see greater results if you focus more on technique than
trying to overload the abdominals with weights. Make sure every
repetition counts, focusing on each contraction. Only think about
adding weights when you feel you really need that additional
challenge,
Amongst all these latest ab machines to hit the market in recent
years, one of the most effective abdominal exercises is still the
crunch ??? if performed correctly. As the Rectus Abdominis is
actually slightly rounded in it???s relaxed state, pulling the
abdominals in with your knees bent towards your chest, helps
maximize the effect of the crunch. Think of your abdominals
compressing like an accordion as you exhale during the upwards lift
as this further facilitates their contraction.
We all know that if were to stick with lifting the same weights in
the gym every time, our bodies would hardly change. This is due to
it adapting to that stimuli. By doing the same abdominal routine
each time it soon becomes ineffective in helping to shape your abs.
The key thing to remember here is variety. I???ve listed some
variables below that will help you challenge your Ab training and
ensure progress:
Rotate the exercises that you do.
Vary repetitions and sets
Change the sequence of the exercises
Alternate the number of exercises
Add resistance to change the type of contraction
Change the tempo of the exercise.
Feel it in the back when you
train?
The main abdominal muscles when it comes to preventing lower back
pain should be the internal obliques. These strong muscles attach
to the erector spinae muscles of the lower back and reinforce it
pulling it laterally which helps better support the spine.
To effectively work your abs you should choose between 4 to 8
exercises that combine flexion, rotation, and lateral flexion. Vary
your workout every 2-3 weeks so that your body does not adapt and
your progress becomes stagnant. Perform 12-15+ repetitions per
exercise, only adding resistance when you need to without
sacrificing quality of movement.
Many of us workout with music, but try not to let the beats dictate
the tempo of the exercise. Slow and controlled movements will help
you to visualize the abdominals contracting tighter with each
exercise, giving better results.
To get maximal results from your training, there are three areas
that you really need to focus on.
Breathing. If you don???t fully exhale with every repetition, the
abdominal muscles cannot fully contract. For example, by breathing
all the air out from the lungs as you perform a crunch, stopping
when all the air is gone, then you will be only relying on the
contraction within the abdominal muscles to begin and complete the
movement as opposed to relying on the hip flexors.
Recovery. Due to the abdominal muscles being able to recover within
a few seconds, so your abs routine should be continuous without any
rest, moving from one exercise to the next until complete
exhaustion.
Lower First. By working the lower region of the abdominals first
with an exercise like hanging knee raises or reverse crunches, they
tighten to stabilize the rest of the body, recruiting the upper
abdominals and obliques to assist with the movement. Do a lower
abdominal exercise until failure, then move immediately into a
torso twist movement to hit the obliques followed by crunches to
target the upper region.
Below is my abdominal routine that helped me win the WBFF World
Fitness Title last year, which I performed twice as a circuit 5
days a week during the final month, after my morning cardio
session.
Exercise 1: Hanging Knee Raises.
30 reps.
Exercise 2: Reverse Crunches on
Decline Bench. 20 reps
Exercise 3: Side Swiss Ball
Twists. 20 twists each side.
Exercise 4. Single Arm High Cable
Oblique Crunch. 30 reps each side
Exercise 5: Seated Straight Bar
Torso Twists. 50 total twists.
Exercise 6: High Cable Crunch. 30
reps
Exercise 7. Crunch (feet up on
bench). 30 reps.
Although the abdominals are a troublesome spot for many people, the
knowledge and tools that you now have will hopefully give you a
better understanding of how to structure your abdominal workout.
Remember that amount of rest you take in between sets should only
be as long as it takes to change exercise, and that continuous
movement and variety is key to making progress. Don???t become to
fixated on the amount of repetitions that you do with each
exercise. Instead, concentrate on your breathing and contracting of
the abs to start and complete the movement. Simply perform every
movement within all exercises until you literally cannot force
another rep!.
Hes blog very good site for repices and training and just info
RobRichesFitness.com | Fitness Personified
