First, I'd like to apologize for the delay. Today is my birthday, and so my weekend has been more relaxed and away from the computer. But I'm back and ready to help everyone reach their goals. Without further delay, here is your second anatomy lesson.
The core muscles:
Most people associate "abs" with those nice ripples on the front of your stomach. However, the abdominals are a group of muscles, much like anywhere else in the body.
The transverse abdominis are located underneath the outer layer. These muscles are crucial for stability, in movements such as planks, or superman. This muscle, when developed, does not show, but does push the rectus abdominals (outer layer) further out. So, a well developed transverse will help give you a more defined abdominal region.
Rectus abdominis is the outer layer most of us focus on as we crunch away. It is two parallel muscles running vertically up the stomach that create the "abs" pattern we know all too well. The muscles can and should be envisioned as upper, middle, and lower abs, because to achieve full development one must address every angle.
Upper abs are trained excellent when you put your feet straight in the air, while lying on your back, then try to touch your toes. 3 sets of 20 to 30 reps should give you a sufficient burn.
Regular crunches tend to hit the entire abdomen, but are mostly focused in the center. Be sure to mix up your crunches with variations, such as jackknifes, single-leg crunches, reverse-crunches, and my personal favorite, frog situps. All of these (I will soon starting posting videos of these moves) are excellent variations to the boring, worn-out crunch.
Lastly, for the lower abs it is crucial to doing leg raising activities. Basic leg raises involve lying flat on the ground, and then lifting one's straight legs into the air without letting their lower back/butt come off the ground/bench. Advanced moves include V-ups, single leg raises, and hip-thrusts. Training the lower abdomen also helps tighten the waistline specifically, allowing for a tighter waist that helps proportions.
Now, for your sides....
The Oblique muscles are those "finger" looking muscles that allow the body to rotate at the torso. Training the obliques is absolutely essential if one is to achieve the desired look for their midsection. Moves such as Russian twists, rotating crunches, and bicycles (left elbow to right knee, vice versa) are crucial for nice oblique development.
Now it crucial to understand that without lower body fat (5-12% for men, 10-18% for women) your abdominals will not be visible. That doesn't mean you shouldn't train them hard though. Because once you make adjustments to your diet, and intensify your workouts you will unveil a set of abs that look as though a sculptor worked on your midsection.
As promised, I am also grouping in the Hip Muscles. There are many, many muscles of the hip. But for basic educational purposes I am focusing on 3. Adductors, Abductors, and the groin.
Adductors are muscles of the hip that allow for the legs to moved towards the center of the body. For Example, lie on your back with your legs in the air, spread into a V. Now, bring your legs towards one another. You just utilized your adductor muscle to do this move. Training the adductor is as simple as getting on the machine that most gyms have. Keep the weight moderate because a strain in this area will hurt you for far longer then you would like. An easy way to remember this muscle's function is that adductors "add" to the body, since one is moving towards the body.
Abductors are the exact opposite of the adductors. They are the muscles that allow for the legs to move away from the center point of the pelvis. You "abduct" your legs away from you. Utilizing a machine is the easiest way to work the abductors. As with the adductors it is crucial to keep the weight moderate as to avoid injury.
The groin is very similar to adductors because it aids in the pulling of the legs towards the center point. However, it is also a stabilizing muscle for basic flexion and extension of the thigh. Training the groin is as simple as opening one's toes slightly during a squat, or leg press exercise. Be careful not to over rotate the foot because this may injure the knee, hip, or ankle joints. More rotation does not equal more focus. Furthermore, never over emphasize weight training the groin (gracillis muscle) because it should remain limber in order to protect normal function (especially, in the athletic arena).
So there you have it. All the muscles of the core and hips. Hope this information is helpful as you approach your training. The hips are essential muscles for all lower body function, so training them specifically will actually improve your performance on leg lifts. Furthermore, hip training reduces injury and further stabilizes the body. Core training is for more then just aesthetics. When done properly, core training improves stability during upper body and lower body exercises, as well as improves posture. Take this into account and ensure you use variations to train the core, not just a set routine of basic moves. Life is not basic, so your workout shouldn't be either.
Train Hard, Train Smart, Stay Fit.....Forever
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