Charles A. Inniss, Jr. has a Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy and is a Certified Personal Trainer. He is dedicated to helping people to live healthier happier lives. Visit his website for Free Ab and Tummy Exercises and stomach and tummy toning exercises
In fitness, some people are confused about the topic of upper abs exercises and lower abs exercises, so here is some information to set the record straight. The main muscle, that people talk about when they discuss the upper abs and lower abs, is the rectus abdominus. Rectus means straight, and abdominus refers to the abdomen. So simply put, the rectus abdominus runs straight down the abdomen. The rectus abdominus is also the muscle that gives a lean person that six pack look.
The rectus abdominus is 1 muscle, but it has tendinous intersections that separate muscle fibers forming distinct sections. Many people argue that because the rectus abdominus is one muscle you cannot isolate certain parts of the muscle, but I think the conversations around this topic get confusing because of semantics. You cannot isolate only one section of the rectus abdominus while the other sections are not working, but you can emphasize one area over another. So the problem comes with people using the terms isolate and emphasize interchangeably.
Our nervous system is so intricate. Each nerve has thousands of nerve cells and each muscle has thousands of muscle fibers. This allows us to move with accuracy, precision, agility, and grace. The rectus abdominus is supplied by multiple nerves that work in a coordinated fashion to create a variety of movements. The multiple nerve supply helps us move in different ways, and the upper abs and lower abs are emphasized when we do different movement.
The upper abs (upper part of the rectus abdominus) are emphasized when the trunk moves forward like in a crunch or sit up. Ball crunches are also a good upper abdominal exercise, and crunch machines and ab machines will also emphasize the upper abs. Even though the upper abs are emphasized during crunches, crunches also work the lower abs. The entire rectus abdominus will work during any abs exercise when your trunk bends forwards or flexes.
- There is just more emphasis on the lower abs when the legs are moving.
Now, one thing that I must mention is that abs exercises do not magically melt away stomach fat. Doing upper abs exercises will not magically get rid of the fat on the upper part of your stomach, and doing lower abs exercises will not magically get rid of the fat on the lower part of your stomach. This is known as the spot reduction myth. If you want to lose stomach fat, you should use a comprehensive approach to fitness and healthy eating.
In regards to your ab workout, try to exercise your abdominal muscles 2-3 times a week, and include both upper ab and lower abs exercises to work your body from a variety of directions. By using different forms of exercises, you will have a more balanced body.
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