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Abdominal Workout ExerciseAbdominal Workout ExerciseTraditional methods of towards training of abdominal muscles can often result in back problems. There are many gyms that continue with traditional ab workout exercises such as leg raises, both straight and bent-legged situps, Roman-chair situps and hanging leg raises. Abdominal workout exercises such as these can often create a back problem or aggravate an existing one. However, just for information, the modified hanging leg raise where the knees are kept bent and pulled into the chest can be a terrific ab workout. This requires the focus to be on tilting the pelvis upward towards the chest. The problems caused by abdominal workout exercises arise from the confusion between spinal flexion and hip flexion. Spinal flexion is the curling of the spine by rectus abdominis and the obliques. These result in the abdominal muscles seen on a well-defined physique. They muscles are fixed from the sternum and ribs down to the pubic bone and sides of the pelvis. When these muscles are strengthened, it reduces the inward lumbar curvature of the spine and the curve of the lower back remains healthy. On the other hand, hip flexion occurs during abdominal workout exercises when the lower body is bent at the hips and when the knees are brought to the chest. These abdominal workout exercises include the leg raise, Roman chair situp, hanging leg raise and different variations of the standard situp. These movements involve the abdominal muscles isometrically and the actual action of these abdominal workout exercises is performed by the hip flexors. The hip flexors are the iliopsoas buried in the body and the rectus femoris, part of the quadriceps (thigh). These are not visible to the naked eye. If hip flexors are well developed, they can lead to an exaggerated curve of the lower back. This can result in or lead to back pain. Therefore, for bodybuilders, development of hip flexors through abdominal workout exercises does not bring any advantage. ab factsMany traditional abdominal workout exercises result in onset of back. Most of these ab workout exercises fail to effectively train the abdominal muscles. They do cause discomfort and ache in the abdominal region of the body. This ache you feel is a result of the combination of fatigue of the hip flexors plus the fatigue from the abdominal muscles that are isometrically contracted while the hip flexors are working. This combined effect provides the illusion that the abdominal muscles are being thoroughly trained through this routine of incorrect abdominal workout exercises. When desiring to develop the abdominals muscles, you must choose ab workout exercises that train the spinal flexors and not the hip flexors. Choose exercises that curl the spine and not those that require the upper or lower body moving at the hips. Choose an abdominal workout exercises that will spare your back and train the abdominal muscles. |