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| Fitness |
 Get Straight to The Core - Understanding
Abdominal ExerciseBy Theresa Cochran, PFT, CFC, AFLCA Over the past 2 decades we have all been training our abdominal muscles by doing sit-ups and crunches. While doing the crunch, we are primarily training the Rectus Abdominis (the muscle that runs from the pelvic bone to the chest bone) to contract through forward flexion. The question is, what have we actually been doing for our abdominal and back muscles by doing these contracting exercises? Strong abdominal muscles are vital to support us in our daily living. It is critical to the health of our backs to strengthen all of our core muscles and not just our Rectus Abdominis. We need to be training these muscles specifically to their function in life. When we look at the anatomy of the abdominal muscle we need to be aware of many muscles. Each muscle has a different profile and function. It is important to understand the location and function of each abdominal muscle to get a good understanding of how the muscle actually works. The core muscle groups are the Transverse Abdominis, the internal and external Obliques, the Rectus Abdominis, the Erector Spinae, and the pelvic floor muscles. The Transverse Abdominis are the deepest fibers of the abdominal wall. The function of the transverse muscle is to compress the abdominal contents acting as an abdominal girdle. The transverse muscle wraps all around our body and inserts into our spinal column. It is located at or below the belly button. The Internal and External Obliques are located on the sides of the core area. When the Obliques are activated on only one side of the body they operate to rotate the trunk and laterally flex the body (bend to the side). When they contract on both sides concurrently, they aid in flexing the vertebral column and compressing the abdominal wall. The Rectus Abdominis, which is the most superficial, muscle group of the core area and functions to flex the spine. The Rectus Abdominis works with all of the other core muscles to stabilize the pelvis when walking. The Erector Spinae muscles are the prime movers in back extension. They are not abdominal muscles but are vital lower back muscles, which add greatly to trunk strength and stability. The Pelvic floor muscles do not have any connection or relation to the abdominal muscles but are crucial to having a strong back. When you contract the pelvic floor muscles (by doing a kegal exercise) at the same time as you contract your transverse muscles it produces a contraction in the Multifidis muscles, which are deep muscles that are on either side of all you Vertebrae. These muscles are directly responsible for stabilizing your spine. All of these core muscles are responsible in some way to stabilize your spine while the rest of your body engages in movement. It is crucial to a strong and healthy back that you train the core muscles in ways that they are used in life. You need to think outside your box. Train your stabilizers in ways that dictate how they function. In order to do this you need to be incorporating stabilization exercises into your fitness programs. Stabilization exercises activate and strengthen the Transverse Abdominis as well as the other core muscles. The objective in performing these exercises is to stimulate the abdominal muscles together as a group of stabilizers. There are a number of exercises and ways that you can do this, you just need to think beyond the crunch. One example of a stabilization exercise would be to do a front bridge or a plank. Starting from a prone position on the floor, place your elbows directly below your body and slowly lift body off the ground from your knees to start and then from your toes when you get stronger. Keep your body in a straight line while keeping your abdominal muscles contracted. Keep your hands relaxed while maintaining a natural breathing pattern. Hold this exercise for as long as you can working up to 60 seconds. There are a number of exercises that you can do in order to train the core muscles to be better stabilizers. You just need some new ideas. Try some Core Conditioning classes in order to get some new ideas or see a personal trainer for some exercise suggestions. I guarantee that you will find core stabilization exercises a more challenging, effective and beneficial way to train your abdominals. By Theresa Cochran, PFT, CFC, AFLCA. |