Exercise

Lower Ab Exercises That Get Results

January 9, 2010
By Louis Levenson

Lower ab exercises are a vital part of any workout program especially for athletes. This area helps in firming up the stability of the spine. A strong abdomen likewise helps in the prevention of back injuries. There are two muscle groups- the rectus abdominus which is lined up along the abdomen and works by pulling the pelvis towards the belly button, and the transverse abdominus located across the abdomen and pulls the belly button towards the spine.

The lower ab muscles are one of the most difficult to workout correctly. It takes a lot of muscle control and focus to correctly perform these exercises, unlike exercises for other parts of the body. The usual case is that individuals unknowingly cheat doing exercises like crunches by using their hip flexor and lower back muscles. While the most popular type of exercise for the lower abdominal is the sit-up, there are other exercises that are actually more effective than this exercise.

There is the plank exercise where a person faces the ground with the elbows touching the floor to support the body. The person assumes a position similar to push-ups. Similar to other lower ab exercises, the plank requires a person to utilize their stomach muscles in lifting the torso off the floor. The person then has to hold this position for a couple of seconds before returning to the original position. As you get more used to this exercise over time, it is possible to hold yourself in this position for quite a long time. It is effective in that it “switches on” the muscles in the stomach.

Hanging ab leg exercises are also very effective. In this type of exercise, a person holds on to a bar and taps the abs muscles to raise the legs. This is an effective exercise considering the pressure on the lower abs, and it can be very tough to perform especially for beginners.

Another of the good lower ab exercises is to flatten the back against the ground. In doing this exercise a person lies on the ground, knees raised, with the feet touching the ground. This position creates a space underneath the lower back with the spine’s natural curve. Utilizing the stomach muscles, a person tries to flatten the back against the ground and holding the position for a few seconds. This exercise is one of the most basic exercises one should do as it has very low impact – good for people that have back injuries for example.

In doing any exercises like this, you should feel the muscles working more than any other muscle groups. Lower ab exercises are designed to isolate the muscles in this area, and not get any help from other muscle groups. Likewise, there should not be any pain on the back while doing these exercises. When the back feels pain, then it indicates that there a bit of a problem and the muscles are not strong enough to perform the workout, or that the exercise is not being done properly.

These exercises should be done with a lot of care involved – slowly but surely. Abrupt movements won’t help in strengthening the lower abs, but instead can cause injury to the back. Lower ab exercises should be performed steadily to get the most out of the workout.

Are you looking to get a six-pack? Are you wanting to start losing weight and getting In shape? Louis Levenson is an freelance Expert Author and a health enthusiast who understands how you feel. Looking for good and effective lower ab exercises, Louis Levenson did the research and came up with some effective methods to get flat, sexy abs at home that anyone can try.

If you want even more information, subscribe to the free 10 Super Perfect ABS Secrets email course at no cost.

Share and Enjoy: