Abs are the darlings and gold standards of fitness. Almost everyone covets a six-pack or at least a sleek-and-smooth, lightly defined torso.
Fine. But if abs had feelings, they would be incredibly offended by this oversimplification and superficial consideration of who and what they are.
Chasing a six-pack can be a frustrating endeavor and is probably not really worth it for most of us. Instead, focus on understanding your abs: how they function, why they’re important, and how you can train them to be strong and efficient without worrying about how they look.
Understanding Your Abs
Have you heard people say that “we all have a six-pack under the fat”? Of course, like any muscle, if you work it, you’ll get more definition, but it can be difficult to get lean enough to see that definition. For the average person, it involves a lot of training but, more than that, it requires an incredibly healthy diet.
All the crunches in the world will not remove that layer of fat. The idea that we can “spot reduce” areas of our body (just shrink the parts we think are too big by working them on their own) is a fallacy that has really managed to take hold; it’s still a question I get from students after all these years. You’ve got to put in the other work, the serious calorie-burning workouts and overall lifestyle changes to lose the weight that hides your abs. There are a lot of good reasons to do that. A six-pack, for me, isn’t the best of them, but hey, use the motivation that works for you.
Your abs are part of your core muscle group, but it’s not your entire core muscle group. Your “core” means your abs as well as your lower back, including your pelvic floor muscles and the erector spinae (which run up your spine from sacrum to skull). We don’t always think about our back muscles because we can’t see them, but they are equally important in terms of your balance, stability, endurance, and overall strength.
Your entire life and all the movement it entails will improve as your core muscles are strengthened. Whether you can see that six-pack or not, you’ve got to train your abs. Think of throwing a baseball or a punch: the power comes not from the arm, but from the core. Each is a whole body movement. Could a pitcher throw that fast if he stood flat-footed and just drew back his arm? Not a chance.
But you’re not a baseball player? Me, either. Think of walking: that’s your core at work, too.
Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they’re not strong. Strong abs are more important that finely chiseled ones.
Meet the Abdominals
Rectus Abdominis
If you see a six-pack, you’re looking at the rectus abdominis. You use it when you sit up. This is what you’re training when you perform traditional crunches (using good form, of course).
External Oblique
These are your side muscles, and they run diagonally following the direction your hands go as you put them in your front pockets. Both external and internal obliques function to twist your torso and help you bend forward.
Internal Oblique
Under the external oblique, it’s shaped like an upside down V. These stabilize your trunk; if you’re standing up, these muscles are active.
Transverse Abdominis
Have you ever sucked in your gut? (Admit it.) That was your transverse abdominis at work. You’ll also feel it when you cough or sneeze.
Forget about the six-pack for now, and just focus on building strength (maybe through pilates or yoga?) and appreciating all the work your abs do for you on a daily basis.
What are some of your favorite ab exercises?