What is the point of having a six pack? The answer to this question depends on who you ask. Some people want to have strong abs because they are more attractive and visible. Others may want them for athletic purposes, such as being able to perform better in sports or while exercising at the gym.
It’s possible that some individuals just want them because it’s something they can show off when they wear their favorite shirt without a t-shirt underneath! Although we associate them with exercise like crunches or sit-ups which strengthen the exterior of our midsection, their main job is to help us breathe!
The truth is that you can never actually see your abdominal muscles on a regular basis because they are always covered by fat.
Whatever your reason for wanting well defined abdominal muscles, there are certain things you should know about the anatomy and functions of these muscles before starting an ab workout routine!
The Anatomy of Abdominal Muscles
The abdominal muscles are a group of six different muscle groups that work together to provide support for the spine and pelvis. The rectus abdominis muscles are the most well-known and visible of these muscle groups.
The rectus abdominis is a long, flat sheet that runs vertically from the pubic bone to just below your rib cage. The rectus abdominis muscles are responsible for flexing and bending at both hips, as well as rotating the spine.
The transverse abdominis is a deep muscle that wraps around your waist, and it’s responsible for pulling inwards and compressing the abdomen.
The obliques are a group of muscles that run diagonally from your ribs to just below or above, depending on the muscle. The external and internal obliques are responsible for rotating, flexing and bending at your spine to either side of its axis.
The Benefits of Healthy Abdominal: Stronger Abs
Although we all desire to have a chiseled six pack, there are better reasons why we need to start working on our abs! The benefits to a stronger abs are endless! From better posture, reduced back pain as well increased mobility in our spine. Having strong abdominal muscle is something we should all strive for because it has so many positive effects on your body that you may not even realize.
Abdominal Muscles And Breathing
First and foremost, the main function of the abdominal muscles is to help us breathe. The way abdominal muscle helps us breathe is by contracting and pulling the ribcage up. Stronger core helps our diaphragm to work more efficiently.
The muscles that make up your abdominal region are flat sheets of muscle that run in a horizontal line around the ribs to create support for organs like the lungs, stomach, liver and spleen. The deep part of your abdominal muscles work together to create internal abdominal pressure which helps organs hold in place.
Abdominal Muscles and Spine Stabilization
Abdominal muscles also play a role in stabilizing and supporting your spine, which is why it’s important to strengthen the exterior of our midsection. The reason why having a stronger core helps reduce lower back pain is because your core is supporting the natural curvature of your spine. When our core is weak, it causes the spine to become more curved, which can lead us into a lot of pain.
This is why it’s important for older adults who are experiencing chronic low-back or abdominal issues that they should work on strengthening their abdominal muscles to decrease any type of discomfort from occurring again!
Abdominal Muscles And Digestion
Stronger core muscles also help with digestion. When our abdominal muscles are strong, it helps to push food through the digestive system. The way our digestive system works is that food is digested in the stomach and then pushed through to our intestines.
When we have a strong core, it helps push that process along more efficiently which can lead us into feeling less bloated or constipated because of how well everything moves on its own.
How To Get Stronger Abdominal Muscles
Now that you have an idea of the importance of a stronger core. Let’s talk about how to get stronger abdominal muscles.
The first thing you need is a plan of action! There are many different ways that people can work on their core and strengthen it, but the most important part for success in any type of exercise program (especially one focused around abs) will be consistent with your workouts as well as having a workout plan.
You need to find abdominal exercises you enjoy doing to prevent feeling like you’re just going through the motions. This will not only bore you out but as well as make you less likely to stick with it.
The next thing is that the exercises need to be challenging enough for your current level of fitness and strength, but not so difficult as they are too hard or impossible at this point in time (you’ll just get discouraged). You want a balance between challenge & success!
And finally, make sure there’s a plan for progression in your workouts. You don’t want to be doing the same exercises over and again without any change or improvement, so make sure you’re challenging yourself with new moves as well as increasing weight/resistance levels when possible or adjusting reps.
Remember – consistency is key! If it’s not something that can work into your schedule on a regular basis, then it’s not worth doing.
And if you’re still struggling to find the motivation – think about how good your abs will look once they’ve been chiseled out of all that fat! You’ll be so proud and motivated when this happens…and who knows? Maybe someone else might notice too
Before you start working out remember to start slowly and gradually increase. Injuring yourself before even making any progress will cause you to lose motivation and give up. So, let’s prevent that before happening.
There are many different types of abdominal exercises. I’ve listed abs exercises that you can start doing today. Also, it might be a good idea that you check out the article I wrote on how to create a workout plan in 4 steps.
Exercises For Stronger Six Pack
-Planks (can be done on elbows or hands) where you hold your body in a straight line and contract all muscles for 30 seconds at least twice per day
-Crunches which can also vary from beginner to advanced.
-Abdominal exercises on a bosu ball which will work your core and balance. Exercises on a bosu ball such as: Crunches, high and low planks, V ups, ball twist, side crunches, side planks, and many other abs variation exercises.
-Corkscrews which are a variation of the bicycle crunch. You will be lying on your back and bringing one knee to your chest while extending the other leg out straight in front, then switching sides “cork screwing up with knees bent as you go”. This is an advanced exercise.
-Hanging leg raises where you hang from a bar and lift your legs up to the ceiling.
-Side planks which are also an advanced exercise, but can be done on any surface such as: Bosu ball or even against a wall with hands shoulder width apart (or wider). You will lay sideways so that one arm is touching the ground and the other arm is straight up. You will then lift your hips off of the floor, balancing on one hand with feet flat against the wall or Bosu ball (or whatever surface you are using).
-Lying leg raises which can be done by lying down in a crunch position but lifting legs to touch hands instead as if doing an ab
-Leg raises where you lift one leg up to the sky while lying down, then switch legs for 30 seconds at least twice per day (can be done with or without weights).
-Crunches on a Bosu ball or against wall with hands shoulder width apart (or wider)
-Sit ups start by lying on your back with legs extended and arms at side. Bend knees, bringing feet to the ground so that you are in a sitting position. Then, while keeping your back straight, bend at the waist and touch your hands to ground.
I hope this blog post was helpful in answering the question of what is the point of having a six pack.
Start by doing the exercises mentioned in this article and then you can start adding more challenging ones to get stronger, leaner abdominals!
Remember, consistency is the key to success. Stick with your plan and you will see results. Trust the process and you will soon see those abdominal muscles you’ve always desired.
Let me know if I have helped you understand why people want or need abs.
As always if you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends and family. Till next time!
FAQ
Does punching your abs make them stronger?
No, punching your abdominal muscle will not get your abs stronger. In order to get your abs stronger, you need to work them out. By doing crunches and other exercises, you will be able to see your abs become stronger.
What can I do if my six pack is not as defined?
The first thing that you need to notice is how lean you are currently. If you feel like most of your body fat comes from around your middle section in the shape of a box, this means that you need to improve your diet. If you are already following the right type of diet and do not have any weight loss goals, then it is likely that you lack in doing ab workouts on top of what you are currently doing.
Why are my abs aren't getting stronger?
If you’re working your abs out, you are getting stronger. It might seem like you’re not getting stronger, but you are. One way to test your ab strength, is to create a baseline test. For example, test yourself and see how heavy you can go on the crunch machine. Then after a few weeks of abdominal training, test yourself again. If you can successfully go heavier then you are getting stronger.
Should I workout Abs everyday?
Abdominal muscles are one of those muscles that can be exercised everyday. The recovery time after abs exercise is significantly faster than other muscle groups.
