ABS DON'T COME FROM AB EXERCISES

What are the functions of the abdominal muscle group? The abdominal muscles' primary function is to stabilize the core and help with various movements done by the spine when we twist, extend, and go into flexion in all the planes. With social media constantly pushing content that can be way out of context to the general public and athletes, we tend to lose ourselves in how to properly train the abdominal muscles and not only focus on limited movements and muscle isolations. 

When discussing the core, the general understanding is usually having a visible six-pack, but when we break it down, we see that it’s more than just having a six-pack. We need to think of a comprehensive way that trains the core functionally, the body fat percentage that affects our physique and consistency which helps get it stronger and possibly have them become visible.

As we break down the fundamental movement of the spine we can depict how the abdominals work cohesively to protect it and stabilize the body. What most individuals do is that they tend to focus on training the rectus abdominis by doing tons of sit-ups and ab machines, limiting the full potential of having a well rounded core.  The spine twists and bends, so neglecting the transverse abdominis, obliques and other deeper stabilizing muscles doesn’t benefit you by just having a nice looking six-pack with no full stability whatsoever. 

So to have that well rounded core, an individual should implement exercises such as a simple plank in their training, which challenges the core on a linear plane, then some rotational exercises that will challenge the obliques and transverse abdominis, getting them to work concentrically and eccentrically during a russian twist. We can even get into it from a different perspective and work the core doing anti-rotational exercises, preventing the spine from twisting. An exercise such as the pallof press is a great example of working rotational stability, challenging the core isometrically. However, there is more to core training than just those examples that we mentioned. We must select compound exercises and their sub-variations such as deadlifts, squats, lunges, carries, presses and pulling exercises for our training program because those movements recruit all the muscle groups and have them work in harmony.   Following the fundamental movements of the spine and whole body, we can be very creative at how to properly train the abs and when we’re thinking of having a visible core we must go into a deeper layer of understanding.

To have that visible core, you don’t only need to train your core functionally but you need to think of the body composition. How lean are you? What's your body fat percentage looking like? So first and foremost, everyone has abs. Even if they aren't visible, they’re still there underneath the fat layer, otherwise the body would not be able to achieve certain movements or even be able to stay upright. Now there are individuals with super low body fat percentage that still can’t see the abs sectioning or forming.

Consistency is one of the main rules in getting that core visibility. The abs are a muscle group that should be trained  almost everyday. They can easily adapt to high intensity training due to the muscle fiber types, giving them great endurance for stability and great torque for power based movements. 

Ultimately, doing specific abs exercises can help strengthen and develop the core muscles however they’re only a fraction of the puzzle in achieving a well defined core. You must focus on engaging in a comprehensive training program, focus on body fat composition, and have patience while staying consistent with your training.

​-Coach Andy Louis