You may never have six-pack abs, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore your abdominal muscles. Exercises that target the abs can help improve posture and prevent lower back pain.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Nowadays lots of people are looking to get tighter ab muscles. Just turn on your TV and watch the infomercials! But when it comes to stomach exercises there are some do’s and don’ts that will help make those abs stronger, and prevent injuries.”
For upper abdominal muscles, bench crunches work well and are easier on your back then putting your feet on the ground. Lie with your back on the ground and your feet on a bench or table, with your lower legs parallel to the ground. With arms out and your hands by your ears crunch up and hold it for 2 seconds. Just don’t tug your head up.
Planks are also a good exercise. Put your toes and elbows on the ground and hold your body up. Keep your back straight and rear end in the air. Tighten for 20-30 seconds for a few reps.
Sit-ups are the traditional ab exercise everyone knows about. They aren’t as good as crunches in targeting ab muscles because your back and hip flexors do some of the work, but they can still be effective. Just don’t put your hands behind your head. That puts pressure on the upper back and neck. Put your hands at the sides of your head or near your collarbone.
Lower ab muscles are often harder to isolate. But they’re important for spine stability and preventing back injury. Here’s a couple exercises you can do to help target those lower abs. Alright, you ready?
When you’re doing these exercises it’s important to keep your lower back on the ground to help prevent injury. And you want to shoot for 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps each. Nice work. Good job.
Whether you’re working your upper or lower abs make sure your movements are slow and controlled. It’s not a race, so really concentrate on your technique. Quick, jerky movements bring other muscles into play and can increase the risk of back injury.
Also, when working your abs the tendency is to take short breaths. It’s important to breathe deeply, and exhale as your muscles contract or tighten and inhale as your muscles are stretching.
Despite what you see on television, just doing ab exercises won’t give you 6-pack abs. That requires a healthful diet combined with regular exercise. But a consistent ab exercise routine may help improve posture and may prevent lower back pain.