Whether you call it your 6 pack, tummy, midsection, stomach or core, your abs is one of the most controversial muscles to train.
a) Should I do them every day?
b) Should I do low reps or high reps?
c) Can I focus on the upper more than the lower?
The answer is surprisingly simple. The abs (which constitutes as four different muscle groups) needs to be trained just like any other muscle and, just like any other muscle, should be treated as such. They need 48-72 hours in between workouts to rest. Depending on your fitness goals, you may want to use high weight and low reps (build muscle), low weight and high reps (lean muscle) or a mixture of both. Finally, just like you can't work your upper biceps and not your lower biceps, the rectus abdominis (geek talk for abs muscle) originates in the pubic crest and attaches to the costal cartilage of ribs 5-7. This means it is one long muscle, that works as one when flexing your spine.
Genetically, you may be pre-disposed to having more fat in a certain area of your hips, but for the most part when you work your "lower abs", the whole muscle is in fact contracting and therefore, working.
So, with that said, here is today's WOD!
Perform 3 rounds of the following circuit. Each exercise is completed for 20 reps.
1. Crunches - While on your back, keep your hips and knees at 90°
2. Oblique Crunches - While on your back, place your right ankle resting on your left knee. Bring your left elbow to your elevated knee. Repeat on other side.
3. Reverse Crunch - While on your back, keep your legs straight and bring them straight up to the ceiling. Keep your hands under your lower back. Bring your heels up, bringing your hips off the floor and come back down.
4. Superman - While on your stomach, extended your arms over your head and keep your legs straight. Proceed to elevate your right arm and your left leg at the same time. Come down and repeat on the other side.
Don't forget to post your time below or on the Facebook page! Good luck!
Please note: Other than the rectus abdominis, the other main muscles in your core involve your erector spinae (back muscles), both internal and external obliques and the transversus abdominis. Any decent abs workout would stress all five of these muscle groups.