According to Fredrick Hatfield, the abdominal wall has three major muscles. These are the internal oblique, external oblique and the rectus abdominis. However, other muscles exist for example the transverse abdominis, spinal erectae and muscles in the pelvic girdle. Each of these muscles in the abdominal wall has a specific function and utilizes specific forms of exercise to optimize its functions. In this paper, I will explore the functions of these muscles and how they can be trained in order to optimize their function.
The rectus abdominis, also referred to as the ‘six pack’, is the most prominent of all muscles if well developed. This muscle enhances the flexion of the torso through contraction. This is because it joins the pubic bone to the lower side of the chest thereby flexing the torso towards the hips upon contraction. In order to optimize the function of this muscle, I will use exercises such as leg lifts which allow it to contract in an isometric manner thus stabilizing the pelvis from moving forward. The stabilization of the pelvic region helps to ameliorate back pain. Other exercises that I will use include crunch exercises (moving the torso to the hips) and reverse-crunch exercises which involve moving the hips to the torso repeatedly. However, Hatfield discourages abdominal crunches for obese people as they cause psychological torture. Furthermore, inability to perform repeated movements such as sitting down or getting up is embarrassing for overweight people. This may contribute to or worsen psychological torture.
The external oblique muscle attaches the ribs to the hips and the rectus abdominis. This muscle allows the spine to rotate and twist. Together with the internal oblique, they can be optimized by uti...
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...ercises, and there are just as many abdominal exercise devices”, it is necessary that I make the appropriate choices during training to meet the needs of my family, clients and friends.
References
Body and Fitness: Inspiring Beyond Sports. Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://www.body-fitness.nl/content/training/buiktraining.asp
Free-Ab-Workout.com: Your Abdominal Muscle Anatomy. Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://www.free-ab-workout.com/abdominal-muscle-anatomy.html
Hatfield, F. (2010). Fitness: The Complete Guide. International Sports and Sciences Association.
Hatfield, F. (2005). Fitness: The complete guide to dumbbell training. International Sports and Sciences Association.
Livestrong.com: Oblique Abdominal Muscle Exercises. Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/445402-oblique-ab-muscle-exercises/
The gluteus maximus originates from both the ilium and the sacrum and inserts on the femur. The gluteus minimus abducts and rotates the thigh outward. The biceps femoris originates from the tuberosity of the ischium and is responsible for abducting the thigh and flexing the hindlimb or in humans the thigh/leg. The gastrognemius originates from the lateral sesamoid bone of the femur and extends the hindfoot in minks and the calves in humans (Scott).
Drawing your belly button to your spine engages and strengthens your TVA muscle, and can be done all throughout the day, whether you're sitting in a chair, standing in line in the grocery store, or lying in bed. Also known as the stomach vacuum, this exercise is easiest when lying on your back with your knees bent. Exhale and pull your belly button to your spine as much as you can. Hold the contraction in your tummy for five seconds, but don't hold your breath -- breathe normally. Do this five times, and slowly work your way up to doing three sets of eight, 10-second contractions. For a challenge, do the exercise on all fours. (See References 2)
Jarvis, C. (2012). Abdomen. In Physical examination & health assessment (6th ed.). St. Louis, Mo.: Elsevier/Saunders.
Today, for achieving a flat and firm abdomen, many of us strive for intensive weight loss and exercise. However, in some cases, these methods fail to achieve the desired goals. A loose, protruding or sagging abdomen is also witnessed in individuals with normal body weight and proportion. The reasons may include weight fluctuations, aging, heredity or any prior surgery. Sometimes, large weight loss or multiple pregnancies may cause weakening of abdominal muscles. As a result, the skin in that region becomes stagging.
When tissue or an organ tears through a portion of abdominal wall, it is known as a Hernia. When this condition occurs, the tissue usually protrudes through the weakest point of the abdominal wall or abdominal muscles. An Inguinal Hernia is a type of Hernia that occurs in the groin area, specifically protruding through the Inguinal Canal, which can be very painful, and in some cases, life threatening.
If you would like to squeeze in some training at home, try doing some squats, lunges, crunches and press ups. If the weather's good, exercise outdoors – go for a jog in the park, walk the dog, or ride your bike around the neighborhood.
Exercise is engaging in physical activity and movements to achieve an overall goal. Kinesiology is the study of these movements through analyzing the mechanics of the joints (Floyd, 2015). Two popular exercises are the chin up and the squat. These exercises are similar in that they both strengthen the body and are a closed chain exercises. Closed chain means that the distal end of the extremity is fixed while the proximal end moves (Floyd, 2015). However, these exercises are more different than they are alike. For example, a chin up is an upper body exercise while a squat is a lower body exercise. Additionally, a chin up requires a pulling motion versus the pushing motion of a squat. These exercises also use muscles of different strength. Therefore,
The bridge exercises effectively works your glutes, while also engaging your legs and calves. During this exercise you're lying face up on the floor with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart, flat on the floor. After engaging your abs, raise your hips, lifting your butt and lower back off the floor, until your body aligns from your knees to your shoulders. Really squeeze your buttocks at the top of the exercise for two seconds, and then slowly return to the starting point. Finish eight to 12 reps and two to three sets. (See References 4, p. 50)
This exercise is the best lower body exercise. You need to hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand up with your feet at the hip. You are going to extend it out to the side as you bend the opposite knee and lower yourself toward the floor. Perform this 8-10 per side. It would be better for you to repeat it regularly to gain the good impact. You also can increase the weight of your dumbbell. It is better for you to consume highly effective energy supplement such as essential amino acid energy after you do this exercise. To give you more energy after exercise, you also can consume oats and
Rectus, and External and Internal Obliques flex the spine. Transversus aids in respiration and helps to compress the abdominal cavity to help support the spine in neutral. 4. How does the breath relate to flexion and extension of the spine?
No matter how many situps you do, if you have excess belly fat, you'll never see results, because the fat will be covering up your muscle definition. This doesn't mean you should eliminate situps from your workout, because as part of your core, they can promote back health, and improve your posture, athletic performance, and balance and stability. (See References 1) You should, however, incorporate fat-burning exercises into your workout to get visible results.
The 3-Minute Belly Flattening Exercises – This is a sequence of simple 3-minute exercises, which promise to target and eliminate the fat in your belly area as well as increase the firmness of your midsection. The developer of the protocol claims that the exercises are very easy, such that anyone, including the elderly, inexperienced people, and the injured, can perform with ease. These workouts ought to be performed on a daily basis. Therefore, any time you can spare three minutes, you can use in toning your belly.
Opportunities – This may be useful and of importance to all exercise professionals who deal with exercise prescription and training. In addition, it may useful to all those who exercise in general.
...et the most out of your workout."(Physical Exercise for Brain Health) Posture is so important it will make you look 10 years younger and 10 pounds lighter. Good posture conveys confidence, leadership, and your attitude. Get some good posture exercises and start by doing a set of each exercise once a day for a week or two, just to get used to them. Then bump up the frequency to three times a day, or whenever you feel your posture is lq. "Most of us spend too much time sitting down, and this shortens our anterior hip muscles (a group of muscles that attach to the front of pelvis in various ways – namely the hip-flexors, quadriceps and psoas). In turn, this pulls the pelvis forward into a tilt to the front, and can eventually lead to back pain and poor posture because it creates an exaggeration to the curve of our lumbar spine."(Exercises to Improve Your Posture)
There are many different classes available at gyms and various types of home exercise equipment to use. Although there are many at home techniques to try as well. ...