Best Abdominal Exercise Uncovered
Article by Lou Kristopher, CSCS, RKC
People ask me what to do for their stomach on a daily basis. Without question “abs” exercises are probably the most requested item. The funny thing is most people already have an idea in mind of some sort of spinal flexion exercise. You see it everyday in the gym. Perhaps you do it everyday! Crunches, sit-ups, v-ups, and hanging knee-ups are just a few exercises the common person performs during their own personal training to work the abdominals. While they are not bad additions to a varied training program, exponentially better exercises are out there to utilize. Today, I’m going to share my favorite abdominal exercise, the plank and my favorite of its numerous variations.
Average fitness enthusiasts prefer exercises such as crunches because they feel the burn in the anterior front) area of the core musculature also affectionately known as the abs. Keep in mind; the exercises are not the problem. It’s the dependence and subsequent overuse of them that is. Why are people so attracted to exercises that cause this burn in their abs? Short answer, one of the largest misconceptions in body transformation: feeling the burn at a given body part is synonymous with said area being transformed at that exact moment. This is known as spot reduction.
Body transformation does not occur due to any one exercise or any one training session this way. You can do crunches until your blue in the face, but you won’t tone your stomach without total body training and healthy nutritional habits. However, you could end up with the consolation prize of back pain instead! Usually any given individual already has abs. But the problem is he/she may also have of a layer or 10 of fat covering them. Another problem, genetics predetermine the way we lose fat. People often become discouraged and regress to primitive techniques because they may lose fat everywhere else on their body before the stomach begins to lose. This creates an illusion of their abdominal fat looking even more exaggerated.
Now the big revelation, I consider two basic criteria when I evaluate abdominal exercises: use of all abdominal musculature and how much activation of the total body it causes to increase metabolic rate and therefore fat loss. This is why I like the plank. It activates more abdominal musculature. Other muscles throughout the total body such as the quadriceps and shoulders are also activated. Here is another benefit: it can serve to correct negative and unhealthy movement patterns for people who repetitively flex their spine. So I can use it to burn fat while simultaneously re-grooving healthy movement patterns for people who crunch and sit at desks all week long. This is usually good for people with back issues because as they groove these patterns they find their lives miraculously pain free!
My favorite version of the plank involves a knee-in motion. I like it because it combines the activation throughout the total body and abdominal muscles with a unilateral component. Usually a strength or flexibility imbalance exists between one side and another. Making one limb act alone helps to correct these imbalances. The knee-in motion also transforms the static or non-moving nature of the basic plank into a dynamic or moving exercise. Begin in the standard four-point plank position. Four points: left and right forearms and left and right toes are in contact with the ground. Shoulders are aligned over the elbows and the elbow joint is at 90 degrees. Keep the spine neutral by bracing your stomach (think of the contraction your stomach makes when you cough and hold it) and tilting your pelvis forward while keeping your chin tucked in to align your spine. You’ll know your holding the plank correctly if all the power you’re generating in this position causes shaking. As you hold the plank, take one foot off the ground and bring your knee toward your chest. Hold this position for at least a second, more as you advance, then switch.
I’ve yet to see an exercise that turbo charges the abdominal muscles like the plank does. Unlike crunches and sit-ups, which mainly work the rectus abdominis and hip flexors, it works all aspects of the abdomen: rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, and the transverse abdominus etc. Don’t waste another moment on another ab-bench and power up your training by adding planks into your own personal total body workouts so you can see the explosive results on your abs today!
About the Author
Lou Kristopher, CSCS, RKC, is a renowned fitness boot camp instructor and fat loss expert. Visit http://www.totalpowerfitness.com to find out how to qualify for a FREE 1-week trial to his Walnut Creek boot camp to experience the best in Walnut Creek personal training.
