Do you want to have nice abs? Check this interesting information about abdominal muscles and great core exercises for a beautiful belly.
It is worth knowing the abdominal muscles to realize how to properly perform belly exercises.
What are the abdominal muscles?
Your abdominal muscles consist of:
- Rectus Abdominis,
- External Oblique,
- Internal Oblique,
- Transverse Abdominis,
- Quadratus Lumborum.
How do the abdominal muscles work?
All the abdominal muscles, in addition to their impact on the movements of the torso, collaborate actively at the time of exhaling, making the Valsalva maneuver.
They work very intensively, e.g., when coughing, sneezing, shouting, singing, and laughing.
The rectus abdominis is located in the front wall of the abdomen and extends from the sternum to the pubic bone. It has 3-4 fibrous bands, the tendinous intersections, which are also known as “six-pack” in people who developed this muscle very well.
The rectus abdominis bends the torso forward or lifts the pelvis or the body from the supine position.
The external oblique muscle lies next to the rectus abdominis muscle. Its function is to side-bend, forward-bend, and twists the torso.
The internal oblique muscle is located under the external oblique muscle. This muscle also side-bends, forward-bends, and twists the torso.
The transverse abdominal muscle lies beneath the internal oblique muscle; it’s the most deeply situated abdominal muscle. It has a major role in the Valsalva maneuver.
The quadratus lumborum muscle is located on the back wall of the abdomen between the last rib and the pelvis. This muscle bends the torso to the side.
What are the great core exercises?
Now you can use your knowledge about abdominal muscles to train your core effectively and have a strong belly!
Exercise 1
In the below exercise works mainly the upper part of the rectus abdominis.
Lie on your back. Bend your knees and put your feet on the mat. Put your hand below your head.
Raise your head. You can also partly raise your upper back.
Make sure that your elbows are pointing to the sides and your fingers lightly touch your neck.
It is important to NOT pull your head up with your hands. The chin should be as close as possible to the sternum.
What are other exercises for abdominal muscles?
Exercise 2
In the next exercise works the lower part of the rectus abdominis muscles.
Lie on your back. Put your arms on the mat.
Raise your glutes and extended legs.
Exercise 3
Below is an exercise for the obliques.
Lie on your back. Bend your knees and put your feet on the mat. Put your hand below your head. Then put one ankle of one leg to the knee of the other leg.
Bring the elbow closer to the opposite knee. After a few repetitions change the position of the legs and do the same exercise with another elbow.
What are advanced exercises for strong belly muscles and burning calories?
The exercises presented below are great not only for the belly but also for other muscles parts as well.
Did you know that you can burn more calories and exercise your belly, chest, arms, and even the front parts of your legs at the same time?
You can do it by performing a high plank with a shoulder tap.
How to do the exercise?
Start with a high plank position. Keep your body straight. Put your hands below your shoulders. Place your feet wider than hips-width apart.
Raise your hand and tap the opposite shoulder.
How do you like this exercise?
What are the next great ABS exercises?
You can try this interesting exercise. How to perform it?
Lie down on your mat with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Put your feet off the floor and your hands in the air.
Reach the opposite hand and knee.
If you want to increase the intensity of the exercise you can do it with weights as well.
However, in some cases for example when abdominal muscles are not healed after delivery, the abs exercises can be not good for you. So, consult your physician before starting exercising.
How do you like the exercise? Do you prefer to workout with music or without?
What is another great belly exercise?
Did you know that you can do a great belly exercise in a sitting position?
How to perform it?
Sit on your mat with your knees bent. Hold your hands before your belly. Take your feet off the floor.
Twist your body to the sides.
What are great fat burning exercises for the side parts of your belly?
Try these 2 simple exercises.
Exercise 1️⃣
Stand tall, feet with hip-width apart. Contract your belly muscles to support your spine.
Lean away from the side.
Exercise 2️⃣
The same starting position as exercise nr 1.
Twist your body from one side to the other.
If you choose to use weights or bottles, then keep your wrists straight to protect your joints.
Do you like belly exercises? Which exercise do you prefer nr 1 or 2?
How did you like the information about abdominal muscles and the core exercises? Let me know in the comments below.
Check also great abs workout and watch the free training.
Source: “Functional anatomy in the field of physical education and physiotherapy studies” – Bogusław Marecki
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4 responses to “Flatten Your Belly And Burn Calories With These Exercises For Abdominal Muscles”
Thank you for the great tips!
This was really informative. Everyone tells you to do ab exercises, but I’ve never seen it broken out as a description of what each abdominal muscle does. It makes you realize the importance of correct form. Thanks so much for sharing!
You are welcome, Kelly! I am glad you like the tips. 🙂
Thank you so much, Terri! I really appreciate that you found value in this post about abdominal muscles and exercises. 🙂 Indeed, it is good to know when each abdominal muscle is activated to do the exercises correctly.