The abdominals are the series of
muscles at the front of the body located between the chest and the
thighs, and consist of 3 muscular sheets:
- The external oblique is on the outside (nearest the skin), with its fibres directed downwards and forwards
- The internal oblique lies inside the external oblique, its fibres are directed upwards and forwards
- The transverse abdominis or transversalis lies inside these two, its fibres run horizontally forwords
These three sheets are supplemented in front on each side of the midline by the rectus abdominis. This is the muscle that shows as a ridged wall in someone with well developed abdominals i.e. a 6 pack.
The abdominals perform a variety of functions:
- They provide support and protection for the intestines
- They are needed in urination, childbirth, vomiting, coughing, and taking a dump. Next time you're on the throne and trying to drop some friends off at the pool, feel your stomach as you try and squeeze that brown bastard out.
- They initiate the movement of bending the trunk forwards. I'll just quickly say, a sit-up does not focus on the abdominals, you are working your hip-flexors. If you dont believe me, lay on the floor on your back, and bring your heels as close to your bum as you can, and try and sit up, I bet you cant. Abdominal curls and crunches, work the abdominals.
- They are used in preventing hyperextension of the trunk.
- They bend the vertebral column sideways (lateral flexion) and assist in its rotation.
Something else I want to say, there are some nodes on here about getting ripped abs, and a great six pack, and they go on to list a variety of curls and crunches etc etc. However, you gotta get rid of that fat that lays over the abdominals. You could have great abs, but not be able to see them for that 3 inch layer of fat over them, so address that problem first, you can take a quick look at obesity in society to see my thoughts on the subject of fat loss, commonly referred to as weight loss. But hey, did you wanna lose muscle tissue as well as fat? Probably not, okay look, I rant on about all that shit in my obesity WU.
Anyways, happy crunching.
Oh God I've ruined my life