www.fitnessmag.co.nz
their latest article 'beyond the crunch' It is an excellent article on inner abdominal muscles by Paul Chek (www.chekinstitute.com)
Basically you need to consider stomach in, chest out, back straight when doing certain exercises as your inner abdominals have a habit of getting lazy and sinking creating a 'pot gut look'
Heres what I plagerised from that article (IMHO I think this mag is the best I subscribe to NZ$1 = US$0.25 cents good value)
*******************The article has diagrams also**********
The real secret to flat abs is to first realise that the abdominal wall is made of two groups of muscles. Working on the outer unit. The big muscles you see in the mirror will not flatten your tummy. The inner unit the 'transversus abdominis' (TVA) and the posterior portion of the internal oblique muscles (IO) will.
The TVA and parts of the I0 draw your tummy in like a girdle to create that sought after flat look. You know you are working these muscles when you see your belly button move in toward your spine. Functional inner abdominal muscles maintain a good look. You will notice that for the first time, you will have a flat tummy. They also help maintain good health. Just because someone has outer abs like a six pack doesn't mean they're healthy. I have worked with many unhealthy athletes and performers who look 'beautiful and healthy' to the untrained eye! A person's youthful appearance, health and efficiency are partly determined by the tone and condition of their inner abdominal muscles.
Here's how: Joint action. The inner unit regulates the stiffness of the torso joints and influences other joints' stability.
Organ support. The abdominal wall (along with an intricate network of ligaments) supports the internal organs . An abdominal wall that's weak, especially around the inner muscles, will allow organs to fall down and forward under the influence of gravity. The result is abdominal ptosis, a condition linked to low back pain, painful menstruation, poor circulation, constipation, digestive and pelvic floor disorders and chronic respiratory problems.
Breathing. The stabilising abdominal muscles assist respiration, while the diaphragm, a respiratory muscle, helps stability. Abdominal ptosis, especially in a person with a fat stomach, pulls the ribs down, disrupting respiration and often increasing breathing rate. This in turn alters the blood ph and has been linked to muscle cramp.
Circulation. The inner abdominal muscles contract during activities such as walking and swimming, constantly altering pressure within the infra thoracic and intra abdominal cavities similar to breathing. This helps blood circulation, eases the load on the circulatory system and helps the important lymph fluid circulate more effectively Lymph fluid carries for the micro vessels of the circulatory system to cope with and if it fails for even a few hours, you might die.
Immunity. Your body is better able to fight infections and less susceptible to disease with a healthy lymph system, which controls immune functions such as dumping bacteria and viruses. The muscles of the abdominal region, where lymph nodes concentrate, are critical to health and vitality. e Digestion and waste disposal. Exercise helps digestion and waste disposal remember that corset action of the abs, stimulated by body movement. A weak abdominal can't do that, and all sorts of complication develops. Someone with abdominal ptosis, is likely to also have an inefficient passage of food through the digestive system, constipation, an overworked liver that gets rid of toxins through the skin and a strong, unpleasant body odour.
THREE TUMMY FLATTENERS Step 1 Breathe One of the most effective ways to get the inner unit working optimally is to do breathing exercises. The fourpoint tummy vacuum (On hands and knees bring stomach in and exhale) is an excellent exercise to tone the Transversus abdominus and exercise the inner unit. Once you can stand and do this exercise for three sets of 10 repetitions, move on.
Step 2 Wear string Train your inner unit with functional movements. Tie a piece of string around your waist near your belly button, draw in the belly button slightly and knot the string. Wear to the gym to do your favourite exercises using a load you can lift 20 times. If your inner ab muscles work correctly, the string will not tighten or dig into your sides during the exercises. If your inner abs are lazy they will push out during exercise. The string, digging uncomfortably into your stomach and sides, will remind you to draw it in.
Step 3 Do housework Another option is to do your chores around the house using the string until you automatically draw your tummy inward. Once you do this naturally, begin lifting heavier weights in the gym again.
