How to Prevent Muscle Imbalance in the Abdominals

The abdominal muscles are a group of six core muscles that extend from the rib cage to the pelvic region. In combination, the muscles provide support for the midsection and greatly affect posture, flexibility, and dexterity. An abdominal muscle imbalance occurs when one or more of the muscles is is overstimulated into excessive growth – the result of which may be severe back pain, an uneven stance or walk, and pain in other areas that are linked to the region. In order to avoid abdominal imbalance, you must first understand the six portions of the core muscle group, comprehend their functions, and then work them often and evenly.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Balance or BOSU ball
• Decline bench
• Straight bar
• Exercise mat

Prevent abdominal imbalance

1. The internal oblique muscles are located on either side of your body and effect the rotation of your spine. Picture your body as it twists to the left and right. Now picture the internal obliques stress as they blanket the sides of your midsection. Without great strength in these muscles, your trunk loses its ability to effectively twist. Paired with the external obliques, which are the more superficial (closer to the surface) of the two, the internal obliques aid the spine in flexibility. To work both the internal and external obliques, you will need to employ an exercise that emulates the movement of the actual muscles. Trunk twists are a great method of strengthening the obliques without overworking the muscle group. You can perform the trunk twist with any straight pole or bar (or even a broom handle). Stand with feet shoulder width apart and your hands placed on a straight bar a few inches greater than shoulder width apart. Hold the pole in front of your stomach with your arms fully extended. Twist to the left and then back to the right. Repeat the motion 15-20 times, with each full twist counting as one repetition.

2. The transversus abdominis muscle is one of the “deeper abdominal muscles” and “can't be touched from the outside.” It “wraps around the torso” and acts as a “back support.” The muscle blankets the side of your torso, just beneath the rib cage, and enables your body to lean to the left or right side. This muscle is used most often during vigorous exercise, such as strength training, as it acts as a support for the midsection. The prone bridge is one of the best ways to strengthen the transversus abdominis muscle. Assume a push-up position on the ground. Now, plant your elbows on the ground so that they are even with the bottom of your chest The palms of your hands should face each other and your forearms should be kept straight. Your forearms and toes should support the full weight of your body, and your abdominal muscles should be pulled tight, as if braced for a punch to the stomach. Hold that position for as long as possible and repeat thrice.

3. The rectus abdominus muscle makes up the front (middle) portion of the torso. It is the muscle region most closely associated with six-pack abs, and is also the most worked abdominal region by many. The crunch and leg lift are two exercises that garner the best results for the rectus abdominus. However, perform a crunch on a decline bench (used for a bench press) and you will find that you work a larger cross-section of your rectus abdominus. When you perform a crunch, remember to refrain from placing your hands behind your head. Instead, keep your hands at the sides of your head, so they only lightly touch your scalp. Excess neck pressure will only serve to injure your neck or spine and help you cheat on the movement. Also, be sure to exhale when at the top of your motion (as your chest is at its highest point). The exhalation of oxygen ensures a maximum tightening of the abdominal muscles and allows for peak contraction.

4. Complete any repetition based exercises 15-20 times in sets of four. The idea is to refrain from any possible abdominal overtraining. Complete one exercise for each portion of your abdominal muscles twice per week in order to ensure growth, but not overtraining.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't rely on any of these exercises alone to give you six-pack abs. Instead, you will need to partake in some form of cardiovascular endurance training and incorporate a proper diet into your lifestyle.
• Your abdominal muscles affect nearly every other exercise you attempt, so if you happen to strain or pull any of your core muscles, take some time off and rest your body before you begin to exercise again.
• If you experience any tightness or discomfort, discontinue the exercise and consult a physician.

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