The abdomen contains the muscles that most beginners struggle with because they take a long time to develop and need a low level of body fat to be seen. The abdominal muscle group consists of three main muscles:
1. Rectus abdominis - commonly known as the abs, this is a large flat muscle wall that runs from the lower chest to the pubic bone.
2. Obliquus abdominis - commonly known as the obliques, this muscle runs diagonally along the side of the mid-section from the lower ribcage to the pubic area. The internal obliques lie underneath the external obliques.
3. Transversus abdominis - this is a thin strip of muscle that runs horizontally across the abdomen.
You can target these muscles effectively by performing the following exercises:
1. Crunches - 3 sets of 15-20 reps. This exercise will work the upper abs.
2. Pelvic tilts - 3 sets of 15-20 reps.This exercise will target the lower portion of the abdomen below the navel.
3. Side bends - 3 sets of 15-20 reps. This exercise will work the obliques.
As with all exercises you need to take care in scheduling specific body parts. To begin with you should incorporate your abdominal exercises into a program similar to the one suggested below:
Day 1: Biceps, Back, Abs
Day 2: Hamstrings, Shoulders, Abs
Day 3: Quads, Forearms, Calves
Day 4: Triceps, Chest, Abs
For the first couple of weeks complete one set but then add one set each week to a maximum of three. At the end of three months you will be ready to move on to more intensive intermediate level exercises.
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.
Strength training is exercise that uses resistance to strengthen and... Read More
Visualization can play an important part in gaining weight and... Read More
Pipes. Guns. Bazookas.Take your pick. Grab your weapon of choice.This... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
You might sometimes wonder whether your dedication and sacrifice will... Read More
In an earlier article we concluded that muscles must be... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
It's a very simple training system. Consisting of using your... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Over the years there has been a surge of different... Read More
Two of the nine pivot points - those stunning body... Read More
Many people believe you need to train with a variety... Read More
The vast majority of myths about weight gain are mostly... Read More
If you clearly understand and apply the principles involved in... Read More
What helps make comedy also builds muscle?This is key to... Read More
Building muscle mass with a power cycle. Desperate for pounds... Read More
A consensus has arisen within the bodybuilding world over the... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Whenever I go to the gym and tell a friend... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Who should use this method to build muscle quickly?If you're... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
The aim for beginners to weight training must be to... Read More
Welcome to article number 2 in our series "Bodybuilding Sins... Read More
VisionEnvisioning the end-result is enough to put the wheels in... Read More
Until I started following a routine to eat, my gains... Read More
What turns out to be a small, yet annoying pain... Read More
The crunch exercise is the backbone of abdominal training. It... Read More
Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her... Read More
Is the 'I Feel Fat Day' (IFFD) syndrome affecting your... Read More
Building muscle mass with a power cycle. Desperate for pounds... Read More
Hard gainers are individuals who train equally hard as other... Read More
Becoming familiar with the muscles that make up your body... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
This has got to be the biggest controversy in modern... Read More
Effective Chest Training, Like Everything Else, Begins With The Proper... Read More
Wouldn't it be great if you could get rid of... Read More
Performing low repetition/heavy weight workouts will enable you to build... Read More
It's important to set the way we'll respond to different... Read More
When I was a young boy, emerging muscles were the... Read More
One of the biggest difficulties facing bodybuilders is how can... Read More
Efforts to expand the limits of human strength and endurance... Read More
Do you find gyms intimidating? Feel lost while doing your... Read More
Just like routines, this document is not intended to be... Read More
Body building or even just showing up at a gym... Read More
Traditional strength training consists of performing one to three (or... Read More
From a bodybuilder's perspective one of the most important body... Read More
There are countless leg workouts in magazines and books that... Read More
Core strength and stability is increasingly recognized as a vital... Read More
Answering Service ResourceAnswering Service Resource |