clevermanka (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
clevermanka) wrote2006-08-23 09:08 am
clevermanka) wrote2006-08-23 09:08 am
Entry tags:
Ab work, and feeling the burn of a different sort
Everyone who knows me knows I love to extol the virtues of ab workouts. I'm always on the lookout for new ab exercises. So I was particularly pleased to come across this article from Bodytrends.
How would you like to double, or even quadruple, the effectiveness of your abdominal workout without changing anything except the way you position yourself or your client? It seems that by doing curl-ups on a regular gym ball (70 cm) your abdominals get a significantly higher strength and endurance workout.
There has always been debate as to the best way to strengthen abdominals. Crunches vs. sit-ups, knees straight or knees bent, sit-ups vs. curl-ups, legs up on a chair or off - everyone seems to have an opinion. Crunches seem to be the popular gym favorite, although they put a strong load on the spine because of the shortened psoas and rectis femoris muscles.
Physical therapists often prefer using curl-ups to strengthen the upper abdominals, and a separate pelvis stabilization exercise for the lower abdominals. Curl-ups involve lifting only the head and shoulders, flexing the trunk without flexing the hips. The training effects of working the hip flexors in the shortened range are thereby diminished. There is some evidence that curl-ups are the safest abdominal exercise (Axler and McGill. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 1997:116-128).
In an article published in the June 2000 issue of Physical Therapy, researchers used curl-ups to measure abdominal muscle strength. This University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada) study placed surface electrodes at various sites on the abdomen to differentiate abdominal muscle activity. They then measured each subject's maximum voluntary contraction (MVC).
Isometric contractions were then done in four ways:
1) on a flat table with knees bent
2) on a wobble board
3) on a seventy centimeter gym ball with both feet on a bench at the same height as the ball
4) on the same gym ball with feet on the floor
In other words, the hips were flexed in the first three groups, and straight in the last.
The results were impressive. All of the curl-ups done on uneven surfaces, whether wobble board or gym ball, showed MVC percentages of both rectus and oblique muscle groups nearly doubled when compared with those done on a flat surface. Rectus percentages went from 21% to 35%, and external oblique percentages went from 5% to 10%. In addition, curl-ups done on the ball with feet on the floor and hips extended not only doubled rectus activity, but also quadrupled external oblique activity (5% to over 20%).
The authors of the article believe that the moving surfaces created a need for more stabilization of the spine, a major function of the obliques. They propose that the motor control system therefore increased oblique activity more than other abdominal muscles. They also note that more co-contraction of all spinal stabilizers is called for.
These conclusions make a strong argument for making curl-ups on a gym ball a part of one's regular abdominal workout. The coactivation makes this exercise a more functional one that will not only strengthen the abs, but will provide better stabilization training for one's spine. The psoas and rectus femoris are maintained in the lengthened, functional position. In addition, the ballistic activity often seen in full sit-ups and crunches becomes a non-factor. Overall, doing curl-ups on an uneven surface, especially on a gym ball with both feet on the floor, seems to be a great way to maximize one's abdominal workout ball books and videos.
In other news, I went to my first laser hair removal treatment yesterday. I had them zap my armpits and the back of my neck. It hurt a bit more than I expected, but it wasn't awful. This morning my pits are fine (although still a bit burnt-hair smelly) and my neck is just a wee bit tender. I return for my second treatment on September 25.
How would you like to double, or even quadruple, the effectiveness of your abdominal workout without changing anything except the way you position yourself or your client? It seems that by doing curl-ups on a regular gym ball (70 cm) your abdominals get a significantly higher strength and endurance workout.
There has always been debate as to the best way to strengthen abdominals. Crunches vs. sit-ups, knees straight or knees bent, sit-ups vs. curl-ups, legs up on a chair or off - everyone seems to have an opinion. Crunches seem to be the popular gym favorite, although they put a strong load on the spine because of the shortened psoas and rectis femoris muscles.
Physical therapists often prefer using curl-ups to strengthen the upper abdominals, and a separate pelvis stabilization exercise for the lower abdominals. Curl-ups involve lifting only the head and shoulders, flexing the trunk without flexing the hips. The training effects of working the hip flexors in the shortened range are thereby diminished. There is some evidence that curl-ups are the safest abdominal exercise (Axler and McGill. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 1997:116-128).
In an article published in the June 2000 issue of Physical Therapy, researchers used curl-ups to measure abdominal muscle strength. This University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada) study placed surface electrodes at various sites on the abdomen to differentiate abdominal muscle activity. They then measured each subject's maximum voluntary contraction (MVC).
Isometric contractions were then done in four ways:
1) on a flat table with knees bent
2) on a wobble board
3) on a seventy centimeter gym ball with both feet on a bench at the same height as the ball
4) on the same gym ball with feet on the floor
In other words, the hips were flexed in the first three groups, and straight in the last.
The results were impressive. All of the curl-ups done on uneven surfaces, whether wobble board or gym ball, showed MVC percentages of both rectus and oblique muscle groups nearly doubled when compared with those done on a flat surface. Rectus percentages went from 21% to 35%, and external oblique percentages went from 5% to 10%. In addition, curl-ups done on the ball with feet on the floor and hips extended not only doubled rectus activity, but also quadrupled external oblique activity (5% to over 20%).
The authors of the article believe that the moving surfaces created a need for more stabilization of the spine, a major function of the obliques. They propose that the motor control system therefore increased oblique activity more than other abdominal muscles. They also note that more co-contraction of all spinal stabilizers is called for.
These conclusions make a strong argument for making curl-ups on a gym ball a part of one's regular abdominal workout. The coactivation makes this exercise a more functional one that will not only strengthen the abs, but will provide better stabilization training for one's spine. The psoas and rectus femoris are maintained in the lengthened, functional position. In addition, the ballistic activity often seen in full sit-ups and crunches becomes a non-factor. Overall, doing curl-ups on an uneven surface, especially on a gym ball with both feet on the floor, seems to be a great way to maximize one's abdominal workout ball books and videos.
In other news, I went to my first laser hair removal treatment yesterday. I had them zap my armpits and the back of my neck. It hurt a bit more than I expected, but it wasn't awful. This morning my pits are fine (although still a bit burnt-hair smelly) and my neck is just a wee bit tender. I return for my second treatment on September 25.