Abdominal Workouts For Men And Women

Exercising is essential to a healthy lifestyle. It also makes a person feel better and look better. But the muscles in our bodies actually serve more purposes than the average person working out probably knows. Abdominal workouts, like the crunch, sit up, or any movement that creates a rounded lower back, stretches the spine. Not only is that movement important for comfort in the lower back but the same workouts strengthen the core muscles that keep the spine from flexing while standing.

Abdominal muscles keep a person's torso upright, fighting against gravity. So, not only will the abdominal workouts make you slimmer, promote a healthy lifestyle, flex your spine and stretch your back, but stronger core muscles create a better posture and lower the risk of back problems from hunched over shoulders.

For women a six pack may not be something they want. This means that different abdominal workouts should be done to flatten the stomach. One of the best workout moves for women and men is the squat. Not only does this strengthen your core muscles but it will also result in tighter gluteal muscles and strengthen thigh muscles. Squats are done by standing with the feet shoulder width apart, hands placed on the hips, and bending at the knee. Squats can be done on both feet, one leg, against a wall or even by stepping one leg out and bending at the knees, being careful not to let the knee go past the leg that is used to step out or back.

A great beginner's abdominal workout for men is a plank on elbows. For this exercise the push up position is taken but instead of hands on the ground, you place your forearms on the ground and place the weight on your elbows and forearms. By flexing the abdominal muscles, the body should form a straight line. There is also the side plank which uses the same position but the weight is placed on one arm and the body is facing to the side, instead of the ground.

One common mistake that is made when someone starts on the road to getting flatter abs is crunches. Although they are easy and they seemed to be the best abdominal workout for abdominal muscles, they may be hurting your back. Doing a crunch actually puts an unhealthy strain on the weakest point of the back, which is actually the part of the back with the most nerves and the most potential for damage.

Finding the best abdominal workout for your body is a matter of experimenting. There are endless ways to get into shape that will strengthen your torso and limit the flexibility of your spine while deflecting gravitational pulls. Not all of the workouts are crunches or sit ups. Core muscles are strengthened through many other exercises as well.

By: Sandy Rutherforde

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