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Anatomy 101: rectus abdominis: your six-pack, that is, defined - The Iron Manual

Men's Fitness, March, 2004

RECTUS ABDOMINIS (REK-TUSS AB-DOM-I-NISS) This is the most obvious (and coveted) muscle of your midsection.

* It consists of eight segments (usually only six segments are visible, even on very lean guys) separated by a dense connective tissue called fascia.

* A long strip of fascia--the linea alba--creates the separation line down the middle of your abs.

* The muscle starts at your pelvis, attaching to the crest of the descriptively named pubic bone, and connects to the cartilage of your lower rib cage.

* It contracts to pull your shoulders toward your hips, flexing your spine so you can bend your lower back.

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* It also tilts the pelvis forward, which lifts your hips, and flattens the curvature of your lower back.

Fast fact: University of Virginia researchers found that it takes 250,000 crunches to burn one pound of fat. The lesson: All the crunches in the world won't give you ripped abs if they're covered with lard. The limiting factor for almost all guys is diet. (Think low-carb for fastest results.)

Training tip: If you only train your abs with your back flat on the floor, you're only working the rectus abdominis through about half its range of motion. To hit the muscle more effectively, you need to increase the distance between your shoulders and your hips.

Fast fix: Perform sit-ups on a Swiss ball or roll up a towel and place it underneath the arch of your lower back when doing them on the floor. You can also try standing cable crunches: Attach a rope handle to a cable station and face away from the weight stack. Then bend your torso forward as far as possible. (Try to touch your elbows to your thighs.) This keeps greater tension on the muscle as you near the end of the movement.

Anatomy 101: rectus abdominis: your six-pack, that is, defined - The Iron Manual

Men's Fitness, March, 2004

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