Eight “Rectus Abdominis Muscle Workouts” for those aiming for a six-pack. Page 3

4 Effective Strength Training Menus to Strengthen the Lower Rectus Abdominis

Next, we introduce muscle training exercises that work the lower part of the rectus abdominis. These are also introduced here, ranging from low-impact to high-impact exercises, so please try them according to your own level.

Training for the lower part of the rectus abdominis muscle (1) “Knee Raise

Knee Raise, as the name suggests, is a muscle training exercise to raise the knees. Since it is one of the easiest lower abdominal training exercises, beginners should be able to try it easily. Basically, all lower abdominal training exercises involve raising the legs, so if you get a feel for knee raises, you will be able to smoothly perform the exercises introduced later.

Lie on your back with your hands under your hips and pelvis tilted backward, knees lightly bent and legs slightly raised off the floor. Keep your abdominal muscles engaged, but relax your shoulders and neck. From there, bend your knees and raise your legs until your hips are slightly off the floor. The key is to keep your feet off the floor when returning to the floor. As you get used to the exercise, increase the number of seconds and the number of sets.

To contract the lower part of the rectus abdominis muscle firmly, the pelvis needs to be closer to the ribs. Therefore, you need to raise your hips up to the point where they float a little to get the desired effect. Also, if the hands are placed under the hips, the pelvis will tilt backward, thereby reducing the burden on the lower back and facilitating contraction of the rectus abdominis muscles. For this reason, it is always recommended to place your hands under your hips.

Rectus Abdominis Lower Part Training (2) “Leg Raise”

Leg raises are the most orthodox of the lower part of the abdominal muscles training exercises. It is similar to the knee raise described above, but the degree of knee bend and the position of the leg raise vary greatly, and the difficulty level is higher because it is performed while keeping the eyes on the belly button. This exercise is used by many people, from beginners to experts, and should be mastered by all.

Lie on your back with your hands under your hips and legs extended and slightly raised off the floor. At this point, raise your upper body slightly so that you can look down at your navel. Keeping this upper body posture, raise your legs as high as possible toward the ceiling. The rule of thumb is to raise the legs until the hips are firmly in the air, and to return them in a controlled manner. 30 seconds is a good time to increase the number of repetitions while maintaining good form, and as you become more comfortable, increase the number of seconds and sets.

When lowering your legs, don’t just let the weight take you down. Be sure to control the weight and feel the muscles in your lower abdomen being stretched as you lower them. Also, leg raises vary in load depending on how much you bend your knees, so it is recommended that you start with your knees as straight as possible and then bend them to push harder as it gets tougher.

Rectus Abdominis Lower Part Training 3: “Kick Crunches”

The kick crunch is a muscle training exercise in which the legs are bent and extended as if kicking. Although it is a minor exercise, it effectively trains the lower part of the rectus abdominis muscle and the form is not too difficult. Incidentally, it works much the same way as leg raises, so if you are bored with leg raises, you may want to give it a try.

Lie on your back with your hands under your hips, legs together and straight, and lift them off the floor at a 40-50° angle. Then, raise your face slightly and send your eyes toward your toes. Keeping your upper body in the same position, bend your knees so that they are pulled toward your chest. At this point, it is best if the hips are slightly raised off the floor. Repeat for 30 seconds with good form, increasing the number of seconds and sets as you become more comfortable with the exercise.

Trainer: Mr. Taiyama Matsuura

I didn’t introduce this exercise this time, but if you think of it as a kind of lying down Neatu Chest, I think it is rather easy to try. It works the lower part of the abdominal muscles well, but it is less stressful on the lower back, so I would recommend it to those who suffer from chronic lower back pain. The point is to firmly pull the knees toward the chest. If you pull them in so hard that they stick to each other, you will feel a strong contraction.

Rectus Abdominis Lower Part Training (4) “V-Crunch”

The V-crunch is considered to be one of the most advanced abdominal muscle training exercises. The V-crunch is an exercise that requires strong abdominal muscles to perform, and even if you have good muscle strength, it is difficult to perform cleanly in the beginning. However, you will improve your form as you repeat it over and over again, so don’t give up too quickly just because you can’t do it.

Lie on your back on the floor with your hands above your head and legs stretched out. Then, while raising your upper body, raise your legs upward and fold your body into a V-shape. The key to this is to imagine touching your ankles with your hands and looking at your navel. It takes time to master the correct form for this exercise, so it is recommended to perform each exercise carefully first, and when you have a firm form, set the number of seconds and perform 3 to 5 sets.

This is a fairly difficult exercise, so practice it over and over until you get your form down. I think it is also possible to make it a little easier and get used to the movement by, for example, raising the legs beforehand and then raising the upper body. Please do this carefully, as there is a possibility of unexpected injury if the abdominal muscles are not strong enough or if the movement is too strenuous.