Ab Exercises For The Transverse Stomach Muscles
A group of abdominal muscles that many times gets neglected in ab training routines are the transverse ab muscles. These core abdominal muscles sit under the rectus abdominal muscles. A good number of abdominal exercises target the rectus abdominal muscles and the vertical abs, ignoring the transverse ab muscles totally.
Even ab crunches, the core exercise of many stomach workout routines, do nothing for the transverse ab muscles. These core abdominal muscles are in actuality some of the most important ones you should focus on. These abdominal muscles connect to both the lower back muscles and the rectus abdominal muscles to form a protective girdle for your entire abdominal area.
Any stomach exercise routine focused on flattening your belly must consist of specific abdominal exercises for the transverse ab muscles. Try the following abdominal exercises and take some time to develop your abs and start working to get the toned stomach you always desired.
Pelvic Tilt
The pelvic tilt is performed by laying your back on a flat surface such as the floor or on a workout bench. If you do this on the floor use an aerobic mat to cushion your upper body.
1. Bend your knees 90 degrees so that your feet lie flat on the floor.
2. Elevate your pelvis off the floor.
3. Hold your pelvis off the floor for about a count of two, a count of two Mississippi or longer will be good.
4. Then bring your pelvis back down to the aerobic mat or workout bench and just touch it for a quick second.
5. Continue to repeat these movements until you have finished a set of 10-15 reps.
6. Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions and rest about 30 to 45 seconds between each set.
Make sure to control the movements of your body and maintain a little tension on your abdominal muscles during the exercise and do not use your bodys momentum to help you to do this stomach exercise. Also, keep your torso on the floor while you execute this abdominal exercise.
Breathing Abdominal Crunch
The breathing stomach crunch stomach exercise is a pretty simple exercise that you can execute just about anywhere you like. It is not that easy to complete at first. Also, when you learn what you have to do to complete it, you can do this stomach exercise whenever you want to. The one reason this stomach exercise may be hard to do is that you will use your abdominal muscles in ways that you are not used to. I do it when I am using a elliptical machine, resting between workout sets or just walking around taking care of daily activities.
Here is what you have to do to complete it:
1. Sit upright in a chair or stand naturally and attempt to loosen up your torso.
2. Exhale and think of pulling your navel in to your back and squeeze your stomach muscles.
3. Hold the tension for 10 seconds before easing up on your abdominal muscles.
4. Then repeat these steps until you can finish a group of 10-15 reps.
5. Also, do not hold your breath. Many people are inclined to hold their breath at first which will make performing the exercise more difficult and less effective.
If you are able to keep this tension for at least 10 seconds, try holding the tension for a little bit longer. The goal is to keep this tension on your abdominal muscles until you do not feel it any longer and you can do a full exercise set of 10-15 repetitions with no problem.
Also, you should be able to talk normally as you perform this exercise. So, this is why you can perform this exercise just about anywhere. It may take a bit of time to get used to it but when you do, you can use it whenever you want to help tone your ab muscles.
Scissor Kicks
Here is one more abdominal exercise that you perform while using a mat on the floor or from an workout bench.
1. Lay down on the aerobic mat with your back flat and your legs straight out in front of you.
2. Next, place your hands palms down under your glutes to help keep your back against the exercise bench.
3. Elevate both feet about ten inches off the floor and point your toes away from you.
4. Drop one foot close to the floor without touching it, and lift up the other foot higher.
5. Now change the position of your feet - bring up the bottom leg and drop the upper leg.
6. Do these steps again for a group of 10-15 reps for each leg.
There are two ways to do this exercise:
Fast - switch your legs quickly until you complete the exercise set. Slow (recommended) - maintain each leg position for two seconds and maintain constant tension on your abdominal muscles.
There are a lot of other abdominal exercises focusing on the transverse abs, but these 3 exercises ought to be sufficient to get you going. Exercises for your abdominals like these are essential to any stomach toning ab exercise program. The best part is that you can perform them without buying any fancy work out equipment and in the privacy of your own home.
Even ab crunches, the core exercise of many stomach workout routines, do nothing for the transverse ab muscles. These core abdominal muscles are in actuality some of the most important ones you should focus on. These abdominal muscles connect to both the lower back muscles and the rectus abdominal muscles to form a protective girdle for your entire abdominal area.
Any stomach exercise routine focused on flattening your belly must consist of specific abdominal exercises for the transverse ab muscles. Try the following abdominal exercises and take some time to develop your abs and start working to get the toned stomach you always desired.
Pelvic Tilt
The pelvic tilt is performed by laying your back on a flat surface such as the floor or on a workout bench. If you do this on the floor use an aerobic mat to cushion your upper body.
1. Bend your knees 90 degrees so that your feet lie flat on the floor.
2. Elevate your pelvis off the floor.
3. Hold your pelvis off the floor for about a count of two, a count of two Mississippi or longer will be good.
4. Then bring your pelvis back down to the aerobic mat or workout bench and just touch it for a quick second.
5. Continue to repeat these movements until you have finished a set of 10-15 reps.
6. Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions and rest about 30 to 45 seconds between each set.
Make sure to control the movements of your body and maintain a little tension on your abdominal muscles during the exercise and do not use your bodys momentum to help you to do this stomach exercise. Also, keep your torso on the floor while you execute this abdominal exercise.
Breathing Abdominal Crunch
The breathing stomach crunch stomach exercise is a pretty simple exercise that you can execute just about anywhere you like. It is not that easy to complete at first. Also, when you learn what you have to do to complete it, you can do this stomach exercise whenever you want to. The one reason this stomach exercise may be hard to do is that you will use your abdominal muscles in ways that you are not used to. I do it when I am using a elliptical machine, resting between workout sets or just walking around taking care of daily activities.
Here is what you have to do to complete it:
1. Sit upright in a chair or stand naturally and attempt to loosen up your torso.
2. Exhale and think of pulling your navel in to your back and squeeze your stomach muscles.
3. Hold the tension for 10 seconds before easing up on your abdominal muscles.
4. Then repeat these steps until you can finish a group of 10-15 reps.
5. Also, do not hold your breath. Many people are inclined to hold their breath at first which will make performing the exercise more difficult and less effective.
If you are able to keep this tension for at least 10 seconds, try holding the tension for a little bit longer. The goal is to keep this tension on your abdominal muscles until you do not feel it any longer and you can do a full exercise set of 10-15 repetitions with no problem.
Also, you should be able to talk normally as you perform this exercise. So, this is why you can perform this exercise just about anywhere. It may take a bit of time to get used to it but when you do, you can use it whenever you want to help tone your ab muscles.
Scissor Kicks
Here is one more abdominal exercise that you perform while using a mat on the floor or from an workout bench.
1. Lay down on the aerobic mat with your back flat and your legs straight out in front of you.
2. Next, place your hands palms down under your glutes to help keep your back against the exercise bench.
3. Elevate both feet about ten inches off the floor and point your toes away from you.
4. Drop one foot close to the floor without touching it, and lift up the other foot higher.
5. Now change the position of your feet - bring up the bottom leg and drop the upper leg.
6. Do these steps again for a group of 10-15 reps for each leg.
There are two ways to do this exercise:
Fast - switch your legs quickly until you complete the exercise set. Slow (recommended) - maintain each leg position for two seconds and maintain constant tension on your abdominal muscles.
There are a lot of other abdominal exercises focusing on the transverse abs, but these 3 exercises ought to be sufficient to get you going. Exercises for your abdominals like these are essential to any stomach toning ab exercise program. The best part is that you can perform them without buying any fancy work out equipment and in the privacy of your own home.
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