January
Function:
The abdominal wall is comprised of three muscles that collectively function to flex the spine, compress the abdomen, and bend the spine to the side.
The rectus abdominus muscles flex the spinal column.
The transverse abdominus muscles compress the abdomen.
The internal and external oblique muscles compress the abdomen when both sides contract at the same time, but, when only oneside contracts, the spine bends laterally toward that side.
Activities:
Activities that use the abdominal muscles include:
- bending to the front (rectus abdominus)
- posture (transverse abdominus), and
- bending to the side (internal and external obliques)
Strength Exercises:
All types of crunch and sit up movements will strengthen the abdominal wall. More specifically:
- pulling the knees to the chest while hanging from a pull up bar will strengthen the rectus and transverse abdominus, and
- twisting to the rear while sitting in an upright, seated position will strengthen the tranverse abdominus and obliques.
Flexibility Exercises:
Examples of flexibility exercises for the abdominal muscles would include:
- arching to the rear while hanging from a pull up bar (rectus and transverse abdominus), and
- twisting to the rear while sitting in an upright, seated position (transverse abdominus and obliques).
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