I remember when I was young, attempting more then 100 reps of sit ups everyday, for months, thinking how I could develop a ripped mid section abdominal muscles. Oh boy, I was clueless and end up hurting my lower back terribly. With repetitive chronic trunk flexion, my lumbar spine just had it after months of insane sit up routine. Did I succeed my goal of getting 6 pack abs? Of course no. The core muscles and whole midsection abs musculature consists of more then just rectus abdominis.
Fast forward to present day, I'm now training with a much efficient, effective and safer tools (if perform correctly) to seriously train a stronger and functional core muscles. Zero sit up, zero crunch exercises, end result? Six pack abs. Most of my friends, clients and even family members can't believe I could achieve that without performing the traditonal sit up and crunches movements. How do I train my core muscles? First of all, you need to bury the mindset that core muscles is your abdominal muscles. There are multiple components basically from the 'nipple to the knee', and rectus abdominis is just one part of your abdominal muscles. Transverse abdominis, obliques, multifidis, pelvic floor, quadratus lumborum are the other vital component of the core musculature.
In current modern society, most people train the so called 'core' muscles, primarily for display purpose. Apart from chronic insane reps of trunk flexion, muscle imbalances is inevitable, and it is cause problems to other parts of the musculature, including lower back, hip flexors, etc. Compare person A doin primarily sit ups and crunches, and person B, performing exercises such as squat, lunges, plank variations and deadlift, the latter will develop a much stronger, fully functional core muscles and lower risk of injuries as well as minimal muscle imbalances. For me, I love playing with paralettes, suspension training movements, weight training (kettlebells, barbells), stability ball. I love varieties, fun and 'mind and body' connection, and isolation based training is just not my cup of tea.
I will share with you today the continuation of abdominal muscles and this will be the final post for this series. Now, let's discuss about upper abdominal muscles.
ANALYSIS OF THE TRUNK-RAISING MOVEMENT
Before doing this test, examine the flexibility of the back so that any restriction of motion is not interpreted as muscle weakness. The trunk-raising movement, when properly done as a test, consists of two parts: spine flexion (i.e., trunk curl) by the abdominal muscles and hip flexion (i.e., situp) by the hip flexors.
During the trunk-curl phase, the abdominal muscles contract and shorten, flexing the spine. The upper back rounds, the lower back flattens, and the pelvis tilts posteriorly. On completion of the curl, the spine is fully flexed, with the low back and pelvis still flat on the table. The abdominal muscles act to flex the spine only. During this phase, the heels should remain in contact with the table.
The trunk curl is followed by the hip flexion phase, during which the hip flexors contract and shorten, lifting the trunk and pelvis up from the table by flexion at the hip joints and pulling the pelvis in the direction of anterior tilt Because the abdominal muscles do not cross the hip joints, they cannot assist with the sit-up movement If the abdominal muscles are strong enough, however, they can continue to hold the trunk curled.
The hip flexion phase is included in this test because it provides resistance against the abdominal muscles. The crucial point in the test is the moment at which the hip flexion phase is initiated. At this point, the feet of some subjects may start to come up from the table. The feet may be held down if the force exerted by the extended lower extremities does not counterbalance that exerted by the flexed trunk. However, if the feet are held down, attention must be focused on whether the trunk maintains the curl because at this point, the strength of the hip flexors can overcome the ability of the abdominals to maintain the curl. If this occurs, the pelvis will quickly tilt anteriorly, the back will arch, and the subject will continue the sit-up movement with the feet stabilized.
The trunk-raising test for the upper abdominal muscles is valuable when performed correctly. However, if the ability to perform a sit-up, regardless of how it is done, is equated with good abdominal strength, this test loses its value. During a curled-trunk sit-up with the legs extended, the pelvis first tilts posteriorly, accompanied by flattening of the low back and extension of the hip joints. After the trunk-curl phase is completed, the pelvis tilts anteriorly (i.e., forward), toward the thigh, in hip flexion, but it remains in posterior tilt in relation to the trunk, maintaining the flat-back position. During a sit-up with the low back arched, the pelvis tilts anteriorly, toward the thigh, as the sit-up begins, and it remains tilted anteriorly.
Before doing this test, examine the flexibility of the back so that any restriction of motion is not interpreted as muscle weakness. The trunk-raising movement, when properly done as a test, consists of two parts: spine flexion (i.e., trunk curl) by the abdominal muscles and hip flexion (i.e., situp) by the hip flexors.
During the trunk-curl phase, the abdominal muscles contract and shorten, flexing the spine. The upper back rounds, the lower back flattens, and the pelvis tilts posteriorly. On completion of the curl, the spine is fully flexed, with the low back and pelvis still flat on the table. The abdominal muscles act to flex the spine only. During this phase, the heels should remain in contact with the table.
The trunk curl is followed by the hip flexion phase, during which the hip flexors contract and shorten, lifting the trunk and pelvis up from the table by flexion at the hip joints and pulling the pelvis in the direction of anterior tilt Because the abdominal muscles do not cross the hip joints, they cannot assist with the sit-up movement If the abdominal muscles are strong enough, however, they can continue to hold the trunk curled.
The hip flexion phase is included in this test because it provides resistance against the abdominal muscles. The crucial point in the test is the moment at which the hip flexion phase is initiated. At this point, the feet of some subjects may start to come up from the table. The feet may be held down if the force exerted by the extended lower extremities does not counterbalance that exerted by the flexed trunk. However, if the feet are held down, attention must be focused on whether the trunk maintains the curl because at this point, the strength of the hip flexors can overcome the ability of the abdominals to maintain the curl. If this occurs, the pelvis will quickly tilt anteriorly, the back will arch, and the subject will continue the sit-up movement with the feet stabilized.
The trunk-raising test for the upper abdominal muscles is valuable when performed correctly. However, if the ability to perform a sit-up, regardless of how it is done, is equated with good abdominal strength, this test loses its value. During a curled-trunk sit-up with the legs extended, the pelvis first tilts posteriorly, accompanied by flattening of the low back and extension of the hip joints. After the trunk-curl phase is completed, the pelvis tilts anteriorly (i.e., forward), toward the thigh, in hip flexion, but it remains in posterior tilt in relation to the trunk, maintaining the flat-back position. During a sit-up with the low back arched, the pelvis tilts anteriorly, toward the thigh, as the sit-up begins, and it remains tilted anteriorly.
TEST FOR UPPER ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
Patient: Supine, with legs extended. If the hip flexor muscles are short and prevent posterior pelvic tilt with flattening of the lumbar spine, place a roll under the knees to passively flex the hips enough to allow the back
to flatten. (Arm positions are described below under Grading.)
Fixation: None necessary during the initial phase of the test (i.e., trunk curl), in which the spine is flexed and the thorax and pelvis are approximated. Do not hold the feet down during the trunk-curl phase. Stabilization of the feet will allow hip flexors to initiate trunk raising by flexion of the pelvis on the thighs.
Test Movement: Have the subject do a trunk curl slowly, completing spine flexion and, thereby, the range of motion that can be performed by the abdominal muscles. Without interrupting the movement, have the subject continue into the hip flexion phase (i.e., the sit-up) to obtain strong resistance against the abdominal muscles and, thereby, an adequate strength test.
Resistance: During the trunk-curl phase, resistance is offered by the weight of the head and upper trunk, and by the arms placed in various positions. However, the resistance offered by the weight of the head, shoulders and arms is not sufficient to provide an adequate test for strength of the abdominal muscles. The hip flexion phase provides strong resistance against the abdominals. The hip flexors pull strongly downward on the pelvis as the abdominals work to hold the trunk in flexion and the pelvis in the direction of posterior tilt.
Patient: Supine, with legs extended. If the hip flexor muscles are short and prevent posterior pelvic tilt with flattening of the lumbar spine, place a roll under the knees to passively flex the hips enough to allow the back
to flatten. (Arm positions are described below under Grading.)
Fixation: None necessary during the initial phase of the test (i.e., trunk curl), in which the spine is flexed and the thorax and pelvis are approximated. Do not hold the feet down during the trunk-curl phase. Stabilization of the feet will allow hip flexors to initiate trunk raising by flexion of the pelvis on the thighs.
Test Movement: Have the subject do a trunk curl slowly, completing spine flexion and, thereby, the range of motion that can be performed by the abdominal muscles. Without interrupting the movement, have the subject continue into the hip flexion phase (i.e., the sit-up) to obtain strong resistance against the abdominal muscles and, thereby, an adequate strength test.
Resistance: During the trunk-curl phase, resistance is offered by the weight of the head and upper trunk, and by the arms placed in various positions. However, the resistance offered by the weight of the head, shoulders and arms is not sufficient to provide an adequate test for strength of the abdominal muscles. The hip flexion phase provides strong resistance against the abdominals. The hip flexors pull strongly downward on the pelvis as the abdominals work to hold the trunk in flexion and the pelvis in the direction of posterior tilt.
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| A figure |
With the hands clasped behind the head, the subject is able to flex the vertebral column (A figure) and keep it flexed while entering the hip flexion phase and coming to a sitting position. The feet may be held down during the hip flexion phase, if necessary, but close observation is required to be sure that the subject maintains the flexion of the trunk.
Because many people can do a curled-trunk sit up with hands clasped behind the head, it is usually permissible to have a subject place the hands in this position (initially) and attempt to perform the test. If the difficulty of this test is a concern, have the subject start with the arms reaching forward, progress to placing arms folded across the chest, and then place the hands behind the head
With the arms folded across the chest, the subject is able to flex the vertebral column and keep it flexed while entering the hip flexion phase and coming to a sitting position. The strongest force against the abdominals is at the moment the hip flexors start to raise the trunk. Performing only the trunk curl is not sufficient for strength testing.
For many years, sit-ups were done most frequently with the legs extended. More recently emphasis has been
placed on doing the exercise in the knee-bent position, which automatically flexes the hips in the supine position. Whether performed with legs straight or bent, the sit-up is a strong hip flexor exercise, the difference between the two leg positions is in the arc of hip joint motion through which the hip flexors act.
Ironically, the knee-bent sit-up has been advocated as a means of minimizing action of the hip flexors. For many years, the idea has persisted, both among professionals and normal people, that having the hips and knees bent in the back-lying position would put the hip flexors "on a slack" and eliminate action of the hip flexors while doing a sit-up, and that in this position the sit-up would be performed by the abdominal muscles. These ideas are not based on facts, they are false and misleading. The abdominal muscles can only curl the trunk. They cannot perform the hip flexion part of the trunk-raising movement. Furthermore, the iliacus is a one joint muscle that is expected to complete the movement of hip flexion and, as such, is not put on a slack. The two joint rectus femoris is also not put on a slack, because it is lengthened over the knee joint while shortened over the hip joint. If the hip flexors are not short, an individual, when starting the trunk-raising movement with legs extended, will curl the trunk, and the low back will flatten before the hip flexion phase begins. The danger of hyperextension will occur only if the abdominals are too weak to maintain the curl, a reason not to continue into the sit up.
The real problem in doing sit ups with the legs extended compared to the apparent advantage of flexing the hips and knees stems from dealing with many subjects who have short hip flexors. In the supine position, a person with short hip flexors will lie with the low back hyperextended. The hazard of doing sit ups from this position is that the hip flexors will further hyper extend the low back, causing a stress on that area while doing the exercise, and will increase the tendency toward a lordotic posture in standing. The knee bent position, however, releases the downward pull by the short hip flexors, allowing the pelvis to tilt posteriorly and the low back to flatten, thereby relieving strain on the low back.
Bear in mind, if you genuinely desire to build a strong mid section foundation, try yoga or simple plank variations. I would not recommend to perform chronic sit up exercises to build a so called 6 pack abs. The goal is to train your core functionally, intentionally, and with safer methods preventing muscle imbalances. With all the hype and obsession of ripped abs muscles, most of us have forgotten how our ancestors move physically, how we evolved, from sprinting to jumping, climbing to crawling, and heavy lifting to even just brisk walking. The conventional training which most people are applying in their regular routines, is making the posture and core musculature even worst, increasing muscle imbalances and higher risk of injuries. We are living in fitness fradulent world, and people need to realize it.
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