The bulk of folks looking for lower ab exercises tend to be doing so for the wrong reason. Generally, if someone is getting in shape and starting to see upper abdominal definition, but nothing on their lower abdominals, they start searching for lower ab exercises. The belief is held that if the upper abs can be seen, the lower should be able to as well. This leads people to think the muscle just isn’t there. This thought process is based on faulty assumptions.
The lower abs just visibly hold fat longer than other places on the body. This extra fat obscures the muscle, when in truth you have the same lower ab muscularity as you do on your upper abs. Give this a shot next time you do crunches: place a hand on your lower abs. If you do you’ll find they tighten to the same degree and at the same time as the upper abs. The “six pack” is just one solid sheet of abdominal muscle.
Lower ab exercises are important, but for a different reason. Lower ab exercises involve the legs, which are heavier and extend farther from your core than just curling your upper body from the ground would. This helps you to get a more intense core workout, as high resistance work builds more muscle. Extra muscle will burn extra calories, but not to a high enough degree to give you a 6 pack in most cases.
When doing lower ab exercises, there are many variations, but there is one constant. You should keep your pelvis tilted up towards you as much as possible. This maximizes the abdominal engagement and reduces the stress on your back.
Lower ab exercises are all basically the same motion, varying only in the plane of movement. The knees are pulled towards the chest, either with bent or straightened legs. The most intense variation to do is the hanging leg raise, followed by stability ball reverse crunches.
The best way to reveal your abs once you have the abdominal muscles you want (and you probably already do), is through a mix of diet and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Your diet should focus on natural foods with no chemicals or preservatives. The more lean protein and fibrous vegetables you get in your diet the better. Try to get a balance of macronutrients in each meal, but if you insist on skipping one of them, make it carbohydrates. Don’t forget to get a calorie spike day each week to rev your metabolism back up after a diet of restricted calories the other 6 days.
Although the “experts” have always favored steady-state cardiovascular activity, HIIT has been brought into the light in recent years and is slowly being realized as the better of the two. It has an “afterburn” effect, giving you a higher metabolic rate for up to 48 hours following a session. It only take 20 minutes (minus the warmup and cooldown) to complete a good session. And considering the strain it puts on your body, you should take a day off between sessions. The results you experience will be incredible.
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