Browsing: Lower abdominal exercise

LOWER ABDOMINAL EXERCISES.
This section contains detailed descriptions of all major exercises that focus on the lower portion of the rectus abdominis muscle.
There is no such thing as “upper” and “lower” abdominal muscles. The upper and lower portions of the rectus abdominis muscle have a common nerve supply so they can’t be isolated into upper and lower sections. In other words, you are not able to contract one section independent of the other. All the exercises stress the whole abdominal wall.
However there are “clusters” of muscle separated by connective tissue (these make up the “washboard” or the “six-pack”). You can focus on the upper clusters by moving just the torso and the lower clusters by moving the pelvis.
The lower abs are challenged more when you do ab work that involves the lower body; for example, the reverse crunch, hanging leg raise, lying leg raise, V-leg raise, hip raise, etc. When performing lower abdominal exercises you are moving your legs and pelvis rather than your torso.