Toning Lower Abs? [Six Pack]

Just Contribute

Hello,

At the moment, I have a pretty decent four-pack. However, my bottom two 'packs' aren't very defined.

Does anyone know what exercises (that can be done at home, without any equipment) would be most beneficial for my lower abs?

Thanks!

Zamboni

Hey JC,

Been there.

1. Read the stickies on diet. There is a lot of good info in there.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055963342
2. Abs are made in the kitchen. i.e. get your diet right.
3. No single exercise will assist you in your quest for visible abs.
4. Ideally do multi-jointed compound lifts and train your whole body.

There are plenty of youtube videos of exercises with no equipment that you can do at home.

No 2 is the single most important for you. No amount of exercise will offset a bad diet.


Good luck.

Just Contribute

Thanks Zamboni! I don't think there is much of a problem with my diet, as I have a visible four-pack. It's just the bottom two 'packs' I'm struggling with.

Hanley

Just Contribute wrote: »

Thanks Zamboni! I don't think there is much of a problem with my diet, as I have a visible four-pack. It's just the bottom two 'packs' I'm struggling with.

how much skin/flab can you grab if you push in hard at your belly button? Unless it literally a finger tip, it probably is your diet.

SIX PACK

Get an exercise ball their around €10, & then watch some youtube tutorials on the correct most effective methods on how to strengthen those Abdominals muscles
If you have rock hard abs already strict diet is the only way to really show them off

Transform

Just Contribute wrote: »

Hello,

At the moment, I have a pretty decent four-pack. However, my bottom two 'packs' aren't very defined.

Does anyone know what exercises (that can be done at home, without any equipment) would be most beneficial for my lower abs?

Thanks!

whats your height and weight and current program??

Mellor

It's a common misconception that your abs are 6 (or 8) separate muscles, but they are actually are pair

Workouts to train the upper/lower abs don't exist. The lower two "packs" are the same muscle as the upper 4, they are just less visable due to the layer of fat on them.

Hanley

Mellor wrote: »

It's a common misconception that your abs are 6 (or 8) separate muscles, but they are actually are pair

Workouts to train the upper/lower abs don't exist. The lower two "packs" are the same muscle as the upper 4, they are just less visable due to the layer of fat on them.

Anyone know if there's been EMG analysis done on different ab exercises??

Like if one shows more activity in the lower abdominal area then surely you can say it's possible to train them preferentially? (but not in isolation)

BJohnson

Hanley wrote: »

Anyone know if there's been EMG analysis done on different ab exercises??

Like if one shows more activity in the lower abdominal area then surely you can say it's possible to train them preferentially? (but not in isolation)

Stu McGill mentions in one of his textbooks the myth of being able to train upper and lower rectus abdominis separately. Apparently a small group of people can activate the upper and lower portions independently (e.g. experienced belly dancers), but the rest of us just turn the whole muscle on or off.

The reason that the lower 2 "ripples" aren't as visible has more to do with the fact that the transversus abdominis, and internal and external obliques wrap around the upper four of the six-pack differently than the lower two. In the upper four, the fascia of transversus passes behind the muscle, the fascia of the external obliques pass in front, and the fascia of the internal oblique splits to pass both in front and behind. In the lower two of the six pack, however, the fascia of all three muscles pass in front of the muscle.

In short, it's not necessarily that the lower ab muscles are weaker or less developed - there's just more connective tissue covering up your lower 2-pack than your upper 4-pack.

There are a couple of pics of the cross-section of the six-pack about 2/3rd's of the way down this page that illustrate it nicely:

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/subjects/subject/118

Transform

Just Contribute wrote: »

Hello,

At the moment, I have a pretty decent four-pack. However, my bottom two 'packs' aren't very defined.

Does anyone know what exercises (that can be done at home, without any equipment) would be most beneficial for my lower abs?

Thanks!

height, weight and current program??

honeymonster

Zamboni wrote: »

Hey JC,

Been there.

1. Read the stickies on diet. There is a lot of good info in there.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055963342
2. Abs are made in the kitchen. i.e. get your diet right.
3. No single exercise will assist you in your quest for visible abs.
4. Ideally do multi-jointed compound lifts and train your whole body.

There are plenty of youtube videos of exercises with no equipment that you can do at home.

No 2 is the single most important for you. No amount of exercise will offset a bad diet.


Good luck.

Cheers for this

Hanley

BJohnson wrote: »

Stu McGill mentions in one of his textbooks the myth of being able to train upper and lower rectus abdominis separately. Apparently a small group of people can activate the upper and lower portions independently (e.g. experienced belly dancers), but the rest of us just turn the whole muscle on or off.

The reason that the lower 2 "ripples" aren't as visible has more to do with the fact that the transversus abdominis, and internal and external obliques wrap around the upper four of the six-pack differently than the lower two. In the upper four, the fascia of transversus passes behind the muscle, the fascia of the external obliques pass in front, and the fascia of the internal oblique splits to pass both in front and behind. In the lower two of the six pack, however, the fascia of all three muscles pass in front of the muscle.

In short, it's not necessarily that the lower ab muscles are weaker or less developed - there's just more connective tissue covering up your lower 2-pack than your upper 4-pack.

There are a couple of pics of the cross-section of the six-pack about 2/3rd's of the way down this page that illustrate it nicely:

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/subjects/subject/118

Yah I know, I'm not talking about doing them separately like, but is there preferential recruitment?! Do ya know if anything's been done on that?

Just Contribute

Thanks for all the replies everyone! I guess my problem is in the kitchen after all.

Transform wrote: »

whats your height and weight and current program??

I'm fifteen, 5'9, and 10 stone 2 pounds. I don't have a program, I've never had one really. I used to do the odd few sit-ups during the summer, but I haven't done anything in months.

Transform

Just Contribute wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies everyone! I guess my problem is in the kitchen after all.



I'm fifteen, 5'9, and 10 stone 2 pounds. I don't have a program, I've never had one really. I used to do the odd few sit-ups during the summer, but I haven't done anything in months.

Sweet mother of god - you're 15yrs old and 10stone and you are worried about lower abs??

I think you just need to enjoy some sports more and stop seeking the pretty boy look (a better body will come with a some body weight exercises and a good diet).

Do more pull ups, press ups, lunges, squats, core work etc all with just your own body weight and you will make great progress

Just Contribute

Thanks for the advice. I'm not worried about my body, I was just wondering. Obviously, I'd like a six-pack, but it doesn't bother me to be honest.

And I do play sport, regularly.