The 4 exercises in this challenge target the lower part of the “6 pack” muscles. Abdominal curl type exercises that involve lifting the upper body off the floor are good for working the upper and middle part of this muscle group, but they’re not so good at hitting the lower part. The best lower ab exercises involve the legs being lifted rather than the upper body.
What the abdominal muscles do
There are 4 layers of abdominal muscles. The deepest layer is mainly involved in core stability and is what you need to train for flat abs. Read this post to learn more about core stability. The oblique muscles form the middle two layers and their main movements are bending to the side and rotating the upper body. See this post for an obliques workout. The top layer is the “6 pack” set of muscles (proper name rectus abdominis). These muscles carry out the action of flexing the spine. Depending on what part of the spine you’re flexing, you’ll be working different fibres of the “6 pack”. Lifting the legs towards the body, as in the exercises in this workout, mainly works the lower fibres.
The exercises
#1 Single leg lower
Start position: lying on the floor with your arms by your sides and your legs vertical
- Engage your abs strongly to keep your pelvis stable and lower one leg to the floor.
- Return this leg to the vertical and repeat with the other leg
- Repeat for the given number of reps
#2 Straight leg crunch
Start position: Lying on floor with legs vertical
- Curl your head and shoulders off the floor as you reach your hands towards your feet
- Repeat for the given number of reps
#3 Double leg stretch
Start position: lying on your back with your knees and hips bent at right angles and your hands behind your head
- Curl your head and shoulders off the floor as you straighten your legs
- Return to the start position and repeat for the given number of reps
#4 Reverse curl
Start position: lying on the floor with your arms by your sides and your legs vertical
- Engage your lower abs as you curl your lower spine off the mat. Again, it should be a smooth curling movement
- When your lower back has left the floor, start to reverse the movement – curl your spine back down under control
- Repeat for the given number of reps
How to do the challenge
You just need to follow the reps set out for each day on the chart. You can download a printable copy of the chart by entering your e-mail address below. Please read these general exercise guidelines before doing this workout.
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