and ribcage, help support your frame and hold you upright. I look at these in more detail in Chapter 8.)
Your abdominal muscles consist of a thick layer – a sheet almost – of overlapping fibres that stretch downwards from your ribcage to your pelvis and wrap sideways around you from your spine to the front of your pelvis, like the interlocking fingers of both hands.
The main muscle is the rectus abdominus, which stretches vertically from the ribs (directly beneath your breasts) to the front of the pelvic girdle. The oblique abdominals start at your spine and wrap, in a forward and downward slant, around your body in two layers (internal and external) to the pelvic girdle. Finally there are the transverse abs, which fan out from the ribs to the pelvis across your lower abdomen.
Forward flexion – bending down
You are able to bend from the waist thanks to the action of the rectus abdominus. This is a very strong and long muscle that appears to be divided in two down a line running between your sternum and navel. In fact, it is one big muscle joined by thin sheets of muscle fibre. (It can, however, separate along this ‘join’ during pregnancy – see Chapter 98 Exercise and Pregnancy.) This is the muscle that is strengthened and toned during forward curls.
Rotation and forward flexion – bending and twisting
The internal and external obliques not only ensure that we can rotate our torso (for example to turn sideways when driving so we can look behind us) but they also assist in forward flexion. A nice bonus of well-toned obliques is that your waist gets slimmer and more defined. We strengthen and tone these muscles by adding a twist to the basic curl. (Note: whenever you work one side, you should always work the opposite side.)
The breathing powerhouse
The transverse abs, which fan out from the middle across the lower half of your abdomen to the sides of your pelvic girdle, do the most work in protecting your internal organs. At the same time, they assist in breathing. The diaphragm is known as the bellows of the lungs, but if you take a deep breath and then exhale you will be able to feel the transverse abs helping to expel the air. It is these muscles that work hard in a basic curl and that make the lower half of your tummy flat.
Curls vs sit-ups
It was once widely thought – and still is amongst a few trainers who aren’t all that well-informed or up to date – that sits-ups were the ideal means of strengthening the abs. Undoubtedly, sit-ups do have a role in advanced sports training – but they are not the most efficient or effective way of working the abs or getting a flat tummy.
Research has shown that sit-ups use the hip flexor muscles (at the back of the thighs) and the quadriceps, or quads (at the front of the thighs), more than the abdominals. This is because the abdominal muscles are only used to start the sit-up (the first 30–45 degrees). In addition, since the hip flexors are attached from the thigh to the lower spine, a sit-up exaggerates the natural curve of the spine thereby increasing the risk of injury in that area. Hence, doing too many sit-ups or doing them incorrectly can put too great a strain on the back and the stomach muscles, leading to injury.
There is no doubt – and science has proved it – the curl is a far safer and more effective way of strengthening and flattening your stomach.
Some myths about abs training
Before we move on to the practicalities of using this book, there are a few misunderstandings about abs training that I must dispel upfront.
Curls will give you a flat stomach
Yes, they will – but not on their own. Sadly, you can’t spot reduce fat. When you lose weight, the fat is taken from all parts of the body equally. Specific exercises tone up and de-flab the targeted area, but if that area is hidden beneath a thick layer of fat, no amount of exercise in the world will make it look all that much flatter. You will get stronger muscles and a better posture, which are worthwhile achievements, but only ab training combined with a sensible eating programme will ultimately lead to a flat stomach that you can see.
Curls burn calories fast
Curls are not a high calorie burner. Yes, ab training does take a great deal of effort and effort does burn calories – but the key to a good ab session is slow and steady, not fast and furious. Ab training is the most effective way of toning up your abdominal muscles, but aerobic workouts raise the metabolism and therefore burn fat more efficiently. So ideally, if you want to lose your fat and flabby tum, you need to combine regular ab training with aerobic exercise and a sensible diet.
You need to do ab training every day for quick results
You should never work the same group of muscles day after day and certainly not on two consecutive days. This is because muscles develop during rest. When you train, muscle tissue is broken down. It then recuperates and strengthens during the following 48 hours – if it is allowed to rest.
It is best to put your hands behind your head during a curl
This isn’t always necessary. When you are told to put your hands behind your head, it is for support. However, when you’re a beginner and still struggling, the natural reflex action is to pull on your neck muscles as you come up. To prevent this, never clasp your fingers together – your hands should be open, your fingertips splayed and not touching and your head just resting in them for balance and support. Practise the correct position until you get it right. In many exercises you are asked not to put your hands behind your head – for example, sometimes it is recommended that you place your forearms alongside your ears for balance. Some trainers will suggest that it is best to put your hands on your chest or your fists at your ears. All you need to remember is to not pull on your head and neck when lifting. Let the contraction of your abs bring you up smoothly.
The upper and lower abs are two separate groups of muscles
The abdominals are one long sheet of interlocking muscle fibres. If an exercise says it works the upper or the lower abs, it simply means it works that area of the abdomen more. Curls target the upper abdominal area by bringing the upper back towards the pelvis. Reverse curls target the lower abdominal area by bringing the pelvis (hips) up towards the chest.
Is the curl safe?
In a nutshell – yes. But, as with all forms of exercise, seek the advice of your doctor, especially if you have an existing medical condition or orthopaedic limitations, such
