5 Exercises to a Flatter Stomach Wednesday, 2 August 2006
In order to slice centimeters off our waistline you need to reduce the amount of bodyfat, whilst maintaining a healthy, balanced diet and exercise the "big" muscles of the body through running, cycling. Rowing, circuit classes in order to "burn off' unwanted energy. When the amount of energy going in to your body as food equals the amount going out through activity and exercise, you are said to be in "energy balance". But this must be coupled with specific exercises to tone and shape the muscles of the abdomen or they will remain undefined.
There are four principal abdominal muscles. The rectus muscle is situated in the centre of the abdomen and bends the trunk. This muscle runs from the lower rib to the pubic region. In women this region splits during pregnancy to allow for the bulk of the baby. At the side of the abdomen there are two diagonal muscles, the internal oblique and external oblique. The obliques twist the spine. Underneath the oblique muscle lies the 'transverses abdominis muscle' (TrA). The transversus acting with the obliques pulls the tummy in tight and because of this is often considered your natural 'waist belt'.
TRAINING YOUR TrA
There are many ways to train the TrA. The following is the most basic of all TrA exercise, and instructions should be followed exactly.
