The Best Exercise for Your Lower Abs

Some exercise experts insist that there are two separate sets of abdominal muscles, the upper abs and the lower abs. Other exercise experts are of the opinion that there is just one continuous abdominal muscle, and taking time to do separate exercises for upper and lower abs is a waste of time and effort. Who is right?

Scientists at the University of Nebraska conducted a study to find out.

The research team used a device called an electromyography to measure the “twitches” of muscle activity that indicate improving muscle tone accomplished during four popular abdominal exercises, the reverse curl, the trunk curl, the twist curl, and the v-set. Of these exercises:

The reverse curl generated the greatest amount of activity in the lower abs.
The other three exercises generated more activity in the upper abs.

This study showed that it’s definitely possible to focus your attention on either your upper abs or your lower abs. What it did not show it that it might be possible to exercise just your upper abs or your lower abs, that is, unless you happen to be one of the relatively rare people who possesses a muscle called the pyramidalius.

The pyramidalius is not just a muscle some people develop and some people don’t. It is a muscle some people have and some people don’t. If you have a pyramidalius muscle, then you can exercise your upper abs and lower abs separately. If you don’t have a pyramidalius muscle, then you have to exercise all of your abdominal muscles at the same time.

Exercising your lower abs, however, does not have a lot to do with how they look. If you want to have ripped abs, what you really need to do is to reduce belly fat.

Some people are blessed with good genetics in the abdominal muscle department. Most people tend to pack on their pounds around the waist. The thinner or thicker layer of belly fat obscures the abdominal muscles no matter how strong they may be. To extend the analogy, it doesn’t do you any good to work out to develop a six-pack if it’s going to be covered up by a keg.

As little as 30 minutes a week is enough exercise to develop great abdominal muscles. To show them off, however, you need to get rid of belly fat, and to get rid of belly fat, you need to lose weight all over your body. Diet is at least as important as exercise in developing great abs.