ABS: THE THEORY

It's incredible how wrong traditional training "wisdom" can be. Did you know, for example, that the Straight–Legged Sit–Up is not an efficient ab exercise—and that it´s actually dangerous? Or that for serious training, Roman Chairs are about as useful as rocking chairs?

Optimum muscle conditioning depends on the application of certain key principles of biomechanics. Using these, one can distinguish effective, safe exercises

from ineffective, potentially injurious ones, and determine how best to structure a routine. This biomechanical basis is what separates Abs from traditional methods of conditioning abdominal muscle.

But great–looking abs are not just the result of the muscle you have—they're also the result of the fat you don't have.

Below, we'll run over the distinction between fat reduction and muscle conditioning, and then explore how to-and how not to-train the abs.

Muscle tissue has a very special characteristic: the ability to contract. When stimulated by the central nervous system, muscle fibers shorten to about two–thirds of their original length. Thanks to the clever ways those fibers are positioned, humans can do amazing things, like run 4–minute miles, scale mountains, and perform delicate surgical procedures.

The abdominals in particular, besides enabling movements of the torso, help protect the body. Running from the bottom of the ribs to the top

of the pubic bone, they shield the internal organs of the abdomen.

The abs are also essential to good posture.

They act with the spinal erectors to hold you and your spine upright, much the way opposing guy-wires support a tent pole.

At least, that's what they're designed to do.

Soft, out–of–shape abdominals do little supporting or protecting-nor do they add much to your appearance. Still, it's important to understand that poorly-conditioned abdominals are not the culprit behind the midsection "spare tire". The culprit is excess fat.

Fat and muscle are two distinct types of tissue. In the abdominal region, as in all areas of the body, a fat layer covers the muscles. The thicker the fat layer, the harder it is to see your abs no matter how well developed they are.

Getting rid of unwanted fat, if that is your goal, is simply a matter of adjusting diet and activity level so you use more calories than you consume (creating a calorie deficit).