Order of Abdominal Exercises
Is there any way to improve the performance of our trained abdominal considering the order of exercises? For the truth, yes. If we divide our abdomen into four main parts:
Transversus abdominis and lower portion of the rectus abdominis: These are the weakest (generally) and work through movement, for example, pelvic retroversion.
Oblique (upper or lower): They work in rotation movements of the trunk and lateral flexion of the same. It also helped to bending “frontal” (more properly speaking, in the sagittal plane) when working in unison.
Upper rectus abdominis: This is the main trunk flexor, but is also involved to a lesser extent in other movements.
Other groups related stabilizers: According to Hall (2,004) should also consider other training as may be stabilizing muscles lumbar and gluteus maximus.
Looking at them we see that the portion of the rectus abdominis is the strongest and most resilient to work, followed by tapering and ultimately by transverse and lower portion. If our goal (we insist that except in very isolated cases) is to find a balance between them, we we first turn to these vulnerable groups.
According to studies by Stanford University (appointed by Vigo) we see that, in addition, there are muscles that are also involved in proper motions of other groups.
With all this, we must shape our training to start with the weakest areas or low resistance (in this case, transverse) to go from then to the stronger and more resistant (second to internal and external oblique and rectus third party).