Lower Ab Crunches

When working out your abdominal muscles, performing lower ab crunches can help you to avoid neglecting this all-important part of your core muscle group.

Most people believe that the way to strong core muscles is by performing regular crunches. There is much more to your core than your rectus abdominis, however.

Your core muscles include the following:

• Pelvic floor muscles
• Transversus adbominis
• Internal and external obliques
• Multifidus
• Longissimus thoracis
• Latissimus dorsi
• Gluteal muscles
• Daphragm

Having a strong core is essential because it is your body’s major support. Weak core muscles can lead to back pain and decreased quality of life.

Lower ab crunches are an essential part of exercising the muscles of your core.

Performing lower ab crunches strengthens the lower part of your rectus abdominis and your transverse abdominis. These muscles help to stabilize your spin and prevent lower back injury.

Your lower abdominal muscles are the bottom two squares in the "six pack" when you have six pack abs. They are typically the last of the "six pack" to appear because they lay buried under a thin layer of subcutaneous fat.

• The lower part of your rectus abdominis, which runs vertically along the front of your stomach. It pulls the pelvic floor upwards.
• The transverse abdominis lies vertically underneath the rectus abdominis. It pulls your belly button towards your spine.

Performing crunches for your lower abs is a very effective way to strengthen the lower rectus abdominis and the transverse abdominis. Many people avoid this type of crunches because they are more difficult to exercise than the other muscles of your abdomen and core.

One of the reasons that these exercises are so difficult for so many to perform is because it is quite difficult to isolate this muscle group without involving adjunct muscles such as the hip flexors. When performed improperly using the hip flexors, this type of exercise can lead to lower back injury rather than preventing it. Hip flexors are already extremely strong muscles because most people spend a good portion of their day with their hips flexed or flexing. When they are strengthened even more by improperly performed crunches for the lower abs, the hip flexors can get out of balance and pull the lower back forward and out of position, leading to back pain and weakness.

1. Start in a typical crunch position with your lower back flat against the floor. To achieve this position, you will need to tighten your gluteal muscles and tilt your pelvis slightly forward.
2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
3. Place your arms flat on the floor next to your body, palms downward.
4. Tuck your chin into your chest and raise your shoulders just a little ways off of the floor. The act of tucking your chin will likely accomplish this shoulder raise.
5. Slowly and deliberately, raise one leg towards your chest and then lower it slowly until your foot touches the floor.
6. Repeat movement with the other leg.
7. Alternate legs, 5-10 repetitions for beginners without resting between legs.

• Beginners should do 5-10 reps a few times a week, working their way up to three sets of 20 reps several times per week.
• The only place you should feel the muscles working is in your lower abdomen.
• Move the leg slowly and deliberately. Avoid using your hip flexors to raise your leg. Instead, focus on the lower abdomen doing the work. If you swing your leg, you are involving your hip flexors and using momentum.
• If you do feel your other muscle groups becoming involved, stop. It means your lower abdominals have become fatigued and are no longer participating in the exercise.
• Stop if you experience pain in your lower back.
• Focus on getting good quality repetitions in as opposed to getting in as many repetitions as you can. A few well-performed crunches are far more effective than many poorly performed ones.
• It is easy to forget to breathe when you are doing this exercise. To keep yourself breathing, exhale as you lift your leg towards your chest and inhale as you lower it.

Performing lower abdominal exercises takes time and patience, but the payoff is a healthier, stronger core.

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