Why do people work so hard on their abdominal muscles?
The majority of people who train at the gym, on the track or the field focus on endurance, strength and sports specific exercises. They neglect one of the most important muscular areas of the body: the abdominals.
Although abdominal workouts can be boring and hard work, I will go through fifteen benefits of a strong core before I start working out on my abs and you should too. It will help to keep you motivated and get you results.
- You will live longer, as people with weaker abdominal muscles are twice as likely to die compared to people with a strong midsection.
- A stronger abdominal area supports your spine hence you will be able to lift heavier weights.
- You are less likely to suffer from lower back pain and chronic back injuries.
- If you play football, you are more likely to have a more powerful shot (I can vouch for that), swing a baseball bat harder or smack that tennis ball harder. The more muscle you have in the abdominal area, the more energy will be generated to the rest of your body.
- If you are slimmer or have flat stomach area then this will increase your self-image.
- This will naturally make you more confident.
- Strong abs along with strong hip flexors and a tight erector spinae will improve your posture.
- Your body will be better balanced and you will therefore be less likely to fall. This will give you a longer and injury free career in any sport.
- You will increase muscular endurance therefore there will be quicker recovery after a workout as well as a decrease in your resting heart rate.
- Stronger abs means you will have more muscle hence you will burn more calories when in a resting state, keeping that unwanted fat off.
- Less fat around the waist decreases the risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood LDL cholesterol and diabetes.
- You will have less pressure on your hips, ankles and knees as they will not be overworking due to an unstable body.
- You are less likely to suffer from a hiatus hernia as the abdominal muscles will have no weaknesses.
- For pregnant women having stronger abs will make your labour easier and post-pregnancy recovery much quicker.
- You will knock off any rival players in contact sports like American football, rugby or soccer giving you and your team that competitive edge.
In my opinion any exercise that makes you live longer, increases your confidence and keeps you disease free is worth working on so I prioritise abdominal exercises.
Most people find ab exercises daunting and put them off to the end of a training session but by then you are too tired or have simply run out of time so you just miss them all together. So kick start your training session by working on your abdominus rectus after you have warmed up and do not forget to work on your back.
I hope you benefit from these fifteen benefits of having strong abs!
If you want to stay motivated and learn from my successes (and failures) then get my free ab workout tips and join me on my journey to a more healthy and prosperous life.