Lower ab exercise tips

Everyone knows that most likely one of the primary achievements for anyone who is exercising is a trim, firm stomach. The main issue is they do not focus on the right things when training their core. Most exercisers only hit the upper abs (the upper portion of the rectus abdominis). While it is important to train all muscles of your abs and lower back (rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique and transverse adominis), I am going to give my attention to the lower abs (the lower portion of the rectus abdominis) along with a great lower ab exercise.

Before I give you a example of a lower ab exercise I would like to point out a few things. You should not feel any stress in the lower back. If if you do experience stress you should cease the exercise and seek a personal trainer to watch your technique performing the exercise. More than not this is the problem or you are trying to perform an exercise that is too difficult.

You need to completely engage your hip flexors when performing a lower ab exercise or you make sure that they do not contract at all. The hip flexors are the first muscle group that will contract to help you execute the exercise that is targeting the lower abs. If the hip flexors are already fully contracted you are forced to use the lower abs. This is why hanging leg raises with straight legs is a awesome lower ab exercise. The other way is to make sure that they stay relaxed at all times. This takes good muscle control and practice.

Pay attention to where you feel the exercise working. If you are trying to work the lower abs and your are fatiguing your hip flexors, either you are performing the exercise incorrectly or you did not pick a lower ab exercise. If you feel it in your lower abs and half way through the lower ab exercise you lose that feeling. Either your form started to fail or your lower abs is fatigued and other muscles groups are compensating.

Make sure that you breathe while executing the lower ab exercise. It is only natural to hold your breath. holding your breath helps your body contract your transverse abdominis to to protect the spine. It takes spinal flexion through a a complete range of motion to fully work your rectus abdominis. You cannot do this while holding your breath. Make sure that you breathe out while you are contracting your abs while doing the concentric portion of the exercise.

Make sure that you are focus on the exercise and that the right muscles are engaged. To many times I see people forcefully try to execute an exercise. They are contracting other muscle to do the exercise. You want to isolate the muscle you are targeting. Remember it is much better to do 10 quality repetitions than 50 with poor form.

Ok, enough of the advice. I know you want to get to a lower ab exercise. This lower ab exercise is called the Alternating Leg Raises. To do the exercise, start by lying on your back with your hands under your buttocks. This will prevent you from arching the lower back that may cause stress on the lower back. Brings both legs up so they are about ten inches off the ground. Now raise one of the legs up so that it is at a 90 bend at the hip. From this point simple bring the one leg down and raise the other up at the same time. Repeat this motion until the lower abs is fatigued.

I know that these are all little things, but it is the little things that brings the best results. Try these tips out for a few weeks and then decide if it a difference. Check out Tight Abs Blog for more great exercises.