It may seem like the most obvious question in the world but believe me, without at least a basic understanding of the physiology and composition of this particular muscle group then your goal of well defined ripped abs will remain a distant dream.
There are six groups of abdominals, hence the phrase six pack, and they make up the core abdominal muscles. Your abs begin just under the rib cage and make their way all the way down to the pelvic area. On each side of your torso are two pairs of abdominals known as the external and internal obliques. This muscle group is there to support your spine in it's side to side and forward and backward motions. Your obliques are absolutely fundamental in your quest for ripped abs as they play a key role in developing core strength, but they will not form part of your visible six pack as they are impossible to see.
Now one extremely important fact to remember when working to develop ripped abs is that although the abs are made up of distinct muscle groups the abdominal area is in fact one muscle known as the Rectus Abdominus. Therefore it is virtually impossible to completely isolate just one area of your abs, because quite simply when you work your abs you work them all.On occasion you will hear someone say " I have to work on my lower abs" or something along those lines~{Every now and again you will hear someone say "I have to work on my lower abs"}~Occasionally you might hear someone say " I have to work on my lower abs" or something similar}~{On occasion you will hear someone say " I have to work on my lower abs" or something along those lines}~{Every now and again you will hear someone say "I have to work on my lower abs"}~Occasionally you might hear someone say " I have to work on my lower abs" or something similar}. This is simply not possible without working the rest of the muscle group at the same time.
The final group of abdominals are the Transverse Abdominus muscles. As with the external and internal obliques they are invisible from the outside, they do however, play just as pivotal a role in your quest for lean ripped abs as the other groups. Their main function is in ensuring correct body posture. The best analogy would be to think of your transverse abdominus as your very own natural weight belt.
I believe it is vitally important to stress at this point just how vital strong abs can be. Ripped abs are a great goal to work towards, not just aesthetically but because strong abs contribute to good core stability which goes a long way to reducing potential problems in later life. Weak abdominal muscles will contribute towards problems such as lower back pain or indeed any other postural issues. Strong abs will go a long way towards reducing the risk of injury when you train or indeed just help to build your core strength when performing everyday activities.
It is vital that you bear in mind that your abdominals are muscles in just the same way as any other and will need a similar recovery period after a workout. The good news however, is that given their unique fibre composition they actually require slightly less recovery time than most of the other major muscle groups. Devise your workout plan around your ultimate goal, whether that be just to build strength or to develop awesome ripped abs, and stick to it rigidly. All the best.
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