Abstracted by:  Mark Marcello Class:  PTR101            Date:  10/7/03 

First Author:  John M. Cissik, MS, CSCS 

Second Author:  None 

Title:  Programming Abdominal Training, Part I

Publication:  Strength and Conditioning Journal 

Date:  February 2002               Vol.:  24           No.: 1             Pages:  7

Abstract/Summary:  Every strength and conditioning program should include abdominal exercises.  The exercises for the abdominals should follow some basic principles of exercise science:  progressive overload, periodization of training and specifity (periodization and specifity are discussed in Part II of abdominal programming).

In order to properly train abdominal muscles it is important to understand their actions and functions along with knowledge of their anatomy.  The muscles of the abdominal region consist of the rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques and transverse abdominis.

The upper fibers of the rectus abdominis and the external & internal obliques act together to flex the trunk.  The lower rectus abdominis fibers along with the obliques function to posteriorly tilt the pelvis.  These lower abdominal fibers also act to stabilize the pelvis.  The external and internal obliques perform trunk rotation and lateral bending.  The internal obliques and transverse abdomininis are the major stabilizers of the spine.  The abdominal muscles attach anteriorly, laterally and posteriorly to the sternum, ribs, and pelvic areas of the body.  Most athletic movements originate in or pass through the trunk this allows for purposeful kinetic chain movement.  Poor abdominal strength can break down or impair purposeful kinetic movement resulting in poor movement biomechanics or kinematics.

Kinetics and kinematics are dynamic biomechanical terms concerned with movement and its velocity, acceleration and associated forces.  Kinetics includes that portion of dynamics that is concerned with body mass and with muscular forces that are applied to move that mass.  Kinematics is a study of the result of the causes of motions, not of the motions themselves.  Failure to observe proper kinetics or kinematics can lead to poor posture, poor performance in sports and lumbar spine injuries.  Abdominal training can make the muscles stronger and more explosive; these effects can improve sport performance and lead to an increase in lumbar spine stability.  Stronger abdominals will improve sport function and help decrease injuries.  The rest of this report focuses on the principle of progressive overload and how it can be used in an abdominal strength and conditioning program.

Abdominal training must become more progressively difficult as a person improves in strength and fitness.  Progressions one could employ are:  position; resistance; speed of movement; and stability.  Position refers to the body position one does an exercise in.  One can perform an exercise in a lying, kneeling, seated or standing position.  A sample positional progression:  lying (supine or side lying); sitting; kneeling; standing on both legs; and standing on one leg.  Next one can add resistance to abdominal exercises using various modes such as weight plate, dumbbells, gravity and arm placement during exercise to name a few.  An appropriate progression could be:  no resistance; resistance held on chest; resistance held over the head; and resistance held over head and between the feet.  The type of abdominal exercise performed will dictate the amount or mode of resistance used; also the strength level of one performing the exercise.

Speed of movement is another mode in which progression can be applied in a systematic fashion.  A suggested progression is:  slow; explosive; and explosive with resistance.  “Changing body position, resistance, and speed or movement is all leading up to the final way to change the difficulty and complexity of the exercises, by changing the stability of the surface that the exercise is performed on”.

Working on an unstable surface will greatly increase strength, proprioception and coordination of the abdominal muscles and provide an increase in abdominal stabilizer strength.  The person performing an abdominal exercise on a therapy ball must contend with staying on the ball, must use abdominal, hip and lower back muscles to stabilize one self, and then perform the desired movement.  A suggested stability progression:  Stable surface; unstable; unstable surface with resistance’ and unstable surface, exercise performed explosively.

To change the difficulty and progression of abdominal exercises, one may change the person’s position, resistance, speed of movement and stability.  One must constantly progress and overload the targeted abdominal muscles during exercise to increase strength and stability to enhance fitness or sport performance and lessen the risk of injury.

Keywords:  abdominals; injury prevention; progressive overload; speed of movement; stability.