<\/p>\n
By far the most common resistance exercise known to man for working the abs is the rope crunch. It\u2019s also the ab exercise done most incorrectly. This is because there are two ways to crunch the cable (assuming you\u2019re doing them on your knees, as you should). One way is to pull the weight down by bending at the waist. The other is to lock your hips and crunch your sternum toward your pubic bone by rotating your spine and driving your elbows downward. One way works your hip flexor (psoas)\u2014a muscle you can\u2019t see. The other works your rectus abdominis, the washboard you\u2019re actually looking for.<\/p>\n The rectus abdominis is the main muscle of the anterior trunk. It is a long, flat muscle that extends vertically the entire length of the abdomen, originating at the sternum and inserting at the pubic bone, making up the coveted \u201csix-pack.\u201d The muscle flexes the spinal column, particularly in the lumbar region, drawing the breastbone (sternum) toward the pubis. It also tenses the abdominal wall and aids in compressing the contents of the abdomen.<\/p>\n Tendinous inscriptions create spaces that enable the muscle to bunch up as the distance between the rib cage and pelvis decreases during contraction. These are the little blocks that add up to the six-pack\u2014they are not individual muscles and cannot be targeted separately.<\/p>\n There is also no such thing as a \u201clower\u201d or \u201cupper\u201d abdominal. It is one continuous muscle split vertically down the center without interruption. The muscle can indeed be stimulated in ways that emphasize contraction nearer the origin or insertion, but there is no anatomical mechanism that allows anyone to isolate a \u201clower ab\u201d without affecting the upper portion as well.<\/p>\n The relative ease of this exercise compared to the other crazy stuff people allegedly do for abs is deceptive. Because it appears simple, it requires less thought about mind-muscle connection, which in turn avails you of a much brighter shade of pain.<\/p>\n This movement is really about finding the upper threshold of what you think you can\u2019t possibly bear and then going past it. For some reason, the rectus abdominis is freighted with nerve endings that produce an incredible amount of searing pain at the upper limit. Taking this muscle deliberately to honest failure, four sets in a row, is perhaps the most grievous route to enlightenment. However, it\u2019s necessary.<\/p>\nAnatomy of the Abs<\/h2>\n
How Pain May Be the Secret to Building a Shredded Six-Pack<\/h2>\n
The Correct Rope Crunch Form: Step-by-Step Instructions<\/h2>\n