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For years, we\u2019ve bought into the myth that sit-ups target the upper abs, while hanging knee raises hit the lower abs. Heck, I\u2019ve written about \u201cupper-ab exercises\u201d because I bought into it too.<\/span><\/p>\n But like many training myths that float around the gym floor, this one has enough legs to run.<\/span><\/p>\n The six-pack muscle might look like separate muscles divided at the belly button, but that\u2019s not the case. You can\u2019t switch off the top half while firing up the bottom half like you\u2019re choosing burners on a stove.<\/span><\/p>\n However, not every ab exercise affects the Rectus Abdominis the same way. The exercise you choose and how you perform it can shift where you feel it and which part of the muscle it emphasizes.<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s where the distinction between isolation and emphasis becomes important.<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s the nuance we\u2019ll dig into rightnow.<\/span> Because as you\u2019ll see, the answer isn\u2019t as simple as \u201cupper and lower abs don\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s dive in.<\/span><\/p>\n