Muscle Anatomy – Abdominal Muscle

The abdominal muscles are located between the ribs and the pelvis on the front of the body. Therefore the abdominal muscles support the trunk, allow movement and hold organs in place by regulating internal abdominal pressure. In other words, the abdomen contains all the digestive organs, including the stomach, small and large intestines, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. Since it has four major groups of muscles –

• Rectus Abdominal
• Transversus Muscle
• External Oblique
• Internal Oblique

Abs workout for women and men

Rectus Abdominal

The Rectus abdominis muscle, also known as “abs”, is a paired muscle running vertically on each side of the anterior wall of the human abdomen. There are two parallel muscles, separated by a mid-line band of connective tissue called the linea alba.

Transversus Muscle

The transverse abdominal muscle (TVA) is a muscle layer of the anterior and lateral (front and side) abdominal wall which is deep to (layered below) the internal oblique muscle.

Exercises of Rectus and Transversus muscles:

• Cable Crunches
• Hip Raise
• Flutter Kicks
• V-crunches
• Sit-ups
• Incline crunches  
• Hanging Leg Raise
• Stability Ball Crunches

External Oblique 

The external oblique muscle (of the abdomen) (also external abdominal oblique muscle) is the largest and the most superficial (outermost) of the three flat muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen.

Internal Oblique

The Internal oblique muscle is a muscle in the abdominal wall that lies below the external oblique and just above the transverse abdominal muscles.

Exercises of Internal and External Obliques:

• Plate Twist
• Weighted Decline Oblique Crunches
• Side Jackknife
• Barbell side bends
• Dumbbell side bends
• Push Up to Side Plank
• Seated barbell twist
• Medicine Ball Throw