{"id":8501,"date":"2023-10-31T20:15:17","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T13:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8501"},"modified":"2023-10-31T20:15:17","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T13:15:17","slug":"how-to-strengthen-ab-muscles-if-youve-hit-a-plateau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8501","title":{"rendered":"How To Strengthen Ab Muscles If You&#8217;ve Hit a Plateau"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">I<\/span>n the quest for strong abdominal muscles, you might be crunching and planking your heart out regularly. Yet every day when you climb back onto the floor to go after it again, you\u2019re still finding abs exercises incredibly challenging. What gives?<\/p>\n<p>No, this doesn\u2019t mean your abs are inherently weak. But it might be a sign that your workout needs some fine-tuning.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why form is key to strengthening the abs<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The abdominals are stabilizing muscles made up of four main muscle groups\u2014the transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, and internal and external obliques\u2014running along the front of your torso from the ribs to the pelvis. While many people try to strengthen their abs through old standbys like sit-ups and planks, these moves often result in the recruitment of other core muscles to \u201chelp,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/kristielarson.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/kristielarson.com\/\">Kristie Larson, CPT<\/a>, a body neutral strength coach in New York City.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFactors like body positioning and the mobility of your hips and spine can make a big difference in which muscles are being developed,\u201d says Larson. \u201cIf someone feels like abs exercises are never getting easier, my first recommendation is to pay attention to where you are feeling the work. If a plank is harder on your quads and shoulders than it is on your abs, then the problem isn&#8217;t strength, it&#8217;s positioning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One of the most common mistakes when doing abs exercises is tilting the pelvis forward, says <a href=\"https:\/\/mihp.net\/staff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/mihp.net\/staff\/\">Sherry McLaughlin, MSPT, CSCS<\/a>, founder of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mihp.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.mihp.net\/\">Michigan Institute for Human Performance<\/a>. \u201cPeople with overarched spines tend to have a hard time with abs exercises,&#8221; McLaughlin says. Instead, your pelvis should be in a neutral position\u2014if you lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor, neutral is the position in between having your back arched completely and having it flat on the floor. (Many trainers will tell you to aim to have just enough space for a blueberry to fit underneath your lower back.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-strengthen-ab-muscles\/\" current-title=\"This Is What Your Body Is Trying To Tell You if Abs Exercises Never Seem To Get Any Easier\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/GettyImages-how-to-strengthen-ab-muscles-425x285_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-05-01\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-strengthen-ab-muscles\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-strengthen-ab-muscles\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-strengthen-ab-muscles\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Tight opposing muscles can also neurologically weaken ab muscles and throw off your form, says McLaughlin, pointing out that one common culprit is the hip flexors, or psoas muscle. \u201cThis muscle tends to be tight in people who sit a lot or walk with their toes pointed out,\u201d she says. Tight quads can also cause your pelvis to tilt forward.<\/p>\n<p>Other common form mistakes are over-using the hip flexors doing floor exercises like crunches, and lifting the hips or tipping into the shoulders in plank positions, says Larson. \u201cPeople also over-prioritize duration over intensity. An effective plank position should feel challenging almost immediately and it may be very difficult to maintain a strong plank for longer than 30 seconds. A longer hold does not equate to stronger abs if the tension and position are not maintained,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Are you doing the best exercises for your abs?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>While you may recall countless sit-ups in grade school gym classes, that&#8217;s not the most effective way to build abdominal strength, says McLaughlin. \u201cBecause the abs are primarily a stabilizer, they should be worked in that way. Though crunches serve a purpose in strengthening the abdominal muscles, the abs rarely do this move in real life,\u201d she says. \u201cThere is generally no need for muscles to flex the trunk when you are upright and moving around.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Instead, McLaughlin and Larson recommend strengthening abs through moves that closely mimic actions we perform in everyday life. \u201cTo improve your ab strength, do exercises that use your whole body weight or add external load. H<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/farmers-walk-exercise\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/farmers-walk-exercise\/\">eavy carries<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hanging-leg-raises\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/hanging-leg-raises\/\">hanging knee raises<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.skimresources.com%3Fid%3D104860X1561639%26xs%3D1%26xcust%3DSTMSFT-1127669%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.acefitness.org%252Fresources%252Feveryone%252Fexercise-library%252F287%252Frotational-slam%252F%2523%253A%257E%253Atext%253DBegin%252520with%252520the%252520medicine%252520ball%252Cother%252520side%252520of%252520the%252520body.&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fhow-to-strengthen-ab-muscles%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.acefitness.org\/resources\/everyone\/exercise-library\/287\/rotational-slam\/#:~:text=Begin%20with%20the%20medicine%20ball,other%20side%20of%20the%20body.\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\">rotating med-ball slams<\/a> will improve your ab strength more than crunches will,\u201d says Larson. \u201cExternally loaded exercises like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/farmers-walk-exercise\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/farmers-walk-exercise\/\">farmer carries<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZDt4MCvjMAA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZDt4MCvjMAA\">cable woodchoppers<\/a> are generally more effective for ab training than floor-lying work because you have to stabilize dynamically to keep your balance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Exercises you might not even associate with your abs like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/proper-squat-form\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/proper-squat-form\/\">squats<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/overhead-press-with-resistance-band\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/overhead-press-with-resistance-band\/\">overhead presses<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-do-a-deadlift\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-do-a-deadlift\/\">deadlifts<\/a> are also very good at increasing ab strength, advises Larson. Just be sure to only lift appropriate amounts of weight if you&#8217;re a beginner\u2014don\u2019t overdo it.<\/p>\n<p>Perfecting your squat form can also activate your gluteus maximus, which can help keep the hip flexors from taking over, says McLaughlin. \u201cIf you start to have even mild low-back discomfort [doing planks or crunches], stop the exercise and try to do something that activates the quads or glutes\u2014squats and lunges are a great place to start\u2014and then retry the abdominal exercise,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The real way to tell if your abs are getting stronger<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking in the mirror and not seeing a six-pack in the reflection, that doesn\u2019t mean your abs aren\u2019t getting stronger. Because the abs are stabilizing muscles, progress can be tricky to pin down, but there are some telltale signs to look out for.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is difficult to quantify improvements in ab strength because your ab muscles don&#8217;t work in isolation in the real world: They work with your limbs and the rest of your core musculature to stabilize, rotate, flex, and extend the spine to keep you upright through movement,\u201d says Larson. \u201cSo maybe you can hold a plank longer or do a few more sit-ups, but where ab strength improvements really can be felt is during heavy lifts when you are able to maintain torso positioning under load.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the best gauge of increased ab strength won\u2019t be felt in the gym, says McLaughlin. \u201cYou will be able to tell if your abs are getting stronger if other things are getting easier: squatting, lifting from the ground, lifting overhead, throwing, etc.,\u201d she says. \u201cYou will notice an absence of back pain or knee pain. All of these are signs that your abs are working.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the quest for strong abdominal muscles, you might be crunching and planking your heart out regularly. Yet every day when you climb back onto the floor to go after it again, you\u2019re still finding abs exercises incredibly challenging. What gives? No, this doesn\u2019t mean your abs are inherently weak. But it might be a &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8502,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8501"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8501\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}