Physical exercise provides many benefits to our health, both physical and psychological.
However, there are many people who simply decide to do scheduled physical activity to improve their physical condition. Nonetheless, The practice of physical exercise should always be focused on well-being and with the aim of improving our general health.
The reality of training abs
The abdominals are a muscle group found in the middle of the body and that determines a large part of our movements. Working this area indirectly affects the rest of the body and improves, for example, our body posture. Working your abs helps prevent injuries, aches and pains.
Getting obsessed with abs is not a good option, as this can cause us to overtrain that area. For those who want to work on their physical appearance, if they really want to mark the core area, there is no point in spending hours and hours working on that area. The best results appear when mixed training is performed, that is, strength and aerobic.
Benefits of doing sit-ups
But far from the impact that our abs may have on our body image, developing this part of the body can help us in our daily lives.
You will surely wonder: What are these benefits? What does abdominal work give me? Besides a nice body? Below you can find the answer to these questions.
1. Reduces back pain
Strong abs are beneficial for your back, especially your middle and lower back. When we have underworked abs we are forcing our back to work harder and bear more weight That is why it is essential to work the core for any daily activity. For example when bending down to pick up something.
If we distribute the weight towards the abdominal area, we will have less risk of feeling back pain. Abdominal work helps this muscle be able to lift more weight and fatigue less.
2. Improves posture
Therefore, one of the most important benefits of working this area of ​​the body is strengthening the abdominal muscles, which helps maintain a good position and relieve tension in the back. Strong abs improve good posture which reduces wear and tear on the spine.
Poor posture is a problem because it can lead to complications such as herniated discs and, with age, wear and tear in certain areas of the spine may cause the natural posture to become deviated, causing the body weight to be distributed in a different way. inappropriate and, in turn, other problems appear. In addition, good posture makes us physically more attractive.
3. Helps prevent injuries
As you can see, abdominal work not only helps reduce back pain, but correct posture when doing any daily work prevents injuries. Whether, as mentioned in the previous point, to prevent complications such as a herniated disc or to avoid lower back pain When making a bad gesture, strong abdominals help us prevent the appearance of serious physical problems and ailments.
4. Improves balance
Working the abdominals improves control of body balance, since they are the support of our trunk, and If it is not these muscles that do that work, another part of our anatomy will do it, that is, the back. The results of this can be disastrous for this part of the body. And the fact is that in almost every movement we make, the lumbar area comes into play and, consequently, it can make the latter develop much more than the abdominal area.
To find balance and balance, it is necessary to do specific abdominal work, because otherwise problems such as scoliosis or lordosis could appear. Balance comes into play every day : if you walk on an uneven surface or when you take a wrong step on a curb.
5. Breathe better
Physical training and breathing training go together. The development of stronger breathing muscles, such as the diaphragm and intercostals, translates into better core strength, according to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. At the same time, a stronger core allows for easier and more correct breathing, so if we get used to it we will perform better by maximizing the amount of oxygen we get.
6. Improve sports performance
All sports use the core of the body for stabilization and action. Whether catching a ball, throwing it or twisting your torso when swimming, the function of the abdominal area is key
All of these movements emanate from strong abdominal muscles and, in addition to avoiding injuries, this helps with recovery and healing. Training the abdominal area has an indirect effect on sports performance. For example, it helps us shoot harder, swim faster or jump higher.
7. Work on functional strength
Functional strength is the strength necessary to carry out day-to-day activities, that is, it is the strength you use to perform the tasks you usually do. This is normal, since this muscle group is involved in a huge variety of movements and tasks. Working the abdominal area You will notice the results in your daily activities, not only when practicing a sport
8. Protected organs
Among the benefits of having strong abs we find that they protect our organs. The abdominal area is a part of the body where most of our body’s vital organs are located, so it is important that there be a thick layer that keeps them well isolated from the environment. The abs act as a shield to protect them