The washboard stomach, or sixpack, is colloquially referred to as a strongly trained and defined abdominal musculature. These are the externally visible structures of the straight and oblique abdominal muscles. The external visibility of the muscles is, in addition to the structure of the straight abdominal muscles, the surrounding body fat.
Thus, nutrition plays a decisive role on the way to the perfect washboard. From about 12% – 15% body fat the first structures of the washboard become visible. This is also strongly connected with the distribution of body fat over the whole body.
Besides the right nutrition, endurance sports also have a positive effect on the body fat percentage. To make the relief of the abdominal muscles visible, however, intensive training of the abdominal muscles is also necessary. The exercises below can be used to optimally train the individual abdominal muscles to approach the goal of a washboard stomach. Beginners should start with easy exercises and slowly increase the workload
Exercises for the straight abdominal muscle – rectus abdominis
In the abdominal crunch on the pezzi ball, the target muscle is the straight abdominal muscle (rectus abdominis muscle). The feet are placed shoulder-wide on the floor and provide the necessary stability during the execution. The buttocks are in contact slightly above the front of the pezzi ball, so that the lumbar and thoracic spine rests on the upper side of the pezzi ball when the upper body is returned.
The abdominal muscles are completely contracted from this position and the upper body straightens up again, almost to an upright sitting position. The head is always in a straight position as an extension of the spine. Exhalation always takes place during the contraction.
The Abdominal Crunch with the barbell primarily trains the straight abdominal muscle (M. rectus abdominis). The feet are either fixed to the floor hip-wide or crossed in the air with a hip and knee joint angle of 90° so that the lumbar spine is in contact with the floor when lying down. The upper body lies flat on the floor in supine position and holds the barbell with both arms stretched out perpendicular to the floor.
Due to the contraction of the abdominal muscles, the upper body rolls up from the floor with constant arm extension up to the lumbar spine. The head is always in a straight position as an extension of the spine. Exhalation always takes place during the contraction.
In the woodchopper, both on a bench and on the floor on a mat, the abdominal muscles to be trained are the straight abdominal muscles (M. rectus abdominis). With an integrated oblique version, the oblique abdominal muscles (M. obliquus externus abdominis, M. obliquus internus abdominis) are also trained to a high degree. In a kneeling position with an upright upper body, the pull rope is grasped by the rope puller with both hands with bent arms above the head.
The upper arms are close to the ears during the entire movement. The weight of the cable automatically straightens the upper body in the starting position and forces it into a slight hollow back. From this position the upper body rolls up due to the contraction of the abdominal muscles and pulls the head towards the knee joints.
Exhalation is always during the contraction. Bottom pressing with the barbell is a multi-joint exercise that trains the straight abdominal muscle (rectus abdominis muscle) in particular and is demanding in terms of coordination. In a kneeling and slightly bent position on the floor, the barbell, which has weight plates on the right and left, is gripped with both hands in a more than shoulder-wide grip.
The arms stretched out in the process guide the barbell forward on the floor under enormous abdominal tension, whereupon the knee joint angle opens and the entire body is stretched. Under the contraction of the abdominal muscles, the barbell is again guided with stretched arms to the knee joints. The upper body comes thereby into a slight cat hump. The head is always in a straight position as an extension of the spine. Exhalation is always during contraction.
