Abdominal Anatomy | It's more than aesthetics!
Most people when they think of abs think of a shredded six-pack as they see on models. But that is only one part of four that make up the Core! The six-pack that you can see is called the Rectus Abdominis and is the top most layer (superficial) of all the abdominal muscles that make up the Core. We all have a six-pack inside of us, and depending on your diet and exercise habits, will determine if you are able to show them off or not.
The Rectus Abdominis controls our ability to flex and extend our upper body. It allows us to be able to pick stuff up off the floor and touch our toes. It is also very important in controlling our ribs from flaring and the front of pelvis from tilting forward. Both of these contractions or engagement vectors can relate to whether or not you experience low back pain!
The second layer is the External Oblique. This layer is found on the sides of the core. It allows us to lean from side to side and rotates us to the opposite side. Due to the diagonal direction of the fibers, it also aids the flexion of our upper body when both sides work together. Lastly, this muscle group helps control the ribs from flaring out when lifting the arms overhead.
The third layer is the Internal Oblique. This layer is very similar to the external oblique layer but is found deeper. The main difference is that it rotates the truck to the same side instead of the opposite side. This is important to note with rotational sports and when pain is felt in one direction vs. the other.
The fourth layer is the Transverse Abdominis (TA). This layer is potentially the most important layer in our core. The TA act as a built-in corset of sorts. It provides a compressive force (called Intra-Abdominal Pressure) in our core to keep everything stable. If this muscle does not work properly, low back pain is sure to be a looming risk. This muscle works for our posture, our breathing and the ability to create the Intra-Abdominal Pressure (IAP) is very important with bracing while lifting not only weights during a workout but even day to day tasks like picking up your kids.
As you can see, the core is a very integral part of the body. It helps with our posture, our movement and helps with creating a stable foundation while we move athletically.