ABS – TRAINING
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AGING
Trunk Exercise Training Improves Muscle Size, Strength and Function in Older Adults – 2019
Procedure
– assess the effectiveness of a multimodal exercise program to increase trunk muscle morphology and strength in older individuals, and their associated changes in functional ability.
– 64 older adults (≥60 years); 2-week exercise program comprising walking and balance exercises with or without trunk strengthening/motor control exercises; followed by a 6-week walking-only program (detraining; 32 per group)
EMG STUDIES
Core Training – PDF File – 2006 – McBride
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RECTUS ABDOMINIS, EXTERNAL & INTERAL OBLIQUE, ERECTOR SPINAE
– Dynamic & Static Exercises
Trunk Muscle Activities During Abdominal Bracing: Comparison Among Muscles and Exercises – 2013 – Maeo
5 Static Exercises
· Abdominal Bracing, Abdominal Hollowing | Prone Plank, Side Plank, Supine Plank
5 Dynamic Exercises
· V-sits, Sit-ups Feet Anchored, Curl-ups | Back Extensions on the floor, Back Extensions on a bench
Results
Rectus Abdominis: V-Sit 80 . Sit-up feet anchored 44 . Curl-up 44 . Prone Plank 30
External Oblique: V-Sit 65 . Sit-up feet anchored 44 . Curl-up 36 . Side Plank 36
Internal Oblique: Abdominal Hollowing 62 . Abdominal Bracing 60 . V-Sit 50 . Sit-up feet anchored 36
Erector Spinae: Floor back extension 62 . Bench back extensions 58 . Supine Plank 36
RECTUS ABDOMINIS UPPER & LOWER, EXTERNAL & INTERAL OBLIQUE
– Dynamic & Static Exercises
ACE Research Study on Abdominals – 2014
– Baseline: individual lay on a decline bench, with hands across the chest and a 90-degree angle at torso and hips; researchers grasped subject’s shoulders and pulled downward while the subject resisted
– Electrodes placed on URA and LRA, EO and RF measured subjects’ maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)
– Note: Captain’s Chair is Knee-ups with forearms supported
Upper Rectus Abdominis: Decline Bench Curl up 108 . Big Ball Crunch 104 . Baseline 100 . VKR 86 . Knee-up Straps 82 . Ab Wheel Rollout 80
Lower Rectus Abdominis: Baseline 100 . Decline Bench Curl up 100 . Big Ball Crunch 98 . Knee-up Straps 98 . VKR 96 . Ab Wheel Rollout 95
External Obliques: Ab Wheel 180 . Decline Curl up 162 . Knee-up Straps 158 . VKR 142 . Big Ball Crunch 120 . Baseline 100
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RECTUS ABDOMINIS, EXTERNAL OBLIQUE
– Multiple Exercises
ACE Research Study on Abdominals – 2001
Exercises – see PDF File
– Traditional Crunch; Long Arm Crunch; Big Ball Crunch; Legs Vertical Crunch
– VKR – vertical knee raise ; Reverse Crunch knees bent on floor
– Rollout Variation: Torso Track
Results
Rectus Abdominis: VKR 212 . Big Ball Crunch 139 . Crunch legs vertical 129 . Torso Track 127 . Long arm crunch 119 . Rev. Crunch knees bent 109 . Crunch 100
Obliques: VKR 319 . Rev. Crunch knees bent 240 . Crunch legs vertical 216 . Big Ball Crunch 147 . Torso Track 145 . Long arm crunch 118 . Crunch 100
RECTUS ABDOMINIS UPPER & LOWER, EXTERNAL & INTERAL OBLIQUE
– Dynamic & Static Exercises
EMG analysis of traditional and nontraditional abdominal exercises: implications for rehabilitation and training – Escamilla – 2006
Results
Upper Rectus Abdominis:
– Reverse Crunch 30º Incline 75 . Wheel Rollout 75 . Hanging Knee-up 70 . Crunch 60
– Wheel Knee-up 40 . Wheel Pike 40 . Reverse Crunch Flat 40 . Bent Knee Sit-up 40
Lower Rectus Abdominis:
– Wheel Rollout 80 . Hanging Knee-up 75 . Wheel Pike 55 . Reverse Crunch 30º Incline 50 . Crunch 50 .
– Wheel Knee-up 45 . Bent Knee Sit-up 40 . Reverse Crunch Flat 30 .
External Obliques:
– Wheel Pike 96 . Wheel Knee-up 80 . Hanging Knee-up 80 . Wheel Rollout 65 .
– Bent Knee Sit-up 50 . Reverse Crunch 30º Incline 50 . Reverse Crunch Flat 40 . Crunch 25 .
Internal Obliques:
– Reverse Crunch 30º Incline 86 . Hanging Knee-up 86 . Wheel Pike 82 . Wheel Knee-up 75 . Wheel Rollout 65
– Reverse Crunch Flat 50 . Bent Knee Sit-up 50 . Crunch 45 
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MRI STUDY
PSOAS MAJOR, QUADRATUS LUMBORUM
RECTUS ABDOMINIS, EXTERNAL OBLIQUE
– Bridges/Planks
Evaluation of Psoas Major and Quadratus Lumborum Recruitment Using Imaging Before and After 5 Trunk Exercises – Imai – 2017
Procedure
– Diffusion‐weighted imaging is a noninvasive MRI – magnetic resonance imaging technique that can be used to assess the recruitment of muscles
Exercises
(A) front bridge hand‐knee: bird-dog
(B) front bridge elbow (forearm)‐knee: bird-dog variation
(C) front bridge elbow (forearm)‐toes: bird-dog variation
(D) side bridge
(E) knee raise: edge of table; knees flexed 90º at start of lift
Results for Right Side
Psoas Major (PM): bird dog elbow-toes 14. knee raise 12 . bird dog elbow‐knee 8 . side bridge 5 . bird dog hand-knee 1
Quadratus Lumborum (QL): side bridge 15
Rectus Abdominis: bird dog elbow-toes 10 . knee raise 9 . side bridge 8 . bird dog elbow-knee 7 . bird dog hand-knee 3
Obliques – Lateral Abdominals: bird dog elbow-toes 12 . knee raise 10 . side bridge 10 . bird dog elbow-knee 7 . bird dog hand-knee 1
UPPER & LOWER RECTUS ABDOMINIS, LOWER ABDOMINAL STABLIZERS, EXTERNAL OBLIQUE
– Sit-up & Curl-ups
The effects of different sit- and curl-up positions on activation of abdominal and hip flexor musculature – Parfrey, Behm – 2008
Results for the Curl Up – Isometric Contractions
Upper Rectus Abdominis (URA): feet non-fixated .64 . bent knee .60 . five or ten cm hand travel .62
Lower Rectus Abdominis (LRA): feet non-fixated .40 . bent knee .39. ten cm hand travel .38
Lower Abdominal Stabilizers (LAS): feet non-fixated .27 . bent knee .27 . ten cm hand travel .26
External Obliques (EO): feet non-fixated .21 . bent knee .20 . ten or fifteen cm hand travel .20
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