Q. What are the best exercises for a flat
stomach (six pack abs), and firm buttocks
(buns of steel)?
A.
While a nice flat stomach, and firm back side has become synonymous
with what our culture considers physically attractive and desirable, the reality is
that a strong mid-section and glutes are important for A LOT more than just
showing off a nice body. The two areas combined make up a significant part of
what is called “the core” and are the two areas of it usually the most in need of
work. When the core is toned and well-trained it will work in concert via sling
systems (such as those pictured below) to support your back and pelvis and
allow you to move with great efficiency.
Notice how the muscle fibers along the abs or back, line up with the fibers on the
opposite leg or buttock (glute). These contract together to stabilize your torso
while you walk or run, or reach, etc.
You could say that these are your foundational muscles. Their stabilizing
contractions provide the solid base of support from which your arms and legs can
move great weights. Therefore, it is vitally important to make sure the
foundation, or “the core” is adequately strengthened, especially the glutes and
abdominals, before getting into serious weight lifting or other exercise or sports.
It would go a long way to preventing needless back pain, and other injuries,
including knee and shoulder pain.
It’s not just about a flat stomach or a firm butt!
Unfortunately, the way some people train these body parts could create more
back pain or injury, because of improper form and a false perception called “spot
reduction.” This is the belief that the more you exercise the muscles in an
area, the more toned you can make them appear. Let me assure you right
now, this idea is FALSE. No amount of crunches, sit-ups, leg lifts, lunges,
etc are going to give you a visibly flat stomach and a hard, tight “booty.”
Your abdominal and glute muscles will be trained alright, but the fat is reduced
ONLY if you create a caloric deficit by not eating as many calories as you put out.
Exercise develops the abdominals, but a low body fat enables you to see them!
Any lifestyle plan that encourages you to sustainably take in fewer calories each
week than you put out can work well. Two of the simpler plans that have been
found to work really well can be found here and here.
In general, from a health perspective, issues like elevated triglycerides,
lower HDL, elevated blood pressure and insulin levels, etc all respond
positively to lowering abdominal fat and waist size to about ½ your height
(whether male or female). To be able to see the ridges of your abdominal
muscles usually an even further reduction in body fat is needed (to about 8-10%
body fat in men, and under 15% in women). This is NOT necessary for health
and for many people, trying to maintain this low of a body fat level is not healthy
anyway. Even many fitness models (like folks in the picture above) do not
usually maintain this level of body fat year round. The average male body has
about 14-18% body fat levels, and the average female about 20-25%. If you stick
with a waist size about half your height or less, and learn how to sustain that
without a lot of mental stress or obsession over what, or how, you eat, you will be
doing great for health.
Now, on to the exercises!
The Best Exercises for Abdominals
Abdominal Function:
Rectus Abdominus – These muscles make up what people call the “six-pack”
although, as you can see, it is really an “eight-pack.” They can certainly flex the
spine (bringing the rib cage closer to the pelvis or vice versa), but they are
obviously built for more than that since they are also divided into their
characteristic eight boxes which make them far better stabilizers.
Transverse Abdominus – This muscle acts as a natural weight belt to keep
your insides in. This helps with trunk stability and keeping your waist tight.
Internal and External Obliques – These assist the rectus abdominus in flexing
the spine and stabilizing the torso, and can also create or resist rotation. The
external obliques are called on to help with all “lower abs” moves like leg
raises. The internal obliques are activated to help with all “upper abs”
moves like crunches.
Rectus abdominus is equally used in both crunch type and leg raise movements.
Best activation with EMG: Electromyography or “EMG” for short, measures the
electrical activity of the muscles during exercise. So, the higher the EMG score,
the greater the muscular involvement. The following exercises rate amongst the
highest with EMG.
Rectus Abdominus – Chin ups, Hanging Leg Raise, Swiss Ball Crunches, Ab
Wheel
Internal Oblique – Ab Wheel from Feet, Body Saw, Tornado Ball Slam
External Oblique- Hanging Leg Raise, Body Saw, Turkish Get-up, Ab Wheel
from Feet
Winners
Hanging Leg Raise and Body Saw will work the entire abdominal area (abs +
obliques) very strongly and effectively if you have the abdominal strength to
handle these more advanced movements.
Hanging Leg Raises and the Body Saw are ideal for rock hard abs!
There are multiple variations of these moves and they are all good. For the
Hanging Leg Raise, you could use the “Captain’s Chair” instead or hang from
your hands instead of using the straps. You can also use straight legs, instead of
the bent knees as you get stronger. The Body Saw can be done with the TRX
straps as shown, or with the shins on a foam roller or with socked feet on a slide
board.
Since the primary, “functional” purpose of the abdominals is stabilization of the
torso, Plank and Side Plank movements are amongst the best moves to train
the abdominals for beginners. Spinal experts like Dr. Stuart McGill also believe
that too much spinal flexion in your abdominal exercise, in the form of situps, crunches, and the like is bad for spinal health. The focus should instead
be on “bracing” the abs with stabilization exercises like planks or the more
advanced Ab Wheel exercises (like the one shown below) or Body saw.
Always begin with a bigger wheel or Swiss ball first before progressing to smaller
ab wheels like the one pictured, and always keep your lower back and neck in
the neutral position. You are trying to resist arching the low back as you go
down. This is what abdominal strength is for!
Bottom Line: Begin abdominal work with plank and side plank
progressions. You should not begin a serious weightlifting program, lifting
weights greater than 25% of your bodyweight, if you cannot hold the plank
position for at least a minute, and two would be better. The side plank can
be held for ½ to ¾ as long. The planks can be progressed to tougher
versions like the Bodysaw and Ab Wheel one step at a time. Exercises like
the bicycle crunch and lying leg raises can be used to prepare the body for
the more advanced Captain’s Chair or Hanging Leg Raise. Be sure to get
professional help like BWC’s personal trainers if in doubt about how to
properly progress or perform the exercises!
I
The Best Exercises for Glutes (Buttocks)
Gluteus Function:
Gluteus Maximus – This is one of the largest and strongest muscles in the
body. Its primary function is extending the hip forwards (or moving your leg to
the rear).
Gluteus Medius and Minimus – These smaller gluteal muscles lie beneath the
larger gluteus maximus which covers them like a blanket. Their function is to
help lift (abduct) the leg away from the midline of the body.
In short the glute muscles enable the most important motions in sports and
include sprinting, leaping, cutting from side to side, and twisting. Properly
training and developing them is the BEST method of protecting the low back,
knee, hamstring, and groin from injuries. Too many young people are coming
down with ACL knee injuries and other problems because of lack of
preparation and strength in their gluteus muscles.
Best activation with EMG: The following exercises rate amongst the highest
with EMG.
Gluteus Maximus – Hip Thrust, Glute Bridge, Pull-Throughs, “Birddog” is also
good.
Gluteus Medius and Minimus – Standing or Seated Leg Abduction with bands,
cable, or exercise machines.
Winners:
The Hip Thrust is unquestionably the most effective butt blaster that you can do.
It is superior for athletes who want to sprint faster, and anyone who wants to help
protect the low back, knees, etc while building the shapeliest butt possible. What
about deadlifts, lunges, deep squats, etc that are so commonly done to tone and
build the glutes? Remember our two rules for discovering the best exercises.
The best movements:
1. Work in line with the muscles bio-mechanical function and,
2. Effectively overload the most muscle fibers possible.
Take a good look at the gluteus maximus picture above. It is a beautiful muscle
isn’t it.  But notice the direction the muscle fibers are going. They do not
extend up and down like your hamstrings or biceps, so simply squatting up and
down or lunging with one leg CANNOT work the muscle maximally. In fact, it is
only in the bottom position (when the hips dip to the height of the knees or lower)
that the glutes work much at all! Yes, lunges stretch the glutes so they get sore
the next day, but the muscle fibers are only being ½ worked at best.
The only way to properly train the gluteus maximus muscle is by causing it to flex
hard from front to back against gravity.
The glute bridge and hip thrust activate the glutes best!
Of course, if you have a “flat butt” or really want to develop your glutes you must
train progressively—and that means adding weight as you get stronger…
How about 135lbs added for your hip thrusts? Does her butt look too big?
The weighted hip thrust or weighted glute bridge are the finest butt exercises you
can do.
Bottom Line: Begin training your glutes with various forms of the glute
bridge and hip thrust exercise without weights. The “birddog” exercise is
also excellent. For some it may be necessary to stretch the hip flexors on
the front of the thigh before being able to really extend the hip and get
good gluteal muscle contractions. Concentrate on really flexing the
buttock and NOT arching the lower back (bracing the abdominals at the
same time you flex the buttocks really helps). Begin to add weight when
you can perform 10-20 repetitions with a 5 second hold at the top.
The smaller gluteal muscles toward the side of the hip can be worked with
your classic lying leg lift to the side, and then weighted with seated hip
abduction or standing cable hip abduction moves.
No ifs, “abs”, or “butts” about it,
Tom Morrison 
Fitness Coordinator, BWC
Ph. 706-278-WELL
Email: [email protected]
References:
 Anatomy of the Abdominal Muscles found at:
http://www.fitstep.com/Advanced/Anatomy/Abs.htm
 Anatomy of the Gluteal Muscles found at:
http://www.fitstep.com/Advanced/Anatomy/Glutes.htm
 Anders, Mark. New Study Puts the Crunch on Ineffective Ab Exercises. Article found at:
http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/studies/bestworstabexercises.pdf
 Atlas, Jaime. Your Exercise Program is Getting You Halfway to Your Butt Potential—At
Best!!! Article found at: http://jamieatlas.wordpress.com/?s=glutes&searchbutton=go%21
 Contreras, Bret. Inside the Muscles: Best Ab Exercises. http://www.tnation.com/testosterone-magazine-627 =
Body fat Percentage: Ideal Body Fat Percentage for Men and Women. Article found at:
http://www.exercisegoals.com/body-fat-percentages.html
 The Top 10 Best Abdominal Exercises, Part 1: Article found at:
http://www.projectswole.com/weight-training/the-top-10-best-abdominal-exercises-part-1