The Truth About Flat Abs: Why It Might Be Harder To Get Them Than You Thought

If you listen to the infomercials and some rather shady "trainers" you can whittle your waist down to nothing and flatten your ab, no matter who you are or what you are working with. Never mind your personal body shape, they say! You can spot tone your abs, they claim. Flat abs is just a few weeks away and you only need this program, this supplement or this hundred dollar gadget. But, the claims are bogus and the magic pill is just never going to happen. And, your body shape as in its general structure is a reality and not one that you are going to change.

There are several factors that determine the shape and flatness of your abdominal area. While the amount of training you put in as well as your nutrition does have major influence, there are other factors that you have no real influence over at all. Your bones, genetics and the strength of the muscles in that area are all your reality no matter how much you want to work. A wider or square set pelvis will make for a wider, lower abdomen which in turn can make the pelvic area look less trim. But, that is only part of the issue that can change your abdominal appearance. The muscles of the core is also a very serious consideration to keep in mind.

Most people know that they have several muscle groups in their stomach area. These muscles make up the elusive "six pack" that people are battling for but they are not the only muscles that need to be trained. First, there are two sets of muscles along the side of the abdominal cavity that hold the waist in, making it appear narrow and trim compared to the hips and even in relation to the orientation of the rib cage. Those muscles, the internal and external obliques are also the muscles that are engaged during rotational motions and movements. The rectus abdominus are the paired muscles that run from your ribcage to your pelvis and allow the body to flex forward. The deepest of the abdominal muscles is the transversus abdominus which is the muscle that wraps around your waist line, to your back and helps to support the spine.

You can work your abs in one direction for hours on end but will never really flatten out the area like you want. You have to work all of the muscles of the core, including your hip flexors and you have to pay careful attention to your diet and even then you might not ever have the perfectly flat abs of fitness models.

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