Despite popular opinion, the six pack is not only essential in increasing your sex life—it actually has functionality in everything you do!
Assistance on all moves: The importance of midsection strength cannot be stressed enough regarding the application it has toward assisting other major resistance training lifts. Beyond the weight room, the strength of your midsection is important in everyday movements to prevent injury. Sixty to eighty percent of the population in North America will suffer from back pain or injuries at some point during their lives, with one to five percent of that group suffering chronic back pain that lasts six months or longer. Back pain is the most frequent cause of activity limitation among those under forty-five. Although eighty to ninety percent of individuals will recover from back pain within three to six days of their injury, statistics estimate $31 million is spent on office visits to physicians for back pain, but only three percent of that total cost goes to prevention of back pain.
Lower back first aid: Many exercisers, whether novice or veteran, will hurt their lower backs. People with chronic pain in that area often suffer from a weak abdominal wall. One can possess a strong lumbar region, but without a strong abdominal area to balance out strength and stability, they will not be able to tap into the full potential of strength and, subsequently, more muscle. The trigger of the lower back episode may have been caused by an acute action, but more than likely, the underlying problem may stem from a weak midsection. Stress appears to be the leading risk factor for back pain and injuries.
The sought-after six pack: Everyone wants a ripped midsection, but you have to stop for a moment and seriously think about your priorities and habits as they apply to your goals. Are you taking the correct steps toward those goals? Are your training, diet, and recovery habits in line with those goals? Are you setting a realistic timeline? Only you can answer these questions honestly. Don’t sell yourself short and make the best of your time and efforts.
Study provided by Michael R. Bracko, Ed.D., FACSM today during an address at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 10th Annual Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition in Orlando.
About the Author: Scott Williams
