How familiar are we really with our very own abdominal wall? Everyone wants these mysterious “abs” stronger and shapely, but why?
First let’s talk about anatomy. Did you know there are four separate muscles that make up the abdominal wall? That’s right. The muscles of the abdominal area are called the rectus abdominus, the internal oblique, external oblique, and the transverse abdominus. There is a fifth muscle, the pyramidalis muscle, which is small and triangular in shape. It is low in the abdomen, located quite low and in front of the rectus abdominus.
These muscles work together to contain the internal organs, support the body (trunk), allow movement, and also cover and protect the internal organs.
The abdominal muscles also give support to the lower back. Weak abs can contribute to back pain.
