NEWS RELEASE
April 15, 2004
For immediate release
Contact:
Christa Dickey
cdickey@acsm.org
ABDOMINAL EXERCISE PROGRAMS MOST EFFECTIVE
WHEN TARGETED
FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL
Health and fitness practitioners should take case-by-case approach
when recommending abdominal exercises
ORLANDO – Abdominal exercises are most effective and less
dangerous when tailored to the needs of an individual. Experts from the
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the world leader in the
science and medical aspects of sports and exercise, say individuals
should choose their abdominal program based on their desired outcome,
not on trends or common misconceptions.
"One crunch does not fit all,” said Michele Scharff-Olson,
Ph.D., FACSM, a professor of exercise science at Auburn University,
Montgomery. “Trainers, coaches, and the athletes or clients
themselves need to know the best set of exercises to reap a desired
benefit and avoid danger.”
Olson spoke today along with Robert Sherman, a Reebok Master Trainer,
to an audience of health and fitness professionals at the eighth annual
ACSM Health & Fitness Summit and Exposition. The pair suggests that
each individual be classified prior to beginning an abdominal program by
their desired outcome: therapeutic/rehabilitation, general health and
fitness, or athletic performance. Calling on recent research, the
experts explained how a safe and effective program can be tailored for
each setting.
"For many athletes, clients, and people generally wanting stronger
abs, finding the right set of exercises can be a frustrating
challenge,” Olson added. “There are so many messages out
there from sources claiming to have found the perfect exercise. It
confuses everyone.”
Olson and Sherman point to an existing trend among the general public
to desire a more attractive mid section, but to blindly go about
performing many repetitions of the same exercise. She suggests these
general recommendations for abdominal exercise:
- Spend less time overall on abdominal exercises.
- Work with a trainer or coach to select a greater variety of
exercises.
- Perform only 15-20 repetitions of each exercise.
- Understand that abdominals are mostly endurance muscles. Do not
train them to increase in size as you would a bicep or quadriceps
muscle.
- The best way to achieve a “six pack” of abs is to focus
more on lowering total body fat through aerobic exercise and dietary
modification. This appearance is more a result of total-body
conditioning.
- Avoid movements that can compress the lower back such as back-lying
leg raises, the yoga boat and the advanced Pilates teaser.
ACSM’s Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition is going on
now at the Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld. For more information
on the event, or to speak with staff in the on-site press office, please
call (407) 235-7247 (through Saturday, April 17).
The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports
medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than
20,000 International, National and Regional members are dedicated to
promoting and integrating scientific research, education and practical
applications of sports medicine and exercise science to maintain and
enhance physical performance, fitness, health and quality of life.
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The American College of Sports Medicine
gratefully acknowledges the following Health & Fitness Summit &
Exposition sponsors: LifeFitness (Premier Sponsor), Gatorade
Sports Science Institute, Gatorade, Reebok (Educational Partner), Amino
Vital, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EAS, Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins, BSDI, and SPRI Products, Inc.
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