Forget Six-Pack Abs
Healthy abdominal muscles are strong, not hard.
By Fernando Pagés Ruiz
Page:
1
2
3
4
5
6
Have you ever stood at the mirror, sucked in your stomach and
thought, "I wish I could look like this all the time?" If you grew up in
the United States, your answer is probably yes. Madison Avenue has sold
us the notion that taut abdominals are the quintessence of health and
beauty. Rock-hard bellies are used to promote everything from underwear
to cereal.
But if you yearn for the rippled look of "six-pack"
abs, consider what you may sacrifice to obtain it: That look might cost
you flexibility and freedom of movement. Overdoing abs exercises can
lead to a flattening of the lumbar curve, creating a weakened spinal
structure. "We're even beginning to see hunchback conditions because of
excessive abdominal crunches," claims biomechanics and kinesiology
specialist Michael Yessis, Ph.D., author of Kinesiology of
Exercise (Masters Press, 1992). Society's obsession with flat
tummies has psychological consequences too. "We want to control our
feelings, so we make our bellies hard, trying to 'keep it together,'"
says yoga teacher and physical therapist Judith Lasater, Ph.D., author
of Living Your Yoga (Rodmell Press, 2000). Soft bellies appear
vulnerable; abs of steel don't. But the traditional military posture of
attention—chest out, belly in—not only makes soldiers appear
hard and invulnerable, it also foils their independence. Soldiers are
supposed to follow orders, not intuition. Yogis may be warriors too, but
we want to shed armoring. Tension interferes when trying to access the
deeper wisdom that rests in the belly. As yogis, we require a supple
abdomen in which we can sense the stillness of our being.
Healthy Bellies
"We're a culture afraid of the belly,"
laments Lasater. In our societal obsession with abdominal minimalism, we
often lose sight of the true nature of this crucial part of the body.
Abdominal muscles assist breathing, align the pelvis, flex and rotate
the trunk, keep the torso erect, support the lumbar spine, and hold in
the organs of digestion. The crunch-obsessed fitness buffs are
partly right, though: Strong, toned muscles at the core of your
body support good health. But that does not mean we should cultivate a
permanent navel cramp, hold our breath, and stand like soldiers on
parade. Take a look at the Buddha, perhaps the world's best-known yogi.
In many paintings and statues, he doesn't have "abs of steel." Yogis
know that chronically tight abdominals aren't any healthier than
chronically tight hamstrings or back muscles. Yoga can help you develop
the perfect balance of abdominal strength, suppleness, relaxation, and
awareness.
Next
 
| 
