Short or full abs: which is better? – GOOD SHAPE

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There are good reasons for you to bet on abdominal exercises during training. But which one to prioritize: short abs or full abs?

BENEFITS OF ABDOMINAL EXERCISES

Who lists each of them is the personal trainer Waldyr Macieltechnical manager of Les Cinq Gym (@lescinqgym):

Improved functional fitness: “With good functional aptitude, you will be able to easily perform everyday tasks, such as walking, bending over, standing up and squatting”;
Lower back pain reduction: “Weak abdominal muscles often lead to lower back pain. With the muscles in this region strengthened, posture is maintained, reducing tension in the spine”;
Reduced risk of urinary incontinence: “By also strengthening the pelvic region, abdominal exercises avoid problems such as urinary incontinence in the long term”;
Improved athletic performance: “All important movements originate from the center of the body outwards. With strengthened musculature, you will generate stronger and faster movements. That way, you can have a more efficient muscle building workout, if that is your goal”;
Abdominal fat reduction: “It is true that you lose fat as a whole and not in a localized way, but a study published in national library of medicine showed that increasing blood flow to the belly region by doing abdominal exercises before doing a cardio workout increases fat burning in this region.”

SHORT OR COMPLETE ABDOMINAL?

The difference between them is that, in the short crunch, you recruit the main muscles of the abdomen.

In the complete, in addition to them, secondary muscles that make up the core are also required, such as lumbar, for example.

But the truth is, there is no winner or loser in this whole story. “There is the most effective exercise for everyone. It will depend on what you need or what the professional indicated for you”, explains Waldyr.