Physical exercise has many benefits for our health, both physical and psychological.

However, there are many people who simply decide to engage in scheduled physical activity to improve their fitness.Despite this, the practice of physical exercise should always be focused on well-being and with the aim of improving our general health.

The reality of working out the abs

The abdominals are a muscle group found in the middle of the body and condition much of our movements. Working this area indirectly affects the rest of the body and improves, for example, our body posture. Working the abs helps prevent injuries, pain and discomfort.

Obsessing over the abs is not a good option , as this can cause us to overtrain that area. For those of you who want to work on your physical appearance, if you really want to mark the core zone, it’s no use spending hours and hours working on that zone. The best results appear when you do a mixed workout, i.e. strength and aerobics.

Benefits of doing sit-ups

But far from the impact that our abs can have on our body image, developing this part of the body can help us in our day-to-day life.

You’re probably asking yourself: What are these benefits? What does abdominal work, bring me besides a nice body? Below you can find the answer to these questions.

1. Reduces back pain

Strong abdominals are beneficial for the back, especially the middle and lower back. When we have abs that are not worked hard enough we are forcing the back to work harder and support more weight . This is why it is essential to work on the core for any daily activity. For example when bending down to pick something up.

If we distribute the weight towards the abdominal area, we will have less risk of feeling pain in the back. The abdominal work helps this muscle to lift more weight and get less fatigue.

2. Improves posture

Therefore, one of the most important benefits of working this area of the body is to strengthen the abdominal muscles, which helps to maintain a good position and relieve tension in the back. Strong abdominals improve good posture , which decreases the wear and tear on the spine.

Poor posture is a problem because it can lead to complications such as disc herniation and, with age, it can happen that the wear and tear of certain areas of the spine causes the natural posture to be deviated, causing body weight to be distributed in an inappropriate manner and, in turn, other problems to appear. In addition, good posture makes us physically more attractive.

3. Helps prevent injury

As you can see, not only does abdominal work help reduce back pain, but correct posture when doing any daily work prevents injuries. Whether, as discussed in the previous point, to prevent complications such as a herniated disc or to avoid lower back pain by making a bad gesture, strong abdominals help us to prevent the appearance of serious physical problems and ailments.

4. Improves balance

Working the abdominals improves the control of the body’s balance, since they are the support of our trunk, and if it is not these muscles that do the work, another part of our anatomy will do it , that is, the back. The results of this can be harmful to this part of the body. The fact is that almost every movement we make involves the lumbar area and, consequently, it can make the latter develop much more than the abdominal area.

In order to find balance and equilibrium, it is necessary to do specific abdominal work, otherwise problems such as scoliosis or lordosis could appear. Balance comes into play every day : if you walk on an uneven surface or when you take a wrong step on a kerb.

5. Breathing better

Physical training and breathing training go hand in hand. The development of stronger respiratory muscles, such as the diaphragm and intercostals , translates into better core strength, according to a study by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. At the same time, a stronger core allows for easier and more correct breathing, so if we get used to it we will perform better by maximizing the amount of oxygen we get.

6. Improving sports performance

All sports use the central part of the body for stabilization and action. Whether catching a ball, throwing it or turning the torso while swimming, the function of the abdominal area is key .

All of these movements emanate from strong abdominal muscles and, in addition to preventing injuries, this helps recovery and healing. Training the abdominal area has an indirect effect on sports performance. For example, it helps us to kick harder, swim faster or jump higher.

7. Working the functional force

Functional strength is the force needed to carry out day-to-day activities, i.e. the force you use to perform the tasks you usually do. This is normal, as this muscle group is involved in a huge variety of movements and tasks.By working the abdominal area you will notice the results in your daily activities, not only when playing a sport .

8. Protected organs

Among the benefits of strong abs are that they protect our organs. The abdominal area is a part of the body where most of the vital organs of our body are found, so it is important to have a thick layer that keeps them well isolated from the environment. The abdominals act as a shield to protect them .