The core abdominal muscles underneath our body fat are extremely important for stabilizing our entire body and protecting our backs from injury. They can certainly affect the shape of our torso even if there is excess body fat around them. So just because you can’t spot-reduce fat doesn’t mean you skip your abs workout.
The floorwork segment of Jacki’s class features both curls and pulses. These moves strengthen your “six-pack”. How do they differ?
- Curls are executed using your full range of lift, and your head always returns to the floor (albeit momentarily), before the next curl.
- Pulses cover a smaller range of motion and your head remains elevated throughout, prior to the next “pulse”. Often pulses are executed at a faster pace than the curls, but not always. The tempo is always set by the music it’s choreographed to.
- Occasionally Jacki uses both curls and pulses in reverse, just to keep things interesting.
Why both? Jacki programs both moves for variety, and to fit with the tempo of the chosen music track.
As with all the floorwork, it’s important to get the form right:
- On pulses and curls, support your head and neck but do not pull up or forward (with your hands) to assist the lift. The “working” muscles for this exercise are the abdominals which contract to raise the upper torso off the floor.
- Keep your eyes on the ceiling above, and a space the size of an apple under your chin. This will help remind you to lift straight up and prevent you from flexing your head and neck. Check your own form; if you can see your knees, you are flexing your neck!
- Remember to ensure that your lower back is pressed into the floor throughout the curls and pulses.
What about the cross curls and pulses?
- Curls and pulses to the side (rather than to the centre), sometimes referred to as “cross curls” or “cross pulses”, work the oblique abdominals. The obliques are responsible for any twisting movement your torso makes; they stabilize the trunk and help protect the back.
- During these moves the elbow reaches towards the opposite knee. Aim for the outside of the knee.
- All the same basic rules apply to the cross curls and pulses, i.e. no pulling on neck, eyes on ceiling, lower back pressed to floor.