AB REGION—A PROBLEM AREA FOR WOMEN?
A woman’s pelvis consists of four bones (paired innominate bones, coccyx, and the sacrum) held together by ligaments. The size and shape of these bones have a tremendous impact on how a woman looks physically. The pelvic shape is classified by the “Caldwell-Moloy” (4) system.
There are four “pure” pelvic shapes in this system–android (A), gynecoid (B), anthropoid (C), and platypelloid (D) shaped pelvis. The pelvis of any person may have some features of the opposite sex. A and C are most common in males, B and A in white females, B and C in black females, while D is uncommon in both sexes (3).
The android pelvis (sometimes called a “true male pelvis”) is found in about 20% of American women. Women who happen to have such a pelvis tend to have “flat rear ends.” Many of the “waif women” prominently seen in the industry modeling have this type of pelvis. Women with this shape of pelvis have virtually no real difficulty in achieving a flat stomach because their pelvises are similar to the average man.
The gynecoid pelvis (sometimes called a “true female pelvis”) is found in about 50% of the women in America. It is the “classic” form that we associate with women and has an anteroposterior diameter just slightly less than the transverse diameter. Lucy Lawless of Xena, Warrior Princess fame has a classic gynecoid pelvis. Women like this tend to be shapely and curvy and are able to have a flat stomach without really dropping body fat levels low enough to cause some female problems (i.e., irregular periods, fertility problems, and hormonal balance disruption).
The anthropoid pelvis is very long and almost “ovoid” in shape. It is more common in nonwhite females (it makes up about 25% of pelvic type in white women and close to 50% in nonwhite women). Women who have such a pelvis shape tend to have “larger rear ends” and may carry a lot of adipose tissue/weight in the buttocks as well as in the abdomen. These women can have a flat stomach with some real effort (they may have to drop body fat levels down a bit lower than women with the other two aforementioned pelvis types, but it’s possible.
The platypelloid pelvis is very short(almost like a “flattened gynecoid shape”). Only about 5% of women have a true and pure pelvis of this type. Women having a platypelloid pelvis tend to carry a lot of weight in the lower abdomen. It’s very difficult for these women to have really flat abdomens without getting body fat levels down into the single digits.
What does all this have to do with having a pouch? Since many women are a mixture of pelvic types regardless of what they do they are still going to end up with a little pouch in their abdomen region
Another important factor in developing award-winning abs is to carefully monitor your caloric intake. In order to bring out the ab muscles, plan on losing 1-2 pounds per week. Between 6-8 weeks from now you should have an awesome set of abs on display.
Never forget your abs!” says IFBB Fitness Pro and 1998 NPC Team Universe (Fitness) runner-up, Amy Yanagisawa. “They are your body’s center of power and provide core strength.
Strong abs aid balance, help prevent lower back injuries and promote good posture. Consistent abdominal workouts (10-15 min, 4-5x per week) performed correctly are not just for physical well-being, but for aesthetics too. Another important tip is to be sure to keep track of your ab exercises in your workout journal so you know which exercises work best for you and produce the best results!”
There are dozens of ab exercises to help you maintain good posture, alleviate lower back pain, and improve your athletic performance. This article has provided you with the tools to develop an intelligent, varied routine that meets your specific training needs and goals. Finally, there is no magic formula that will make your abs appear. Nothing replaces the time and consistent effort you put into your quest for phenomenal abdominals!
References:
1. www.testosterone.net, Oct 30, ’98, No. 25
2. www.acefitness.com, American Council on Exercise (ACE), Study Reveals Best and Worst Abdominal Exercises, May 14, 2001
3. www.kumc.edu, Sexual Differences in the Pelvis (pg 337)
4.Old Dominion University School of Nursing, Anatomy & Physiology http://web.odu.edu/webroot/orgs/hs/nurs/nursing.nsf/pages/664anatphys_sp00