Performing an abdominal workout with your feet pressed flat against a wall (30 repetitions per exercise) allows for the isolated targeting and strengthening of all the different areas of the abdominal wall.

noli's read

The idea of using a wall to stabilize the pelvis is an excellent tip in sports biomechanics. By placing your feet flat against the wall, you flex the hips at 90 degrees, which allows for the release of the hip flexors (such as the psoas) and better concentration of effort on the abdominals. An electromyography (EMG) study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research by Escamilla et al. (type: observational study) confirms that leg position directly influences the recruitment of the abdominal wall. However, the visual suggests an ultra-precise targeting of five distinct muscle zones, which is an exaggeration. The rectus abdominis is a continuous muscle; physical analyses show that it is not possible to completely isolate the upper from the lower part, even if one can slightly shift the emphasis of the effort. Finally, a protocol of 30 repetitions mainly develops local muscular endurance but will not induce localized fat loss in the midsection, a concept now refuted by meta-analyses on exercise physiology.

the sources

1. 1Wang XQ, Zheng JJ, Yu ZW, et al. 2012