The presented exercise is described as an underrated and particularly effective option for strengthening the abdominals, while warning that it can cause intense muscle soreness, even in experienced practitioners.

noli's read

Jeff Nippard, who bases his approach on biomechanics and sports science, highlights here an abdominal strengthening exercise under tension. Research indeed supports that the abdominals respond well to progressive overload and significant mechanical tension, just like other muscle groups (meta-analysis, Schoenfeld et al.). The warning regarding muscle soreness (DOMS) is scientifically grounded: when introducing a new stimulus or an exercise that engages muscles in an unusual range of motion, micro-trauma to muscle fibers is common (observational, consensus in sports science). There is nothing exaggerated here; the advice remains within a framework of safe progression. The effectiveness of an 'underrated' exercise is subjective, but the principle of varying working angles to engage the entire rectus abdominis is validated by literature on electromyographic activation (RCT, various).

the sources

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