title: Maximum expiration activates the abdominal muscles during side bridge exercise.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have indicated that maximum expiration could be a useful way of performing challenging exercises that include coactivation of the deep and superficial abdominal muscles. However, little is known about the effect of maximum expiration on the activity of the abdominal muscles during lumbar stabilizing exercise.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study was to quantify changes in the activities of the abdominal muscles during side bridge exercise in combination with maximum expiration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental laboratory study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The activities of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) muscles were measured using electromyography in 12 healthy men performing 3 tasks: holding the breath after maximum expiration in the prone position, holding the breath after resting expiration during side bridge exercise, and holding the breath after maximum expiration during side bridge exercise.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant increases in the activities of the abdominal muscles (RA, EO, and IO) occurred with maximum expiration when compared with resting expiration during side bridge exercise (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to demonstrate the effect of maximum expiration on abdominal muscle activities during a stabilizing exercise, thus contributing to existing knowledge about therapeutic exercise for alternative core training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, Kurashiki, Japan.
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D045853:Exhalation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D016684:Prone Position / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Electromyography; abdominal muscles; stabilizing exercise