How to: adonis belt

[purenaturel]

Adonis belt, apollo’s belt, **** me muscles, athlete’s girdle, iliac furrow, penis lines, sex lines. Whatever you want to call them. It may be possible to get them.
I looked around on some forums and sites for some research on how to get them.

First of all, you obviously need a low bodyfat percentage, just like you need to have to get a sixpack (or eightpack). It is possible to have this at a higher bodyfat, something like 15%, but then you would be very lucky.

If you then still don’t have it, or only see it a little, try to train it.
But which muscle is this? And how do you train it?



The muscles you see right here are the internal obliques which form a v-shaped look. So these would be the muscles that vorm that V-shape.
To build this muscle, you have to know what it does.

The internal oblique performs two major functions. First, it acts as an antagonist (opponent) to the diaphragm, helping to reduce the volume of the thoracic (chest) cavity during exhalation. When the diaphragm contracts, it pulls the lower wall of the chest cavity down, increasing the volume of the lungs which then fill with air. Conversely, when the internal obliques contract they compress the organs of the abdomen, pushing them up into the diaphragm which intrudes back into the chest cavity reducing the volume of the air filled lungs, producing an exhalation.
Secondly, its contraction rotates and side-bends the trunk by pulling the rib cage and midline towards the hip and lower back, of the same side. It acts with the external oblique muscle of the opposite side to achieve this torsional movement of the trunk. For example, the right internal oblique and the left external oblique contract as the torso flexes and rotates to bring the left shoulder towards the right hip. For this reason, the internal obliques are referred to as "same side rotators."

You obviously can’t add resistance to the first movement. So we will go for the second one. The action is rotating and side-bending. And which exercise has these moves comined?
I believe it is called “woodchoppers”

Beginning position:



Initial position:



(make sure you rotate AND side-bend your body)

Another muscle that could be participating in the Adonis belt,… could be the transverse abdominis. But I think this muscle can only be strengthened by “abdominal vacuums”, but you never know.

Other exercises that may help are:
- Weighted hanging leg raises
- Reverse crunches
- Decline sit ups (elbow to opposite knee)
- Oblique cable crunches

And if you still don’t have them with minimal bodyfat and enough training (without overtraining of course, or without progressive overload) it could have something to do with genetics. But I believe you could get there with hard work and dedication.

I attached some pictures in which you see the adonis belt marked.It may not be as visible as you would like it to be, but if you can cause hypertrophy in the area, it could be more visible.

i have not tried it myself, but i am certainly planning on adding the woodchopper exercise in one of my future routines.

Hope i helped out.

edit: most people want this, but they don't want to build obliques because they're afraid of getting a big waist, so if you try it it's a risk you will have to take.

[Avaric3]

And if you still don’t have them with minimal bodyfat and enough training (without overtraining of course, or without progressive overload) it could have something to do with genetics. But I believe you could get there with hard work and dedication.

very good post, repped. however, i believe that while you can work these muscles, the appearance of the adonis belt seems to be mostly genetic. even when i was in high teens bodyfat %, i still had the belt where some people dont even have it at single digits. ive also never really done anything more than hanging leg raises and some crunches for abs and even those i dont do consistently

[purenaturel]

very good post, repped. however, i believe that while you can work these muscles, the appearance of the adonis belt seems to be mostly genetic. even when i was in high teens bodyfat %, i still had the belt where some people dont even have it at single digits. ive also never really done anything more than hanging leg raises and some crunches for abs and even those i dont do consistently

well, some people have this naturally while not doing anything directly for it. This is for people who want to try to have it. It could just be that the muscles are too small that you don't see them. you can see mine just a little bit, this is why i searched for a way to build them up in the future.

[JOSEF RAKICH]

Awesome post brah, yes the adonis belt is caused by the obliques but most of all the Transversus abdominis muscle.

Here is some more info that will contribute to the thread.

This is how you achive a good adonis belt.

The "Sex V" which you are talking about is actually called the "adonis belt"

The adonis belt is a "term" for part of the human anatomy also reffered as the iliac furrow, the adonis belt is the line of the inguinal ligament: http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/...l35/350108.htm

But this ligament, even though it is the adonis belt "line" it is not what CAUSES the adonis belt, the Transversus Abdominis muscle is what CAUSES this line to become more visable and stand out.

So even though the adonis belt line is the line of the inguunal ligament, it is not what causes the adonis belt, if there is no mass in the transversus abdominis muscle (muscle above the ligament) then there will be no adonis belt as the line will not be visable, so the more mass your transversus abdominis muscle has, the more visable this line will become, creating a good noticable visable adonis belt.

The Transversus abdominis muscle (muscle which CAUSES the adonis belt) is a muscle layer of the anterior and lateral abdominal wall which is just deep to (layered below) the internal oblique muscle. Which also somewhat helps produce the adonis belt.



Quoted from ExRx.net

Transverse Abdominis Attachments

Origin

Thoracolumbar Fascia (Lumbar Fascia)
Ribs 6-12 (Lower 6 Ribs)
Costal cartilages
Inner surfaces
Ilium
Illiac Crest
Inner rim
Inguinal Ligament (this ligament is the "line" of the adonis belt)
Lateral third

Insertion

Pubis
Crest
Ilippectineal line
Abdominal Aponeurosis
Linea Alba

So the key to achiving a good adonis belt is achiving muscle hypertrophy in the transversus abdominis, here are some good exercises for the transversus abdomins.

- Stomach Vacuums
- Planks
- Squats (stabilizer)
- Deadlifts (stabilizer)

This muscle is also activated when you cough and sneeze.

Deffently the best exercise for the transversus abdomins muscle without a doubt is stomach vacuums, (search on google if you dont exctally know what a stomach vacuum is, but its basically just sucking in your stomach as far and as hard as you can trying to pull your belly button through your lower spine) Here is some links on somach vacuums.

- http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...nalVacuum.html
- http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit5.htm

The transversus abdominis muscle which is a deep core muscle is responsible for creating the adonis belt like i just explained, BUT it is also responsible for pulling the abdominal wall back and keeping the waist small/tight, as abs in there relaxed state will protrude, with a strong TA muscle your abdominal wall will be kept pulled back keeping your waist "tight".

When i do my stomach vacuums i use a good MMC and i can relly focus on squeezing and contracting the TA muscle i can relly feel it in my adonis belt i can literally feel my transversus abdomins contracting i find it helps to stand up tall and puff your chest up when you stomach vacuum, or even lie down on a bench with your bum on the edge, i just find its easier to activate the TA muscle that way, the more you practice the more you will learn how to activate your TA muscle.

Stomach vacuums are deffently a good exercise for keeping the core/waist tight and small, and creating a good adonis belt, a exercise that should deffently be performed by all.



Everyone always says the adonis belt is genetics, maby true, but IMO its probally just as genetic as any other bodypart like your biceps or your chest, the adonis belt can be achived through way of training. (stomach vacuums/Planks)

Peace.

[m.djemal]

I say its mostly genetics...Ive seen guys who have never been to the gym or be involved in a sport with beer bellies have them...

[justinluck]

Great thread. As I continue to lower my bodyfat percentage (starting to see my abs for the first time in my life), I will definitely incorporate these exercises into my training.

[SmWarstu]

I want this belt part of the abs I can just about see my side abs in the mirror, I'm unsure if it's genetics or from exercise I do most of the exercises listed although my bf% need to be lower.

[qoohhlt]

Rep

[ChinUp4Life]

There is good information in this thread, I would like to add to the knowledge.

If we continue under the assumption that the Transversus Abdominis is responsible for the visibility of the adonis belt, then it is key to understand the function and development of the Transversus Abdominis.

Along with the obliques, the Transversus Abdominis is responsible for creating Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) -- you know this is basically what saves your spine during squats and deadlifts. Curiously, according to a military journal on loaded carriage as it relates to rucksacks on the soldier, the EMG activation of erector spinae did not significantly increase with loads up to 40+ pounds. Instead, the compensating mechanism was... you guessed it: intra-abdominal pressure via Transversus Abdominis activation.

Putting it together practically:

1. Squats, deadlifts, and other major loading exercises that require IAP will call upon the Transversus Abdominis.

2. Trunk-twisting movements utilize both the obliques and Transversus Abdominis.

Exercises include: Turkish Get Up, Cable Woodchop, etc.

3. Loaded Carries

It appears that transversus abdominis is the abdominal muscle whose activity is most consistently related to changes in intra-abdominal pressure. Observations on intra-abdominal pressure and patterns of abdominal intra-muscular activity in man.

For a weight training program to be complete, you need vertical push, vertical pull, horizontal push, horizontal pull, squat, and hip extension movement. Additionally, loaded carries are often neglected by the average gym-goer.

We know that loaded carries force you to create significant IAP, thus working out the Transversus Abdominis that is unique from squats and deadlifts. I propose that loaded carries should be done both at a heavy weight and for distance.

In other words... Heavy weight: Farmer's Walks, Zercher Carries, etc.
For distance: Weight Vest walks on incline treadmill (or around your neighborhood).

Actually what inspired me to write this post is that I have been using the X-Vest 84 lb Firefighter model for distances between 2-6 miles and in conjunction with deadlifts I am noticing my adonis belt developing even though my body fat percentage isn't all that low.

Anyway, hopefully this helps for people looking to sexify their bodies a bit more.

Cheers.