Yoga Glossary · Muscles
Rectus abdominis
The front abdominal muscle that flexes the trunk — the classic crunch muscle.
The rectus abdominis runs vertically from the ribs and sternum down to the front of the pelvis. It is the segmented 'six-pack' muscle, and its main action is trunk flexion: rounding the spine forward, as in a crunch, or resisting being arched backward.
In yoga it works in Boat Pose, in roll-downs and core sequences, and every time the front body shortens in a fold. It also lengthens across the front of the body in backbends like Wheel and Camel. It is only one layer of the core, though — the deeper transversus and the obliques do much of the stabilizing that teachers actually cue.
In practice
- Boat Pose burns here — the rectus holds the trunk flexed against gravity.
- Deep backbends lengthen it; a strong stretch across the front belly in Wheel is normal sensation.
- Crunching harder is rarely the answer in yoga core work — stability beats flexion range.
Poses that engage it
Poses that lengthen it
- Arms Overhead (Upward Salute)
- Dancer's Pose
- Cobra Pose
- Upward Facing Dog
- Locust Pose
- Bow Pose
- Camel Pose
- Bridge Pose
- Wheel Pose
Related terms
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The Yoga Glossary is an educational study reference. Definitions are standard yoga and anatomy knowledge in plain language; nothing here is medical advice.