Why are our abdominal muscles split into sections or “packs” rather than being one smooth piece?

Question

Why are our abdominal muscles split into sections or “packs” rather than being one smooth piece?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Each muscle can move independently allowing a wide range of motion. Muscles can only relax or contract, there’s no nuance or flex. If the abdomen was a single muscle, you could sit up, but that’s it. The separate muscles allow for different levels of contraction at different places, lateral motion, etc. Those different muscles allow for a lot of flexibility and options besides just bending at the waist.