Can you target the lower abs? This question actually represents two different questions.
The first question: Can we selectively lose fat around the lower abs?
The answer is a resounding no. No exercise “burns” fat from a particular region of the body. This is the myth of spot reduction. Performing hundreds of crunches or leg raises won’t selectively eliminate the fat covering your lower abs.
The second question: Can we perform abdominal exercises that selectively recruit the lower abs and thus build the muscle in that region?
The answer here is probably not, at least not to any meaningful degree.
Researchers have used electromyography (EMG) and ultrasound to examine whether different abdominal exercises, positions, and techniques preferentially activate the upper or lower portions of the rectus abdominis.
The preponderance of research suggests that the upper and lower portions work together during abdominal exercises, with relatively similar levels of activation. While some studies have found regional differences in activation depending on the exercise, there is little evidence that we can meaningfully isolate the lower abs or selectively build that portion of the muscle.
Finally, regardless of where you feel the burn, that sensation doesn’t necessarily tell you which portion of the muscle you’re training.
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