August Fitness Tip from Sabes JCC Personal Trainer Aaron Mann:
For most people, specific-training ab routines include a variety of spinal flexion movements designed to emphasize the rectus abdominis. These include familiar exercises such as crunches, reverse crunches, and sit-ups. In the yoga or Pilates studio, they include a variety of V-sit exercises. While all of these may, if performed properly, leave your core stiff and sore the following days, if these make up your entire abs routine, there is an important abs muscle that you are neglecting -- transverse abdominis.
The transverse abdominis runs horizontally, in the transverse plane of the body (trans = across). A simple way to think of it is that it acts like a belt, drawing your entire core in more tightly to your vertical midline. And that's exactly what you want in order to give your waist a narrow appearance. The TA is a deep layer of horizontal muscle fibers that does not appear to be directly involved in joint movement. This muscle can indirectly add to spinal support by providing belt-like opposition to abdominal pressure, which creates a column of support for the spine as well as the trunk area. If any one has ever suggested strengthening your abs to prevent back injury they are relating to the TA. In order to work the TA, then, concentrate not on challenging spinal flexion but rather spinal stabilization in neutral alignment.
Here's a visualization to help you zero in on this muscle: imagine you are pulling your belly button into your spine. Place your hand on your belly button and try it, and you'll realize what a dramatic difference actuating this muscle makes. One of my personal favorite exercises to target the TA is called the vacuum.
To execute the stomach vacuum, stand upright and place your hands on your hips, and exhale all the air out of your lungs, completely. Expand your chest, and bring your stomach in as much as possible, and hold. Visualize touching your navel to your spine. One isometric contraction of “X” seconds is one rep. If you are performing this correctly you should feel a tightening sensation around your spine.
