Day 3 of TVA

Due to our sedentary lifestyle, the muscles of the trunk lose their ability to function properly. The transverse abdominis muscle found deep in the trunk stabilizes the spine. Weakness in this muscle contributes greatly to low back problems. In order to prevent or resolve this issue of back pain, you have to retrain these muscles to work and support the spine.

Bracing
Abdominal bracing involves static muscular contractions of the abdominal area. Start from a supine position lying on the floor with your knees bent at about 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. Tilt your pelvis in both directions to find your comfortable neutral position. This neutral position helps maintain proper spinal alignment. After you find your neutral spine position, inhale deeply and contract the abdominal muscles while exhaling forcefully. Imagine how the abdominal area contracts when you cough or sneeze and replicate that.

Abdominal Vacuum
Creating an abdominal vacuum, or abdominal hollowing, works to isolate the transverse abdominis as much as possible. Perform the abdominal vacuum exercise from a sitting, standing, kneeling or lying position. From this position, draw in your abdominals in so you pull your belly button pulls in towards your spine. Hold this contraction for several seconds. Use the abdominal vacuum or hollowing to initiate the retraining of the transverse abdominis. Remember to continue breathing don't be tempted to suck in belly and breath. Rather breathe out to drawn in the belly then continue normal breath

Dead Bug
The dead bug exercise starts from a position lying on your back. Bring your legs up off the floor with your knees bent in a 90-degree angle and your arms straight up in the air perpendicular to the floor. Move your right arm overhead while straightening your left leg out. Maintain neutral spine position. Bring arm and leg back to the starting point. Repeat on the other side. Use your abdominal bracing to hold the torso in a neutral position. This one works the brain too.

Plank
The plank starts from a prone position lying on your stomach. Place your elbows and forearms on the floor directly below your shoulders. Curl your toes and place them on the floor. Pull your abdominals in and lift your torso off the floor. Do this slowly, think belly button off the flood then hips then thighs. Now you can stay here at the knees or take it up a level by straightening out 1 leg the the other. Your entire body should be parallel to the floor while your elbows and toes support your weight. See how long you can hold while maintaining a neutral spine position.
( your butt does NOT raise up past your shoulders) Work up to a several minutes. Modify by placing your knees on the floor instead of your toes.

Feel that belly?