Ultra-FIT magazine

Your abs, along with your obliques, erector spinea and transverse abdominus, make up the muscle group often referred to as your core. Your core is essentially your entire midsection and responsible for moving and maintaining the position of your spine. A fit and healthy core can make everyday activities such as lifting and twisting easier and reduce your likelihood of developing back problems. Keeping your core strong is in important part of minimizing your chances of suffering from back pain. Your core is responsible for 6 major spinal movements that should be represented in your ab fitness training routine.

Flexion–Lifting your Shoulders
Flexion of your spine uses your rectus abdominus muscle at the front of your torso and is the most common movement used in ab training. To exercise this muscle you could perform crunches, sit ups or any other movement where you lift your shoulders. The rectus abdominus is the muscle you can see in very lean people and is also known your six-pack.

Flexion-Lifting your Hips
In addition to lifting your shoulders, your rectus abdominus can also lift your hips, as seen when you perform hanging leg raises or reverse crunches. Your lower abs, as this section is sometimes referred to, is important in fixing your pelvis in position during movements involving your legs and is also an important component in protecting your lower back from injury.

Extension-Bending Backwards
Extending your spine is the job of your erector spinea which is located on back. Running up either side of your spine, this muscle is heavily involved in lifting movements as well as maintaining an upright posture. You should keep this muscle strong to avoid developing back pain. There are a number back extension exercises you can perform including floor based, stability ball and strength training machine exercises.

Rotation-twisting your spine
Rotating your spine is the job of your obliques which are located on either side of your waist. To exercise these muscles you need to perform rotational exercises such as cable Russian twists or twisting crunches/sit ups. The obliques are a very important muscle if you are involved in sports that require throwing, pushing or punching as they are strongly involved in these movements.

Lateral Flexion-bending to the side
Your erector spinea and rectus abdominus work together with your obliques to bend your spine to the side. These muscles are especially important when lifting objects in one hand as they work together to stabilize your spine and keep it vertical. You can perform dumbbell side bends or side plank holds to exercise this group of muscles.

Bracing-holding your spine in place
Maintaining your spinal alignment and holding your internal organs in place utilizes your transverse abdominus or TVA for short-this is called bracing. You can feel your TVA in action when you pull your naval in towards your spine. Your TVA is also responsible for creating intra abdominal pressure-abbreviated to IAP. IAP describes how your body supports the spine from within when we are exerting ourselves and is one of the ways you can protect your spinal ligaments and disks from injury. Your TVA is best exercised by performing exercises where the aim is to minimize spinal movement against resistance such as planks holds.

The Vertebral Column is made up of 24 articulating vertebrae and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and coccyx. The intervertebral discs connect the individual vertebrae together but these alone do not provide adequate support to keep the spine in its correct alignment. This is the role of numerous ligaments and muscles such as the transversus abdominus, the erector spinae group, multifidis, quadratus lumborum and various other abdominal muscles and core stabilisers.

Your Core is the ‘foundation of our entire body’.  It is a bit like a platform from which our arms and legs function. If this platform is unstable then the more global muscles and limbs will have to work and we are more at risk of injury.

The transversus abdominus, or TVA for short, is part of the anterior core and is the main core stabiliser. It originates at the thoraco lumbar fascia; the cartilage of the lower 6 ribs and the iliac crest and inserts onto the linea alba – the line of ligamentous tissue down the centre of your abdominal wall. It is the deepest muscle of the abdomen and is a broad band that circles your internal organs – it wraps around the spine like a muscular corset. Its main function is to provide support and stability and with correct activation is the first muscle to contract and support the spine.

Multifidus is part of the posterior core together with quadratus lumborum. It originates on the posterior surface of the sacrum and the transverse processes of the vertebrae and inserts onto the spines of the superior vertebrae; again providing support and stability.

Research in the U.S. and Japan has shown that when we get an injury in the deep layer of the spine, multifidus, a key stabilising muscle which would normally protect the spinal joint, rapidly shrinks by 25% and does not activate correctly. It is possible that it may remain like this for up to five years. Likewise the TVA does the same and fails to work correctly.

In times of injury and when the spine needs that extra support, the muscles have become ‘sluggish’. This is why I believe that teaching isolated TVA activation is so important for successful rehabilitation and injury prevention.   

In the past we (trainers and exercisers) have focused too much on generic abdominal and back strengthening exercises when in reality we should be focusing on the middle layer first before progressing on to the traditional exercises.

This is why I teach TVA activation and assess it regularly – not just when I initially meet my clients but as their programmes progress and develop.

I teach TVA activation to my clients in three different positions: standing, lying and kneeling.

Standing  

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, pelvis in a neutral position, knees soft, shoulders down and relaxed and head nice and tall.  Locate your tummy button and breathe in and out normally. Pull your tummy button back towards your spine and at the same time lift your pelvic floor. It should not be a big movement and you should breathe throughout this exercise. The actual activation level required is only 20-30% to provide adequate support.

Kneeling
Kneel on all fours with your hands directly below your shoulders and your knees below your hips.  Your shoulders should be relaxed, head supported and not hanging and your eyes facing down. Pull in your tummy and at the same time lift up your pelvic floor ensuring that you do not arch their back. Again, ensure you breathe throughout. Remember the actual activation level required is only 20-30% to provide adequate support. With this exercise you are essentially drawing in against the weight of your internal organs to make TVA activation more challenging.

 

 

 

Lying

Lie down on your back, knees bent, head and shoulders relaxed and spine neutral. Locate the bony point on the front of your hips with your fingers and then move in slightly to where you feel a slight dip and soft tissue. Breathe in and out and then engage your TVA and pelvic floor. You should feel your TVA muscle pushing into your fingers. The spine should not arch it should be a small movement only. Once you have achieved TVA activation you can progress to moving your limbs and therefore challenging this TVA activation and pelvic girdle stability further.  

Perform these TVA activation drills 12 times a day to re-train these essential muscles. After a while, TVA activation should become automatic but it’s still worth practicing these drills periodically to ensure that good TVA function is maintained.

Read more about Pippa in this article http://www.ultra-fitmagazine.co.uk/?p=4129