Engage your Transverse Abdominis

After having a baby, many women are excited to get back to their pre-baby workout routine. Whether it’s yoga, running or barre class, we want to teach you guys the number one exercise that you should do after having a baby BEFORE you do anything else.

Regardless of whether you have a C-section or vaginal delivery, this is the single most important exercise to master before you start working out.

The deepest layer of your abdominal muscles is called the Transverse Abdominis. This muscle group is so important because it stabilizes your pelvis, low back, plays a role in decreasing incontinence and also can help stabilize and close a Diastasis Recti.

There can be a lot of different ways to use your other muscles to compensate during this exercise, so if you feel like you are compensating, it’s important to have your transverse abdominis strength evaluated by a professional.

To learn how to do the single most important core exercise, check out the video below featuring Hina and Elayne or read the steps below:

 

1.Get into good pelvic alignment. To do that, place one hand on your pubic bone and the other on your sternum. Make sure your pelvic bone and sternum are flat, meaning they aren’t tilted too far forward or back. Adjust by rocking your pelvis backward or forward to get it to a straight line. Once you have that, remove your hands and keep that posture.

2. Place your hands an inch above and an inch in from the two pelvic bones you feel on your pelvis. You should be on the area of your Transverse Abdominis.

3. Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out and make a “shhhh” sound on the way out. As you do, you should feel a tensioning underneath your fingers that feels like saran wrap going over a bowl. That means you’ve engaged your Transverse Abdominis. If you feel a bulging and it doesn’t feel like saran wrap, that means you’re compensating with your other musculature.

4. After you find your Transverse Abdominis muscles, repeat and when you feel that tensioning, stop and maintain the contraction for about 10 seconds as you breathe normally in and out. You want to work your way up to doing it 10 times and holding for 10 seconds. You can do this 2-3 times per day.

5. After you get comfortable doing this laying down, you can try it in different positions, such as sitting, standing or on all fours.

6. Once you’ve mastered this action, incorporate it into all your other workouts. Before you do any type of movement, you want to engage these muscles just to that little amount.

Not sure if you’re doing it right?

Contact us at rebalance at 267-282-1301 to set up a complimentary Discovery Visit!