Exercises for Working The
Transverse Abdominals
By Donovan Baldwin
It is unfortunate when you consider how much energy many people put
into the attempt to get a flat stomach fast, but a group of
muscles that often gets neglected in stomach exercise routines are the transverse
abdominals. These are the core muscles that lie
below the rectus
abdominus. Most common abdominal exercises, such as the
ever-popular crunch, target the rectus abdominus and the vertical
abdominals, ignoring the transverse abdominals.
Crunches, the long time staple of most abdominal workouts, do nothing
for the transverse abdominals. These muscles are possibly the most
important to target, however, as they connect to both the lower back
muscles and the rectus abdominus and provide a girdle of potentially
powerful muscle for the entire abdomen.
Any exercise routine aimed at flattening the stomach should include the
transverse abdominals as a focus. Using the following exercises, you
can work out your transverse abdominals and really make progress on
getting that flat tummy you've been wanting.
As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before
beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.
Pelvic Tilts
This stomach exercise requires you to be lying on your back on a flat
surface, such as on the floor or a bench. Using a mat or towel to
cushion your spine, bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the
floor close to your buttocks. Raise your pelvis (and only your pelvis)
off the floor, hold momentarily, and then lower it back down. Repeat
for an entire set (Start with a set of ten if possible. With
time
you will be able to do more.) Maintaining a controlled movement is
crucial to this exercise. This will allow you to use your abdominal
muscles, rather than your body's momentum, to do the work on the
exercise. Also, be sure to keep your upper body on the floor throughout.
Crunchless
Crunch
This stomach flattening exercise is pretty simple but can also be
fairly difficult at first. Essentially, it involves trying to pull the
belly button in towards the spine. This can be tricky, as it involves
using muscles which you may not be used to activating. To start, either
lie or on your stomach or kneel. You might want to try both ways a few
time and see which helps you perform the exercise better. Relax your
body as much as possible, then try to use only the lower abdominals to
move your belly button toward your spine. Hold for ten seconds. If
holding for ten seconds feels easy, hold for a longer period. The goal
is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel
other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. When you
feel this, let the contraction out.
Scissor
Kicks
This stomach exercise which is well-remembered by anyone who, like me,
has ever endured army physical training also requires lying on the
floor. Position your hands under your butt, keeping your back pressed
against the floor. Slowly raise one leg to a height of about ten
inches, then slowly lower it back to the floor. As your lower one leg,
raise the other. Repeat this motion for an entire set. Maintaining
control throughout is important, not allowing momentum to get the
better of you. Your upper body should remain on the floor through the
entire move. With a little practice, you will be able to stop
the
descending foot just above the floor before you start it back
up.
Your first few times, it may seem like it is easy to knock out several
of these, but be cautious and work up.
There are plenty of other exercises targeting the transverse
abdominals, but these three ought to be enough to get you started.
Stomach exercises like these are key to any tummy-flattening plan, and
they are especially good for pregnant and post-partum women.
Find more exercises
for the transverse abdominals at How to Lose Stubborn Belly Fat.
About the
Author:
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Donovan Baldwin is a freelance
writer residing in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area, and a University
of West
Florida alumnus. He is a member of Mensa and is retired from
the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. In his career, he
has held many managerial and supervisory positions. However,
his main pleasures have long been writing, nature, health, and
fitness. In the last few years, he has been able to combine
these pleasures by writing poetry and articles on subjects such as
health, fitness, weight lifting, yoga,
weight loss, the environment,
global warming, happiness, self improvement, and life. His
blog on Senior
Health and Fitness can be found at Fitness-After-40.blogspot.com.
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