If there is one muscle in your body that can help you be a better mom, look great in a bikini and provide an insurance policy against injury would you spend time developing it? If the answer is yes, read on...
Still with me? The muscle I’m referring to is your Transverse Abdominis (TA). It’s located in your abdomen. The TA provides the foundation of all efficient movement because of its direct and indirect stabilizing relationship to your other muscles. Ever try walking across a trampoline? It’s pretty awkward and hard to move on such an unstable surface. Your muscles can’t operate efficiently because there’s no solid foundation under you.
In contrast, walking on solid ground is easy. A stable foundation let’s your muscles work with maximum effectiveness and ease. Your TA muscle acts as your body’s internal foundation. It provides a solid platform for your other muscles to work their best. Here’s how it will help you:
Be a better mom – moms need energy and strength to care for their babies. Having a strong TA muscle saves your body from wasting energy, which means you have more for you and your baby. Let’s face it – the more energy we have the better parents we can be.
Look great in a bikini – The TA muscle is located beneath your Rectus Abdominis muscles (the six-pack stomach muscles). Here is the difference between the two; If you’ve ever seen body builders with a six-pack stomach, they have very developed rectus abdominis muscles. The problem is when these muscles get developed they grow outward. If you have very low body fat, it creates a six-pack effect and can look cool if you’re into that. However, if you have a layer of fat over those muscles it can make you look fatter and bulge your tummy. Building your rectus abdominis muscles are like letting out your belt.
The TA muscle actually develops inward when you build it. It’s like tightening your belt or wearing a muscular girdle. So regardless of your current body fat percentage, developing this muscle can help flatten your stomach and feel better in a bikini. For those with lesser body fat, a strong TA muscle also creates a sexy definition "frame" around your stomach. That's what makes swimsuit models stomachs look so attractive without being too muscular.
Insurance – because your TA muscle acts as a muscular girdle and helps stabilize your pelvis it provides more support against outside forces (impacts, physical stresses, etc.) . When you're bending, twisting, running, moving to care for your baby, you're being subjected to a number of forces. A strong TA muscle helps you transfer force efficiently through your body through the muscles, rather than your back and joints. Having a strong TA is like an insurance policy against forces that create aches, pains and injury from the repetitive physical motions of childcare.
The first step to getting a stronger TA muscle is to know how to activate it. Actually, as a mom you activated your TA when you were pushing during labor and delivery. However, when you're not on the birthing table you may want to use the following techniques. This is a conscious process that takes practice. But once you get it you can get great results.
Get Activated
1. Lie on your back and pull your navel to your spine without holding your breath. Place a toy block on your stomach while you do this and it should sink. Now move the block up and down while breathing normally. You are using your transverse abdominis. Now stand up and do the same thing. (without the block)
2. While wearing a belt, pull your navel away from the belt without holding your breath. Feel the gap between your stomach and belt. Now keep that gap while breathing normally. Your TA is activated.
Activating your TA muscle is the first step to developing your most important MommyMuscle. In future posts, I’ll give you some exercises to build a TA to be proud of…
Curt Conrad, CSCS, is Founder and President of StrollerFit Inc. an international product and franchise company that helps parents exercise with their babies. He is author of The StrollerFit ExerBook. His companies have helped thousands of clients enjoy better life through better fitness. http://www.strollerfit.com / http://www.mommymuscle.com
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