From the Mind Body Moderate Archives, October 26th, 2010
You are in a Pilates class and the instructor says, “Scoop your belly!” Do you:
A. Think, “What the heck does that mean? I can’t scoop anything.
B. Suck in your gut and hold your breath.
C. Give up on this weird Pilates stuff and take yoga next week instead.
The abdominal “scoop” is not only an essential part of Pilates but for all types of sports and activities, including sitting at your desk. Contrary to what it might initially seem, scooping the abdominals does not mean tucking the pelvis under or rounding the low back. To scoop the abdominals one must engage their transverse abdominal muscle, often referred to by physical therapists as the TVA. This is the deepest abdominal muscle. When engaged, the TVA muscle contracts like a corset around the waist. It supports the pelvis and spine and creates the long, lifted, “pulled-in”” look.
The transverse abdominal muscle is like a corset, pulling the waist in
Too often, people who regularly exercise still complain of a protruding belly and back pain. In attempting to build the perfect "6-pack", the focus is often on the top abdominal layer – the rectus abdominal muscle. When doing crunches, for example, that rectus muscle might be burning, but if you are unable to engage deeper muscles of the trunk, the back moves unsupported, and the belly pushes out. You might actually be a few steps further away from a "6-pack" than before the exercise began! Always keep in mind, a strong core does not exist on one muscle alone, or even two, it takes a coordinated effort from the whole body. This is a primary tenant of The Pilates Method. Like an orchestra performing a symphony, every muscle has a part to play in every exercise. Starting to find underutilized muscles is the first step in better overall control and coordination. So, let's start with the elusive scoop. Here are a couple of moves to help you begin mastering yours:
Belly in/Belly Out Quadruped
Step 1. In a tabletop position on all fours, allowing the stomach to relax down towards the floor. Keep the spine straight and still. No arching!
Step 2. Draw the belly and organs in and up towards the spine. Again, don't move the spine. It remains planked. Your bones don't move! Only move the soft tissue of your abdomen.
On all fours (if it bothers your wrist, a forearm position is fine), plank the spine. Do not allow the back to sag or round. Holding this table position will enable the belly muscles to relax towards the floor. Exhale and draw the belly muscles in and up towards the chest, like you are scooping your guts up and into the back of the ribcage. Hold this scoop for 3 breaths and then allow the belly to release down towards the floor again, maintaining a flat spine. Try this 5 – 10 times.
Leg extension Quadruped for Core
Add a leg extension for a more challenging core challenge.
Once you feel the scoop, try maintaining it while sliding one leg back and stretching it out. Hold this position for three breaths, while keeping the spine planked (no sagging back). Hold 5-10 seconds. Switch legs. Press into all the finger joints to help lift out of the wrists. It can also be done on fists or the forearms. Try doing 5 sets.
Deep belly sitting
Sit up tall, and imagine vacuuming in the abdominal wall. Hold while taking 3 gentle breaths. Release.
This one can be done sitting at home, at your desk, or at the opera. No one will know you are working out, but they might comment on your good posture. Sit up tall, and imagine vacuuming in the abdominal wall. The vacuuming feeling is akin to putting on a pair of tight pants as you pull up that last bit of zipper. Do you feel that? That is your TVA. Another image is if someone were to give you an uppercut to the belly button, punching in and hooking up…not a pleasant thought, but it works. Take a deep breath and, on the exhale, vacuum the TVA and hold the contraction for a second or two. Inhale and release. Alternatively, while holding the TVA vacuum, take three gentle breaths, expanding the air into the mid back - as though you were expanding marvellous wings.
*Important note: Be careful of your breath pattern. Breathing is so important to Pilates, and a shallow breath pattern is not something we want to cultivate. If you’re having difficulties, please work with a professional.
Other great exercises to strengthen the TVA and the entire trunk are forearm and side planks.
Forearm planks and side planks are also excellent ways to strengthen the TVA, as well as the entire trunk of the body. Remember, you never want to overwork just one muscle. It takes a coordinated effort from all muscles to keep the body balanced and healthy. There is some debate over what the TVA does and how important it is. No matter, the awareness of any muscle is valuable to a better understanding of yourself and how you move.
