transverse abdominis strengthening ??

lashleyrivera

Hey guys, i was wondering if you had any idea how to strengthen the TA..I heard of the stomach vacuum but i dont understand that exercise at all, so i was looking for something else to do, i heard this muscle is way on the inside of your stomach and should be strengthened to fix that distended belly, thank you

End6ame

The primary function of your abs is to stabilize your torso from the front, while your back stabilizes your torso from the back. That being said, flexing excessive work, but isometric exercises tend to work better. So trying bridges and planks may be a good start. Also exercises like squats, dead lifts and overhead press work your abs more than you may think and they work them isometrically.

cmw9696

http://www.livestrong.com/article/185294-how-to-get-a-flat-toned-stomach/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/73900-exercise-lower-abs/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/138169-exercises-tighten-lower-belly/

I'll be looking into these for myself too!!

lutzsher

A couple of moves are good for this area:

lay on your back, bring your legs up and bend knees so your knees to feet are parellel with the ground. Hold your arms out straight, palms down, right at your sides. Roll and lift your feet, using your stomach muscles, for one count . . . point your toes to the ceiling, then back to the starting position.

the other is the "bike crunch" . . . get in a typical crunch position and alternate your left elbow bringing it to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee . . . go back to the starting position each time and do these slowly, controlling your movement so it utilizes all those stomach muscles to the fullest.

I hate the stomach "pooch" so do these every 2nd day and have seen quite a difference.

SHBoss1673

" and should be strengthened to fix that distended belly"

not really sure about this one, I've never heard that, but anyway. I guess it would depend on why the stomach is distended. If it's just fat, honing your TA is not going to fix it (whether it's subcutaneous or visceral fat), although it's never a bad idea. If there is another reason, I.E. C-section cutting muscle, injury, or other health issue, then you should probably consult with a physical therapist as these types of things need expert help to identify and treat.

lashleyrivera

@SHBoss1673..i have heard that several times, i did research and read it..Its the lower pooch and the TA, when strengthened, will tighten everything in your abdominal wall, no i have not had a c section nor have any other health issues..look at this site
http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/TransverseAbdominis.html

SHBoss1673

@SHBoss1673..i have heard that several times, i did research and read it..Its the lower pooch and the TA, when strengthened, will tighten everything in your abdominal wall, no i have not had a c section nor have any other health issues..look at this site
http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/TransverseAbdominis.html

I know the muscles, that's not the issue, I'm asking what you mean by distended. If it's fat loss in that area you're looking for, there's no way to spot remove the fat. I'm all for core exercises, but generally you lose fat via creating a calorie deficit, and no core exercise, no matter how good or targeted won't do much in the way of removing belly fat.

As a personal trainer, I'm asked quite often how to reduce belly fat, it's the same answer every time, calorie deficit, high ratio of complex carbs to simple carbs (90% to 10% usually), and lots of exercise. That's pretty much all there is to it. You can tweak your calorie burn by eating specific types of food, but usually that makes a relatively small difference.

lashleyrivera

Just talking about tightening up the belly, thats it

SHBoss1673

in my experience, of all the "trouble spots" people have, belly fat is the most stubborn. It can be done, by a combination of eating right, cardiovascular exercise, and resistance exercise, but it usually takes time and a little bit of tweaking.

as to strengthening the muscles of the core (TA, RA, Obliques, lower back, gluts), all the different plank routines are great for them, as are twisting routines like russian twists, leg raises, cable assisted kneeling crunches. Stability ball work is also great for the core. Also, one of the best core strengthening things you can do is pilates, really wonderful for the core.