Outdoor Fitness clients swear by this exercise. TVA stands for the main muscle you are targeting: the transverse abdominus. The beauty of this abdominal muscle is it lies deep within the core muscles. It’s a “stability” muscle, which if it’s trained efficiently, can and will flatten that dreaded “pooch” that happens after pregnancy or through the aging process. Gravity and the process of living cause our innards to droop outward—thus, the pooch. But this is not your destiny. You can tighten the muscles just like a natural girdle, to pull everything back in, for a tight, flat abdominal wall—FLAT from the pelvis to the ribs!
Works: Transverse Abdominus
Props: Flat Surface—picnic table, bench, grass, sand, any flat spot
Starting Position: Lie on your back with your hands held lightly behind your head, elbows pointing out to the side, with your knees bent and your feet flat and spaced feet shoulder-width apart, about 10-12 inches from your glutes. Press the area between your navel, your hips and tailbone firmly into the ground—and maintain this pressure throughout the entire exercise.
Action: Exhale, lifting your shoulder blades anywhere from a half-inch to two inches off the ground. Inhale as you lower. Maintain even pressure between your navel and the pelvis and make sure your feet remain flat—toes to heel.
Focal Points:
• Maintain even pressure from your navel through your hips, so that you’re working the deep layers of your abdominal wall.
• Use your torso to do the work. Do not pull on your head to create momentum.
