A 6-pack is considered the epitome of strong abs. But here’s a twist: what if it isn’t?
You can have a 6-pack or even an 8-pack across your abdomen, but you might still have a weak transverse abdominis muscle. The most toned and defined athletes are sometimes even guilty of neglecting this muscle.
Now, if you’re wondering what a transverse abdominis muscle is or why you should care about it, don’t worry. In this article, I’m going to cover what the transverse abdominis, TA, muscle is from A to Z. Let’s take a look!
What is the Transverse Abdominis?
The transverse abdominis, or TA, is the deepest and lowest of the ab muscles. It’s actually located right under those 6-pack muscles known as the rectus abdominis. This muscle acts as a stabilizer for both your spine and pelvis. It’s frequently referred to as a ‘corset’ around this part of the body.
This means that strengthening this muscle can help you thwart the common low back pain. In fact, a lot of individuals with lower back pain have a weak TA. So if you don’t want to be part of the stats or face a painful back injury, you need to focus on strengthening and engaging your TA.
The TA is further responsible for flattening your tummy and pulling in your waist. And interestingly, it’s even involved in urination, defecation, and childbirth.
Undoubtedly, it’s an important muscle. But we forget about it. You can’t really see it. It’s a bit more difficult to target, so it gets left behind.
How To Engage Your TA
The TA should be engaged throughout any compound exercise, including the squat, deadlift, and more. You should brace this part of the abs before lowering into the movement. But how do you do that? Let’s start with the basics.
Use the following steps to practice contracting your TA:
Lie face-up on a comfortable surface.
Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground.
Place your fingertips between your hip bones. You want to be able to feel for the tightening of the deep muscles in this spot.
Now, imagine a tightrope pulling your hip bones together or stopping the flow of urine.
You should feel your abs tighten under your touch. Make sure to keep breathing. You also shouldn’t move. Your back should remain flat on the ground throughout the TA contraction.
Try holding the contraction for 5-10 seconds. Work up to holding it for the full 10 seconds. It takes practice to get used to - especially if you haven’t been using it previously.
Repeat 8-10 times for 3 times each day.
Once you get this down, you can start adding leg movements. Try lifting one leg, lowering it, then lifting the other leg, and so on. Then try straightening your leg to lift it. Once the one-leg movements get easier, attempt to lift both legs at the same time.
Say Goodbye to Back Pain with TA Strengthening!
Practice makes perfect! Most experts recommend performing this exercise daily until you get the hang of it. And as aforementioned, once it becomes easy, you can progress it. Save yourself from aches and pains down the road. Back pain isn’t fun - even with a 6 or 8-pack. Focus on your foundation and you’ll live a long, happy, and healthy life.