Abdominal Specific Movements

EXAMPLE EXERCISES                          

 

Four-Point TVA Stance and Progressions

1. Get on hands and knees with the hands directly beneath the shoulders and the knees directly beneath the hips.       Bend arms slightly at the elbow so that the back is parallel to the floor. I recommend use of a dowel to ensure maintenance of a neutral spine. The dowel rod should touch the sacrum, the thoracic spine between the shoulder blades, and the back of the head.
2. Take a large diaphragmatic breath in through the nose and allow the belly to expand and the navel to drop away from the spine. Exhale and then activate the TVA to draw the navel in toward the spine as far as possible without flexing the spine/losing neutral spinal curvatures or compensating/cheating in any way. The only part of the body which should visibly move is the navel.       It may help to concentrate on activating the pelvic floor musculature. (Women: Perform a kegel.       Men: Pull your testicles up toward your head).
3. Hold this position until it’s necessary to take another breath. Then repeat the process for the designated number of reps/breaths.

 

OR

 

1. Get in shortstop position with the hands on the knees. Knees should be bent slightly and spinal curvatures should remain in neutral (i.e. don’t round the lower back).
2. Take a large diaphragmatic breath in through the nose and allow the belly to expand and the navel to drop away from the spine. Exhale and then activate the TVA to draw the navel in toward the spine as far as possible without flexing the spine/losing neutral spinal curvatures or compensating/cheating in any way. The only part of the body which should visibly move is the navel.       It may help to concentrate on activating the pelvic floor musculature. (Women: Perform a kegel.       Men: Pull your testicles up toward your head).
3. Hold this position until it’s necessary to take another breath. Then repeat the process for the designated number of reps/breaths.

 

OR

 

1. Stand with Good Posture.
2. Take a large diaphragmatic breath in through the nose and allow the belly to expand and the navel to move away from the spine. Exhale and then activate the TVA to draw the navel in toward the spine as far as possible without flexing the spine/losing neutral spinal curvatures or compensating/cheating in any way. The only part of the body which should visibly move is the navel.       It may help to concentrate on activating the pelvic floor musculature. (Women: Perform a kegel.       Men: Pull your testicles up toward your head).
3. Hold this position until it’s necessary to take another breath. Then repeat the process for the designated number of reps/breaths.

 

Lower Abdominal Series # 1—Pelvic Tilt

1. In supine position with knees bent, feet on the floor, and a blood pressure cuff pumped to 40mmHg (or a hand) placed opposite the navel in the small of the back, gently draw in the navel.
2. Flatten the lower back into the cuff (or the hand) by posteriorly rotating the pelvis using the lower abdominals to raise the pressure on the cuff to 70mmHg. Try to keep the hamstrings completely relaxed as they can also rotate the pelvis posteriorly. But if they do the work, the lower abdominals won’t.
3. Breathe naturally as the pelvis is held in this position. Return to start and repeat for the designated number of reps.

 

Lower Abdominal Series #2A

1. In supine position with knees bent, feet on the floor, and a blood pressure cuff (or a hand) placed opposite the navel in the small of the back, pump the cuff up to 40mmHg.
2. Gently draw the navel in and then flatten the lower back into the cuff (or the hand) by posteriorly rotating the pelvis using the lower abdominals to raise the pressure on the cuff to 70mmHg.       Try to keep the hamstrings completely relaxed as they can also rotate the pelvis posteriorly. But if they do the work, the lower abdominals won’t.
3. Pivoting at the hip, lift one leg up until the thigh is perpendicular to the body and the knee is at 90 (or less if the exercise needs to be made easier) while maintaining the pressure on the cuff at 70mmHg, varying no more than +/-5mmHg throughout the exercise.
4. Lower the leg back to start position and then repeat the movement on the opposite side.

 

Lower Abdominal Series #2B

1. In supine position with knees bent, feet on the floor, and a blood pressure cuff (or a hand) placed opposite the navel in the small of the back, lift the legs until the thighs are perpendicular to the body with the hips at 90 and the knees at 90. Note: the angle at the knee can be decreased to make the exercise easier if necessary.
2. Pump the blood pressure cuff up to 40mmHg.
3. Gently draw the navel in and then flatten the lower back into the cuff (or the hand) by posteriorly rotating the pelvis using the lower abdominals to raise the pressure on the cuff to 70mmHg.      
4. Lower one leg back to the floor as you maintain the pressure on the cuff at 70mmHg, allowing the reading to vary no more than +/-5mmHg throughout the exercise.
5. Raise the leg back up and perform the same movement on the opposite side.
6. Repeat for the designated number of reps.

 

NOTE: All of the Lower Abdominal Series are best performed with a blood-pressure cuff placed opposite the navel and inflated to 40 mmHg (or 30 mmHg if lumbar curvature is deficient).  The athlete would then increase the reading on the dial 30 mmHg by posteriorly rotating the pelvis to increase the pressure.  For Lower Abdominal #2A and #2B, the leg movements should be performed with no more than 5 mmHg fluctuations above or below starting pressure (i.e., 60 or 70 mmHg). 

 

Forward Ball Roll

1. In prone position with forearms on a physio ball, elbows at 90 and positioned underneath the shoulders, gently draw the navel in toward the spine.
2. Push the ball forward by extending the arms as far as you can without losing the neutral curvatures of the spine. Lumbar spine will work but should not be the focus of the effort. Exercise can be descended by performing the movement from the knees as necessary.
3. Pause at the end R.O.M. before returning to start position and repeating for the designated number of reps.

 

Oblique Cable Twist

1. Standing with Good Posture, feet wider than shoulder width, and with a cable machine on the non-dominant side of the body, rotate torso so that hands are in front of the chest, grasping a handle attached to the cable. Dominant hand should be on first and non-dominant hand should be on top.
2. Rotating along the axis of the spine, twist torso toward the dominant side. Movement should be initiated by the core, and the only reason the hands should move is because the chest moves first. Slowly return to start position by reversing the motion. Concentrate on a powerful positive and a controlled negative.
3. Repeat for the designated number of reps before performing the movement with the opposite set up position in the opposite direction.

 

Oblique Raise

1. Lying on the side of the body with the forearm perpendicular to the torso and the elbow directly underneath the shoulder, lift the hips off the floor until the body is one straight line from ankles to ears.
2. Hold for the designated time period or do reps as prescribed. Note: exercise can be descended by bending the underneath leg which shortens the lever arm as the body is supported between the elbow and the knee.

 

Oblique Raise External Shoulder Rotation

1. Lying on the side of the body with the dominant forearm perpendicular to the torso and the elbow directly underneath the shoulder, lift the hips off the floor until the body is one straight line from ankles to ears. The elbow of the non-dominant arm should be glued to the superior side of the body with the hand across the abdomen, grasping a very light dumbbell.      
2. Hold this elevated position and externally rotate the non-dominant arm up as far as strength and flexibility will allow. Try not to let elbow deviate far from the body. Note: exercise can be descended by bending the underneath leg which shortens the lever arm as the body is supported between the elbow and the knee.
3. Very slowly return the non-dominant arm to the start position and repeat for the designated number of reps while maintaining the elevated position.
4. Perform the movement on the opposite side.

 

Oblique Raise Abductor

1. Lying on the side of the body with the dominant forearm perpendicular to the torso and the elbow directly underneath the shoulder, bend the dominant leg at the knee so that the lower leg is perpendicular behind the body.
2. Lift the hips off the floor while simultaneously abducting the non-dominant toward the ceiling as far as strength and flexibility allow.      
3. Hold this elevated position and externally rotate the non-dominant arm up as far as strength and flexibility will allow.
4. Pause end R.O.M. before slowly returning to the start position and repeating for the designated number of reps.
5. Perform the movement on the opposite side.

 

Supine Lateral Ball Roll

1. Seated on a physio ball, roll body down until the ball supports the head and shoulders. Feet are on the ground with the shins perpendicular to the floor. Arms should be out at the sides of the body like a tightrope walker or. A dowel rod can be placed across the chest and in both hands for cueing (it should remain level and in contact with the chest at all times.       Additionally, the thumbs should never be activated to hold onto the dowel rod). Maintain TVA function (i.e., navel drawn in slightly) to avoid over-recruitment of the lumbar erectors. Note: if lateral movement is sufficient to bring head off the ball, tongue should be placed on the roof of the mouth in the physiological rest position.
2. Shuffle over to the non-dominant side while maintaining the hips in an elevated position and the rest of the body in perfect alignment. Pause at end R.O.M.
3. Return to center and then shuffle over to the dominant side before pausing again.
4. Move back to the center position and repeat for the designated number of reps.

 

Stabilizer Series

1. In prone position with forearms on the floor, elbows at 90 directly underneath the shoulders, activate core musculature to maintain neutral spinal curvatures supported between the toes and forearms. This position can be held for time or progressing to the following steps if proficiency allows. If it’s difficult just to maintain the above position, descending the exercise can be accomplished by moving from the toes to the knees.
2. Take dominant arm off the ground (and if strength will allow, the opposite leg, too) for the designated time.
3. Return to start position and then repeat on the opposite side.

 

Bosu Prone Leg Lift

1. In prone position with arms outstretched and hands placed shoulder width apart on a Bosu, lift one foot off the ground by extending at the hip (not the knee). Keep core activated so that lateral deviation of the Bosu/body is kept to a minimum.
2. Return to start position and repeat the movement on the opposite side, alternating for the designated number of reps.

 

Push Up Row

1. In prone position with arms outstretched and hands placed shoulder width apart and holding two dumbbells (the movement can be performed without the dumbbells, using just the hands if necessary), lower the body toward the floor until the upper arm is approximately parallel with the floor.
2. Return to start position by extending the arms.
3. Lift one dumbbell off the ground and pull it to the chest so that it just touches the rib cage. Keep core activated so that lateral deviation of the body is kept to a minimum. If necessary, move legs wider to give a more stable base of support.
4. Return to start position and perform the movement on the opposite side before repeating the push up followed by the two rows again for the designated number of reps.

 

Prone Low Crawler             

1. In prone position with forearms on the two physio balls of equal size, elbows at 90 directly underneath the shoulders, activate core musculature to maintain neutral spinal curvatures supported between the toes and forearms.
2. Push the ball in contact with the non-dominant arm forward by extending the non-dominant arm.
3. Return the arm to the original position and repeat the movement with the dominant side.
4. Bring the dominant side back to the starting position and then repeat for the designated number of reps.