by Dave Parise C.P.T.
HEY! WEARS YOUR INTERNAL WEIGHT BELT?
Think of
your body as an algebraic equation. Both sides must equal each
other to solve the problem. Unfortunately our bodies are not as
balanced as a mathematical equation. When the human body is out of
balance and we cannot stabilize, our function is compromised.
However, creating awareness and learning how to train the deep
abdominal musculature will produce equal strength gains as well as
coordinated motor control.
For
example a car driven with its wheels out of alignment will
have worn tires lose speed; have decreased fuel efficiency and
compromised handling.
We need
to focus our attention on developing inter-segmental strength and
stability-not superficial strength.
Other sports focus on working the outer
muscles for explosive power.
Remember this: When you can not maintain
inter-segmental support you start bringing in more muscles, because
you have more joints moving. When you have more joints moving, you
start to de-emphasize the goal. What’s moving the joints?
Muscles. What are muscles?
Internal forces and this is
really important because your body’s job is to make life easy. When
the body experiences a load, it is trying to dissipate the load as
best it can. How can there be
smooth coordinated joint motion if every muscle and joint is trying
to fire and stabilize?
ACTIVATION OF THE TRANSVERSE ABDOMINIS … The
conductor of the band members that harmonize together!
There
is a muscular support system, and
the conductor of this support system is called the Transverse
abdominis that is the inner layer of your abdomen
region. Well you really better start to love this muscle. The
transverse abdominis is made up of muscle fibers that run
horizontally around the abdomen. It functions like a girdle, think
of it as your internal weight belt or a girdle that goes all the way
around and attaches to strong connective tissue. When you properly
contract/train the deep abdominal muscles they squeeze your viscera
(an envelope that holds your organs) up into the diaphragm and down
into the pelvis basin creating a column of support or cylinder that
is much greater than the spine itself.
Please
do not confuse this with the rectus abdominus that we train by
performing crunches. The transverse has a totally different control
system and function. Ultrasound imaging shows it is a totally
different mechanism. The transverse abdominis does not expand a
certain number of joints, or move a joint like the outer muscles do,
it stabilizes them.
They are
deep inter-segmental muscles that stabilize from a segmental level
creating a column of support much greater than the spine itself.
These muscles are the band members they sit and harmonize close to
the spine waiting for direction from the conductor “THE TRANSVERSE
ABDOMINIS”.
Example:
You have a pebble and a puddle you drop the pebble into the core
(center) of the puddle the rings travel to the outside.
Movements of the extremities (our arms and legs) originate in and
emanate outward from our core just like the rings in the puddle.
Studies on motor control and muscle recruitment patterns show that
muscles close to the spine (the band members, and the transverse
(conductor), and all the tiny muscles that connect from vertebrae to
vertebrae, are activated first before any arm or leg muscles for
stabilization. This provides a working foundation to exert force
off of. However if there is no connection to the transverse or a
“sleepy mechanism” more joints will move to help take force loads
off the spine. Those same joints that would be stabilizing and
accepting weight transfer are now moving to help the body decrease
force loads on the spine while trying to balance you at the same
time. The entire body has created
muscular imbalances, disproportionate forces and faulty movement
patterns.
Our arms and legs are
just extensions of our core. When we learn how to train and
activate the deep abdominal musculature, with the
proper draw in maneuver,
we create segmental support in our lumbar area as we
mobilize. This will enhance your core strength and stability and
drastically reduce the risk factors associated with instability of
the spine. You will perform the proper path of motion because you
have fewer joints moving trying to stabilize the spine as the body
moves through the rotational path.
Analogy #1: How the transverse works.
Take
your golf club it is a representation of your spine. Now you train
the deep abdominal stabilizing mechanism. Now take a piece of paper
and wrap it around the shaft. The paper represents the working
musculature (the transverse abdominis and all the muscles that
connect block to block rather than expand a certain number of
joints). Lets say your dealing with a force, if the transverse is a
‘sleepy muscle” and not working properly, the body will try to get
out of work by calling upon other muscles to help maintain
stability. When this muscle is
activated/ trained properly, the entire system will stay in it’s
most efficient position” the proper form will take place.”
Analogy: #2 The flag pole
Coming up from the ground
you have a segmented flag pole (your spine) a moveable joint at each
and every level. Around this flagpole are guy wires (four) the
superficial muscles of our midsection, rectus abdominis, lower back
muscles, and on each side are the internal and external obliques.
It does not matter how strong these outer muscles (guy wires) are if
the flagpole does not have a strong link and support mechanism like
the transverse abdominis. The entire muscular and skeletal systems
will breakdown and lose stability.
Q: What about Abdominal training?
A:
For years we have been training to strengthen our ability to
stabilize. However research has proven sit-ups or crunches do not
enhance our ability to stabilize or maintain a correct posture.
Another fact is performing sit-ups is not the best movement for your
posture, it actually makes it worse. For the players who can win a
crunch championship try this test… sit in perfect posture
(tall, sternum high) the test is to sit without the ribcage or
sternum dropping for more then 15 minutes…I bet a trip to Augusta
you crumble within that time! Point, “What did sit-ups do for your
ability to stabilize the spine?”
We have
one support system running around our midsection. We also have a
very deep link and support system of muscles that attach block to
block along the spinal column. Now ask yourself, what this has to do
with the outer muscles we train in the gym by performing sit-ups or
low back exercises? The truth is we have been using the same
exercises for all sports regardless of our goals. This negativity
has trickled into the gyms and right in the hands of the uneducated
trainer.
For the last several
years researchers are now performing evaluations and ultra sound
imaging tests on the deepest intersegmental muscles in our
midsection. They have found these muscles give you stability during
weight transfer. These muscles give you support from an
intersegmental level, not superficial support like the outer
muscles. (The ones you see in a mirror) If you can picture your
spine, think of the entire vertebra like blocks sitting on top of
one another. These blocks have a support mechanism that creates a
cylinder stronger than the spine itself. The muscle responsible for
this support is called the Transverse abdominis. Please get
to love this muscle; more importantly love its function. This is the
deepest layer of your abdominal wall (stomach region) it functions
like a girdle. Think of it as your internal weight belt or a
corset. It gets its name from the direction it runs, on a
transverse plane and being a part of the abdominal family. The
transverse, your internal weight belt, comes all the way around your
body, as if you were to shrink-wrap your waistline. Now you will
have a better understanding on how extremity beneficial this highly
complex musculature is to your athletic ability.
Activation/ training of
this muscle are different than the outer muscles around your
waist/abdominal area. For year’s people have told you to perform
sit-ups or crunches to help you strengthen your ability to better
your posture, low back and stability. If this were true you would be
able to sit tall in perfect posture for 10 to 15 minutes without
your back slouching or your rib cage dropping. If it feels more
comfortable with your back rounded when you sit this is a great
indication you need to learn this exercise when training you cannot
break the body into segments. The body does not work in segments.
Think about this during your workout. Can you isolate the bicep
during a curl? (Work nothing more then the bicep? No you can not!
However you can isolate a joint region to put more force in the
bicep region. When one muscle is firing does it call open the next
in line? If this were so we would look like something from an old
silent movie. Our movements would be jerky and they would not be
fluid.
Every
muscle is working in harmony with the other at the same time like a
string quartet. The conductor to this great symphony is like the
transverse to the body’s ability to stabilize. Fact… 80% of all body
builders who fix themselves to a machine tested and had a sleepy
transverse muscle. The muscle responsible for stabilization was not
working. Guys, ladies, add some function to your life and
incorporate some free motion movements! Remember you can’t fire
cannon from a canoe.
