Do you know which muscle most people forget to use on a regular basis?
Transverse abdominus
This muscle is so important in supporting your whole core, from front and back. It acts like a girdle and wraps from your spine to your belly button. Engaging this muscle takes the pressure off your low back and allows a lift in your torso so all the weight doesn't rest on your pelvis.
In the last newsletter I talked about walking and running and this muscle is vital for both to be done optimally! A lot of people find that they have low back pain after both activities. They may think that their shoes are not supportive enough, but they're looking for answers in the wrong place. It's actually coming from lack of strength in their core!
So how do you fully engage this muscle? First put your hands on your hips so that they are in the fleshy part (under your ribs and above your hips). You want your fingers in the front and your thumbs in the back. Push both hands in towards your midline and then bring your belly button to your spine. You should feel a strong, deep engagement of the muscle. You want to stay here for 90 seconds, fully engaged.
Once you can do this in place either sitting or standing, put it into practice in your everyday life. Engage it while you are walking, running, sitting, and exercising. If you are someone who has low back pain daily, test it out. Bend over to pick something up with your belly relaxed and pay attention to what you feel. Now engage TA and bend over to pick something up. If you are fully engaged, whatever low back pain you had before should go away! I love hearing your feedback, so let me know how it goes!