SEVEN “NO-RISK ABS” PREPARATORY EXERCISES

image Mobilize the Ribs

image Tone the Muscles That Open the Ribs

image Coordinate the Abs with the Perineum

image Coordinate the Rectus Abdominis with the Transversus Abdominis

image Coordinate the Obliques with the Transversus Abdominis

image Open the Front of the Hips

image Coordinate the Abdominal and Back Muscles

Preparatory Exercise 1

Mobilize the Ribs

Part 1

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Slide your arms along the floor, drawing an arc on each side of your trunk.
  3. Return to the starting position.
  4. Feel how the movement opens the ribs, and allow this movement to happen.
    Feel:
    • The opening of the ribs and the rising of the sternum as the arms open
    • The return of the ribs as the arms return to the starting position

Repeat this exercise several times, slowly.

Part 2

  1. Make the same movement with one arm.
  2. When the arm gets to the level of your head, let your thorax follow naturally the movement of the arm.
  3. Notice that the ribs open more on the side of the arm that’s lifting.
  4. Return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat the movement on the other side.

Preparatory Exercise 2

Tone the Muscles That Open the Ribs

Part 1a

The ribs have a tendency to close, so it’s necessary to work the muscles of inhalation to keep the ribs open and separated.

  1. Lie on your back. Inhale deeply, opening the ribs to the sides as if you were trying to make the rib cage wider.
  2. Exhale, and let the ribs return to their original position.
  3. Take several normal breaths.

Part 1b

  1. Start as in part 1a, but after taking a deep inhalation, instead of exhaling immediately, hold your breath for a moment, as if in suspension.
  2. Then try to inhale a bit more and hold your breath again for a few seconds, before blowing the air out.
  3. Take several normal breaths.

Repeat this process several times. This exercise works the muscles of inhalation, principally the serratus anterior.

Part 1c

Stand up, and repeat part 1b in this position.

Part 2a

Because the sternum tends to drop, it’s necessary to work the muscles of inhalation to keep it lifted and forward.

  1. Lie on your back. Inhale deeply, raising the sternum as if you wanted to make the thorax “deeper.” While making this movement, try not to let your shoulder blades pull toward each other.
  2. Exhale, and let the sternum fall.
  3. Take several normal breaths.

Part 2b

  1. Start as in part 2a, but just after taking a deep inhalation, instead of exhaling immediately, hold your breath for a moment, as if in suspension.
  2. Then try to inhale a bit more, and hold your rib cage in that position, with the sternum raised, for a few seconds before blowing the air out.
  3. Take several normal breaths.

Repeat this process several times. Among the muscles of inhalation, this series works the pectorals.

Part 2c

Stand up, and repeat part 2b in this position.

Preparatory Exercise 3

Coordinate the Abs with the Perineum

Part 1

  1. Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Contract and relax the perineum. If you have never practiced this, you can, for example, contract-relax the sphincter of the anus, or contract-relax the area between the sitz bones by imagining that you are bringing them closer together.

Repeat this contraction and relaxation several times.

Part 2

  1. Contract the perineum.
  2. With the perineum still contracted, contract the lower abdominals as well, without letting the contraction rise toward the navel.

Practice this action several times—perineum first, then the lower abs. Don’t allow the contraction to rise up to the waist, and don’t relax the perineum as you contract the abdominals.

Part 3

  1. Contract the perineum.
  2. With the perineum still contracted, contract the lower abdominals. Now allow the contraction to move a bit higher up the abdominals, toward the navel.

Be sure to remember this important point: don’t relax the perineum as you contract the abdominals.

Preparatory Exercise 4

Coordinate the Rectus Abdominis with the Transversus Abdominis

Part 1

  1. Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Contract the portion of the rectus abdominis that lies at the front of the lower belly.
  3. Relax.

Repeat this process several times.

Part 2

  1. Contract the rectus abdominis progressively from the pubic bone to the navel, that is to say, from low to high.
  2. Relax.

Repeat this process a dozen times. This is a very important step, as it guides the visceral mass from low to high.

Part 3

  1. Again, contract the rectus abdominis progressively from the pubic bone to the navel. This time, when you reach the top of this progressive contraction, contract the transversus abdominis as well, which should give you the sensation of narrowing the waist.
  2. Relax.

Be sure to remember this important point: don’t release the contraction of the rectus abdominis as you contract the transversus abdominis.

Preparatory Exercise 5

Coordinate the Obliques with the Transversus Abdominis

Part 1

  1. Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Progressively contract the external obliques at the sides of the waist, while tracing the direction of their fibers from the pelvis to the ribs with your fingers.
  3. Relax.

Repeat this process several times.

Part 2

  1. Trace the path of the inguinal ligament with your fingers, which will cause an activation of the internal obliques, so that you know what area is put under tension when the lower part of the obliques is engaged.
  2. Relax.

Repeat this process several times.

Part 3

  1. Contract the obliques.
  2. Now, with the obliques still contracted, contract the upper regions of the rectus abdominis and the transversus abdominis. This will give you the feeling of narrowing the waist.
  3. Aim to keep the feeling of drawing in the lower belly.

Repeat this process a dozen or so times, so that you can memorize the feeling before starting abdominal exercises.

Preparatory Exercise 6

Open the Front of the Hips

Part 1

  1. Lie on your stomach.
  2. Bend your right knee, and grasp your right foot with a hand (right or left).
  3. Feel how the right side of the pelvis is anteverted and the pubic bone has lifted off the floor.

Part 2

  1. While holding your foot, try to place the pelvis and the public bone back on the floor, retroverting the pelvis.
  2. Feel how this movement stretches the front of the hip.
  3. Hold this position for several seconds, staying within a limit that is comfortable for your hip.
  4. Relax.

Repeat parts 1 and 2 several times, and play with your breathing pattern, either on the inhalation (to open) or the exhalation (to relax).

Part 3

Repeat the entire exercise on the left side.

Preparatory Exercise 7

Coordinate the Abdominal and Back Muscles

This preparation can be practiced lying down or standing, depending on the choice of exercises that will follow.

Part 1a

  1. Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Put a hand under the lumbar region, keeping your hand open. Raise your lower back just enough so your hand slides beneath you easily. The back muscles are at work here.

Part 1b

  1. Contract the abdominals while keeping the lower back in this position. Feel how contracting the abdominals tends to send the pelvis into retroversion and pulls the lower back toward the floor.
  2. Maintain the contraction of the back muscles to prevent this retroversion.

Repeat this process several times.

Part 2a

  1. Stand with your knees slightly bent.
  2. Put one hand behind the lumbar region, keeping your hand open.
  3. Arch your lumbar spine slightly, while at the same time trying to stand taller and get as vertical as possible. This is the work of the back muscles, chiefly the deep back muscles.

Part 2b

  1. Contract the abdominals while maintaining the back in this position. Feel how the contraction of the abdominals tends to pull the pelvis into retroversion and flatten the lordotic curve of the lower back.
  2. Maintain the contraction of the back muscles to inhibit the retroverting action of the abdominals.