Purpose: Improves abdominal and pelvic floor strength, and helps stabilize the spine.
Target Area: The deep abdominal muscles located on the side and front of the abdomen.
Who Can Benefit From This Exercise: Pregnant women, women who have recently had a baby, and men, women, and children who experience incontinence of bowel, and/or bladder.
Instruction: Kneel. Lean forward and place hands on floor. Align shoulders and hands, and hips and knees. Maintain head alignment with body, and a neutral spine position.* Take a relaxed breath in and out. Now without breathing in, slowly draw the belly button up and in towards the spine. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Gently breath in and out while holding the tummy tight. Gradually relax the abdomen. Repeat: 3 - 10 times, as the exercise becomes easier, perform 2 to 3 sets.
Hints:
- Avoid movement of the trunk or pelvis, and avoid using inner thigh and buttock muscles when performing exercise.
- If you find this exercise difficult to do, have a friend/spouse lightly tap on the side of your abdomen to try and facilitate the muscle to contract.
- If you are working with a young child, you may try lightly tickling or tapping the abdomen. Usually the child will naturally draw the abdomen up and in towards the spine.
* To achieve a neutral spine, the lumbar spine (lower back) is not arched as with an anterior pelvic tilt, nor is it rounded as with a posterior pelvic tilt. A neutral spine is in-between, providing the ability to strengthen muscles in an optimal position, avoid injury, and improve functional and athletic performance.
