THE MIGHTY MYSTERY MUSCLE

 THE MIGHTY MYSTERY MUSCLE


AWAKEN THE INVISIBLE POWERHOUSE WITHIN YOU! 

 
FACT:  All human movement originates with an amazing muscle named the TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS. (TVA).

FACT:  Failure to activate and constantly use this muscle often results in back injury and pain, loss of balance and decreasing mobility.

FACT:  Using and strengthening this muscle can improve your performance in every move you make and every breath you take, since it plays a central role in the act of breathing.

FEEL, ACT AND LOOK MUCH YOUNGER!  

REDUCE UGLY, DANGEROUS BELLY FAT!

IMPROVE YOUR SPEED, POWER, BALANCE AND STAMINA IN YOUR FAVORITE SPORT OR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY SUCH AS TENNIS AND GOLF.   

DEVELOP THE NUMBER ONE SAFEGUARD AGAINST TOPPLING OVER.  (Falling is the Number one reason for hospital admissions in the over 65 population.)

Greetings:

I am excited to share with you my recent discovery of a muscle deep within us that is UNKNOWN and UNDER UTILIZED BY OVER 99 PER CENT OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION. 

Although I had been trained and practiced as a certified fitness trainer for nearly two decades, I never knew the value and significance of this muscle until five years ago.

I had been suffering for over 6 months with the debilitating back and leg pain of sciatica, which did not subside with heavy doses of pharmaceutical ibuprofen and a spinal injection.  In desperation, I sought the services of a Physical Therapist who enlightened me about a muscle that would heal and prevent future back pain.

After strengthening my TVA, I haven't even felt a twinge of sciatica or any other back pain for the past five years now, and my balance and mobility has greatly improved as well. 

ALL MOVEMENT, AND THE STRENGTH OF MOVEMENT, BEGINS IN THE VICINITY OF THE NAVAL. 

By drawing the BELLY BUTTON in and up towards the spine, we are  engaging the innermost and mighty TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS, which is the ULTIMATE CORE within the core musculature.

This internal muscle wraps horizontally around the spine and the abdomen with attachments to the ribs, pelvis, hips, and the external abdominals.

Similar to a CORSET or a GIRDLE, the TVA is an inner muscular belt that protects the internal organs, supports the healthy alignment of the spine and radiates strength to everything you do from lifting and carrying a heavy sack of groceries to striking a tennis or golf ball.

Known as NATURE'S WEIGHT LIFTING BELT, the belt is tightened by PULLING the buckle, your BELLY BUTTON, in and up towards the spine, which STABILIZES and SUPPORTS the TORSO and the SPINE to prevent injury.  Activation of this muscle also neurologically provides additional power to flow to those muscles being used in any muscular activity.             

             

Weight lifters and furniture movers are often seen wearing weight lifting belts to protect their backs, which are just artificial substitutes for the REAL THING, our NATURAL BACK BRACE:  the TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS (TVA).

I have frequently demonstrated to fitness clients the recently discovered and developed strength of my TVA by HARMLESSLY straining with all my might to move or lift something impossible to budge.

Do Not try this at home unless you have a strong TVA

(Merrilee's brother, Tom Keller, is the proud owner of this very special Corvette, which I'll tell you about at the end of this post.) *

Unless you are aware of and intentionally use your TVA, it is probably weak and ineffective. 

EXPERIENCE YOUR TVA IN ACTION

There are several ways of engaging your TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS:

The first is to simply pull or draw your navel back and up towards the spine.

You might want to try a quick, fun experiment that should reveal the potential pillar strength of your TVA:

Liz Shields and Brendan Wilson

While facing a partner, ask that person to gently push against your extended hands for 2 separate times.  Both times, remain totally relaxed and do not anticipate or consciously resist the pushes.  The second time, tighten just your TVA by drawing your navel back and up towards your spine.

Mer and Ray

You will likely experience an increase in stability just by tightening that single muscle.

A second way to activate your TVA is to breathe in deeply through the nose, expanding the abdomen and then expel all the air through pursed lips to bring the naval as close as possible to the spine.

This maximum inhalation and expulsion of air is a single repetition of  ABDOMINAL VACUUM TRAINING, a TVA specific exercise that can be practiced while standing, sitting and lying down.  A good time for this exercise is while riding in a plane, train or automobile.

This kind of deep breathing also enhances the delivery of oxygen and the exiting of carbon dioxide throughout the body and is a beginning step in relaxation and meditation.

(Recently, I survived a couple of hours of torture in a dentist's chair with deep breathing, which reduced my awareness of pain as I simultaneously exercised and strengthened my TVA.)

An interesting way of experiencing your TVA is to ask a friend, not an enemy, to initiate a punch to your stomach, or you can do it to yourself, but stop short of contact, of course.   Your instinctive response is ABDOMINAL BRACING, which protectively tightens all your abdominal muscles, especially the TVA.

Liz Shields almost hits Ray with her best punch!

Repeat the threatened punch for maximum TVA tightening and then relax the muscle about halfway, which is how it should remain throughout your daily activities.

Ray almost hits Ray with his best punch!

In the beginning,  TVA activation will be fatiguing because a lack of use has resulted in muscular atrophy and weakness.  Try testing your current strength and stamina by sitting tall in a chair for awhile with your navel drawn back and up towards the spine.  You will likely begin to tire within a few minutes.

Fortunately, the TVA is a slow twitch, endurance muscle that is designed for stamina and CAN BE TRAINED TO LAST ALL DAY LONG.


It should be activated when sitting and standing and especially when standing up from being seated.  It should be tightened where ever you go and whatever you do.  The only time for resting this muscle is when you're reclining or sleeping.


A conscious effort to draw in the navel for abdominal bracing should precede any physical exertion such as climbing up or descending stairs, reaching up and bending down, lifting and carrying groceries, vacuuming, moving furniture, sweeping, raking, etc.  Because all movement originates in the center of your body, this TVA tightening will ADD STRENGTH, STABILITY AND SAFETY to all your activities.

A tightened TVA radiates strength to the entire body and maximizes all muscular performance.  I have frequently asked my fitness clients to perform an exercise, such as a dumbbell curl for example, to the point of exhaustion and the inability to perform another proper repetition.   I would then instruct them to suck in their naval for that inner strength, and they would be surprised to find that they were able to execute additional repetitions.

Megan Bespolka demonstrates the bicep curl.

I would suggest experimenting with TVA activation as you walk and run and climb up and down stairs.  You will likely feel stronger and better balanced in all your movements.

I recently chatted with Tom Fish, (Tennis Professional and father of U.S. tennis great, Mardy Fish) about my discovery of the importance of the TVA in athletic performance.  A couple of days later, Tom reported that activating his TVA had noticeably strengthened his tennis strokes and golf swing.

Mer and Tom Fish

BURNING OFF BELLY FAT



Constant use of your TVA is also a key to losing that dangerous belly fat and the protruding stomach that is a common complaint of both men and women.

Many of my fitness clients have lamented about their large and pregnant looking stomachs, and I would respond by asking them to stand tall, sideways to a full length mirror, and to suck in their stomachs by pulling in their navels.  

Immediately, they were pleased to view themselves looking noticeably thinner.  I would then advise them to PRACTICE looking that way as they stand, sit and move about...and eventually they can actually look and BE that way!

Mer???  Is that you????

Although, excessive belly fat is heavily influenced by diet, you can begin to lose that ugly fat with constant use of your TVA.  

All muscle activity requires fuel, and as a slow twitch, endurance muscle, the TVA's preferred source of fuel to burn is FAT.  For a majority of our U.S. population, overflowing tummy tanks of fuel are conveniently available.

Personally, the past few years of constantly using my TVA has been key in reducing my waist from 34, which it has been since I was a teenager, to a current 32.


RENAISSANCE OF THE TVA

As children, we instinctively engaged our TVAs in our transition from crawling to moving in an upright position. Because of its invisibility, we never really noted its existence and appreciated its importance.     

As we transitioned into sedentary adulthood, the need for a strong and active TVA faded and the muscle essentially went into slumber under blankets of fat for a majority of Americans.

As we enter our Senior years, however, life comes full circle, and as our bodies stiffen and lose flexibility, our TVA's are again critically needed to combat gravity and keep us vertical.

DURING MY 60s, I had not yet learned about the identity and value of my TVA and I was tripping and falling a lot.  For example, while running along wooded trails, I would, way too many times, trip over a hidden rock or tree root and execute a flying face plant.

A face plant looks like this.

Having learned about the value of a strong TVA just prior to my 70th birthday, my rejuvenated muscle now snaps me upright and safe when I trip. 

NOW, IN MY 70s, I continue to run along wooded trails and still trip at times, but no longer crash into the earth.  Fear of falling is no longer a part of my reality as it was during my 60s.


CONCLUSIONS

During the past several years of seriously researching and learning a lot about about health and longevity, my discovery and subsequent utilization of the TVA has impacted me more than anything else I have learned.

It has been life changing; and I have taken a giant stride in my journey of GROWING YOUNG!  

I am definitely feeling more youthful than I have felt in over a decade...just by sucking in my gut.  

Next time, I will expand on the TVA and its central role in regaining our NATURAL PROPER POSTURE, which is essential to healthful longevity.

I will also present exercises that strengthen the TVA by using one of my favorite fitness toys.  (Can anyone guess which one???)

*As promised, here's the scoop on Tom Keller's Corvette Convertible:

Tom Keller

All Corvette photos taken by Philip Carnahan

Tom's Corvette is a special 60th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Convertible called the "427", named after an iconic version possessing a 427 cubic inch V8 engine, which was the fastest Chevrolet Corvette Convertible ever made with a top speed of 205 mph.  Tom pleads the fifth when asked about how fast he has traveled in it.

                





"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."   

              Thomas A. Edison
              US inventor (1847-1931)

"A body in motion stays in motion..."

               Isaac Newton

                                "The alternative is not enticing."

                                           Ray Williams