Exercises For The Transverse Abdominals

When doing abdominal workout, it is very important to also work the transverse abdominals, a core of muscles that are situated beneath the rectus abdominus, yet most people are unaware of that. Most exercises aim at working the rectus abdominus and the vertical abdominal muscles, but almost none of them target the transversal abdominals. These muscles are even left out during crunches, which are one of the most popular abdominal exercises. But, since these muscles are connected to the lower back muscles, to the rectus abdominus and, generally speaking, to the entire abdomen, they are a very important group of muscles to develop. If your goal is to flatten your stomach, working on this muscles should be a priority. Using the following exercises, you can work out your transverse abdominals and really make progress on that flat tummy. Of course, just like for any other type of exercise, make sure you are in good health and warm up before you work out.

Tilt your pelvis
You will need to lay flat on your back, either on the floor or on another hard surface. You can use a mat or towel to cushion your spine a little. Your knees should be slightly bent and your feet flat against the floor. Raise your pelvis (and only your pelvis) off the floor, hold momentarily, and then lower it back down. Repeat for the length of a set. Your movements should be very controlled during this particular exercise. Maintaining conscious control will ensure that you use your abdominal muscles correctly. Also, be sure to keep your upper body on the floor throughout.

Do crunches without crunching.
This first exercise is fairly simple but can also be fairly difficult. Essentially, it involves trying to pull the belly button in towards the spine. The difficulty is in the fact that you will be using muscles that are hardly ever used. To start, either lie or on your stomach or kneel. Maybe you can try both positions to see which one works best for you. Relax and focus on using your abdominals to pull your belly button toward your spine. Keep it that way for ten seconds. If holding for ten seconds feels easy, hold for a longer period. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. Once you feel it, relax the muscles.

Kick your legs like scissors
This stomach exercise also requires lying on the floor. Your hands must be under your buttocks, and your back flat against the floor. Slowly raise one leg to a height of about ten inches, then slowly lower it back to the floor. As your lower one leg, raise the other. Repeat this motion for an entire set. Keep a good dose of control to make sure you are working your abdominals. You should not move your upper body at all.

Other exercises are also good for the transverse muscles, but these are enough to start with. Stomach exercises like these are key to any tummy-flattening plan, and they are especially good for pregnant and post-partum women.

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