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A great article came out this week in the Washington Post about why gripping your abdominals or “tightening you abs” is NOT helping you become healthy and strong. This article mainly focuses on physical therapists who deal with pelvic floor dysfunction in women.
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The concept of sucking in your tummy is not NEW in our society. My 94-year-old mother still believes it’s “correct posture!”
I have spent almost 30 years helping people un-grip their abdominals so they can recover from joint pain, feel more relaxed, stronger and breathe a lot better.
Here are some benefits of a relaxed belly:
Better breathing.
Less spine pain.
Less hip and knee pain.
Stronger back and butt.
Stronger abdominals.
Better hip mobility.
More comfort and overall relaxation.
Greater coordination in all movements.
Let’s focus on the breath.
HOW we breathe can influence the QUALITY of our breath.
The distribution of oxygen depends on the mechanics of breathing. The diaphragm (which separates the chest from the abdominal cavity) is a tough, flat sheet of muscle.1 The chest cavity is like a cylinder that expands in three ways: extending the diaphragm floor downward, the thoracic outward or the cylinder upward. All are needed for the ideal complete breath. This is diaphragmatic breathing and physiologically it is the most efficient.2 As the diaphragm moves down, it expands the chest cavity and, if the abdominal wall is relaxed, it moves outward as well.3
When we breathe correctly, we influence the autonomic system, creating the rest and repair response of the parasympathetic system that everyone needs daily.4
When we hold our abdominals “in” as the fashion magazines tell us, we may have a flat stomach at the expense of our breath. Flattening your stomach does not allow the air to go down, as designed. This form of breathing creates more work because we use the muscles in the chest that are not designed for that purpose.
The many different systems in the body are working together to create homeostasis. We know if the body is more relaxed and without tension when “belly breathing” we can be sure our spine and structure will be healthy as well. It’s important to view the body as many systems working together to create a healthy whole.
References:
1. S. Rama, R. Bulletine, and A. Hymes, Science of Breath: A Practical Guide. Himalayan International Institute, Pennsylvania. 1979 p. 36
2. Ibid., p. 38
3. Ibid., p. 38
4. A. Weil, Breathing Tapes
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The McCall Method is a movement therapy which is hard to explain at times because of its many faces. It’s based on moves you do all the time but give little attention to because they’ve been with you all your life. Our body structure is not designed to break down. Every skill we learn starts with a foundation. So the foundations or building blocks in human movement center on walking, sitting, standing, bending and the transitions to each of those movements. Centering the body in the hips/pelvis area is where you start to gain this foundation. By centering you begin to better feel how the rest of your body connects. This opens up an understanding that helps you move in a coordinated way. Centering also gives you more strength and mobility because it immediately causes the correct muscles to engage and releases tension in those tight muscles that need to relax. All movements matter. From a movement perspective driving your car, unloading the dishwasher, sitting at your computer, playing with your kids, or hanging out at a cafe matter just as much as your tennis game, golf swing or weight workout. They are all the same because they are basically just movement. We label our movements but the body doesn’t. It’s all the same to out bodies. Depending on how movements are executed, the body either is enhanced or is breaking down. All of the simple moves I teach have much to offer if we take notice and re-learn to do them well. As you become more aware of how to do the foundational movements, you will unlock the secret to enhancing your looks, your workout and your life. More body awareness: Greater relaxation and ease. A lot of us are tense in our bodies. We are often so used to the tension that it is “normal” to us.
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