The Hidden Stomach Muscle

Everyone can identify with the 6 pack abs look, but few enjoy doing sit-ups. With this article, I will teach you how to get your stomach flat with less sit-ups.

There is a muscle called the Transverse Abdominus that acts as a stabilizer to your entire middle section.  If your not familiar with this muscle, go through basic training.  Drill sergeants love exercises that involve the Transverse Abdominus because when this muscle is strong, your back and stomach are strong.  Unfortunately, traditional sit-ups and crunches hardly exercise the transverse abdominus.  In order to maximize that 6 pack abs look, you will need to strengthen this muscle.

Let me tell you a brief story. I was doing stomach crunches my entire adult life, but when I reached 30 I realized that my ad muscles were getting harder to see. No matter what I ate (or didn’t eat) and no matter how many stomach exercises I did, my abdominal muscles kept slowly disappearing. Then, I started incorporating exercises that involved the Transverse Abdominus.  Ever since then, I am happy to stay my stomach muscles are more prevalent than ever before. Not only that, my posture is better.  Why? The Transverse Abdominus is connected to your back, ribs and pelvis.  In essence, it is the ultimate stabilizing muscle for your entire mid section.

A simple Internet search will reveal many techniques and exercises for strengthening the Transverse Abdominus, but I will name a few of my favorites here. Again, if you have ben through basic training, some of these exercises will be familiar to you:

The Focused Crunch – Although they are similar, do not mistake this exercise for an abdominal crunch.

• Put your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet should be firmly on the floor.
• Put your hands just below and to the sides of your belly button. Press a couple fingers from both hands into your lower abdomen.
• Begin by drawing your lower abdomen down towards the floor but do not move your pelvis.  Your chest should raise slightly.
• Stop drawing in your stomach as soon as you feel your muscles being to tighten. The muscles underneath your fingers should feel tight. If you move too far, you will stop working your Transverse Abdominus and begin stressing your oblique muscles instead.
• Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds while breathing normally.
• Do ten to twelve repetitions if this exercise is new to you, increase repetitions as needed.

Scissor Kicks – A drill sergeants favorite

• Put your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet should be firmly on the floor.
• Place your hands under your buttocks.
• Raise one leg about 12 inches off the ground and slowly lower it back down.
• As you lower one leg, raise the other in the same manner.
• Start with three sets of ten to twelve repetitions, increase repetitions as needed.

The Modified Plank - This is a tough exercise, proceed with caution.

• Start in the push-up position with your palms on the floor and toes on the ground.  Your back should be straight and your feet should be hip-width apart.
• Raise one leg as high as you can and then to a push-up.  Switch legs and repeat.
• Start with three sets of ten to twelve repetitions, increase repetitions as needed.

For other great workout tips, consult the Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook and Workbook at UltimateBasicTraining.com.

SGT Michael Volkin is the author of The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook: Tips, Tricks, and Tactics for Boot Camp Survival, available at UltimateBasicTraining.com.

Comments

[#1 Posted by: Henry]

That is awesome!! Thank you, sir for your heroism and for this!
Also, thank you to all of our heroic military and veterans! You are all the best!

[#2 Posted by: Dennis Dilday]

Those are great recommendations and uncommonly safe. A patient put me in touch with your March 5th article at Military.com.

Yes, the transverse abdominus is getting it's day in the sun, and it's well deserved.

Your story reminded me of the time we had Seals on our ship for a three week stint in the mid-seventies. I had been working my abs for several years without a visable six-pack, and was able to join the Seals during their workouts on the flight deck. The combination of several workouts a day and hundreds of reps of a wide variety of exercises produced a six-pack that has been relatively easy to maintain every since.

Now, as a tai chi guy, the transverse ab is practically always engaged. And while I don't take it to the CrossFit level of L-hold endlessly, and then some, my abs are fine for a 50-something.

[#3 Posted by: Mailman]

SGT Volkin,

First off, welcome to the blogs. Good stuff so far!

Second, I have a quick question : you say that doing crunches and situps doesn't help to strengthen the transverse abdominus muscles very much, but does strengthening those muscles help your ability to do crunches and situps?

[#4 Posted by: santia]

what can i do to help me do push ups i can only get like three done. please help me!!!!!

[#5 Posted by: SGT Volkin]

Santia
You need to read Chapter 2 of The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook, it will help your push-ups tremendously. Go to UltimateBasicTraining.com

[#6 Posted by: Tanel]

Hi, very interesting info here. I'm from Estonia and I don't understand everything so good, so is there a video about The Focused Crunch or the Scissor Kicks ? It would help a lot but I'll try to understand from these:)

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