With the advent of the term ‘core stability’ the emphasis of abdominal workouts has shifted from the ‘six pack’ muscles (rectus abdominus), to the deeper muscles such as transversus abdominus (TA), multifidus and others surrounding the spine.  Traditional workouts that target the six-pack tend to consist of hundreds of crunches, whereas the TA workouts are more concerned with a ‘drawing in’ (sucking in the belly) of the abdominals for better posture and stability. 

Pilates is a fairly recent phenomenon that relies heavily on this concept, describing it as activating the ‘powerhouse’.  The ability to activate these muscles is certainly important for good posture, rehabilitation of low back injuries and stabilisation when active, but are they being done to death?  Is there still a place for the six-pack muscles in a core workout?  The answer is absolutely, just not in the same way as before. 

The key word is ‘bracing’.  It’s basically the opposite of drawing in.  Think of it like this; you are about to take a punch to the stomach from Mike Tyson.  Now would you suck in your belly or tense it as hard as you can?  I know I would tense the heck out of it…….for all the good it would do against Mike!  And you will notice that when you brace your abdominals like that, they move out slightly.  This means the cross-sectional area of your midsection has increased, and if we liken it to a fencepost, the thicker the post, the less it will buckle when pressure is applied to it.  

The issue of buckling is important.  Although the spine can move in many different directions, its strongest and most stable position is when it doesn’t move at all!  Major body movement itself comes from the hip musculature such as the glutes and hamstrings.  So the ability of the abdominal muscles to brace is essential for keeping the spine in a rigid, stable position during movement.  That includes not only the rectus abdominus or the TA, but the obliques, erector spinae and other core muscles as well.  Everything works together, which appears to have been forgotten in the pursuit of a new training concept.

When you are exercising in the gym and about to perform a heavy squat or deadlift, do you draw in or brace?  Try it without thinking too much and you’ll see that you naturally brace hard.  Likewise, when a rugby player is about to make a tackle, they don’t suck in their stomach just before contact; they brace hard. So does the guy getting tackled……if he has time.   A sprinter leaving the blocks, a spike during beach volleyball, a tennis serve, are all examples of bracing.

So have the TA people got it wrong then?  No, not exactly.  It’s just another example of an idea being taken too far.   There is still a place for both crunches and deep muscle activation work in your core workouts and everyday life.  When you are sitting in front of your computer, driving your car or walking down the street; draw in your stomach and maintain a tall strong straight-backed posture.  But when you need to move with speed and strength, brace those abs like Mike has thrown a punch your way!