When you think of your core, you likely think of the muscles responsible for the six-pack. Although these visible muscles are important, those aren’t the only muscles in your core.
Also known as your body’s natural “corset”, the transverse abdominis is the muscle that lies deep inside your abdomen.
Located on either side of the rectus abdominis on the innermost part of your abdomen is the transverse abdominis.
To activate this muscle, think about pulling your belly button into your spine and squeezing your abs.
This action is important for performing core exercises properly but also for bracing during moves like the squat and deadlift. If you don’t brace your core during heavy lifts, you can put yourself at a higher risk of an inefficient lift or an injury.
It may be a mouthful to say, but there’s a reason the transverse abdominis is named so. The word transverse means “across”, which is important for a couple different reasons. The first being the muscle fibers themselves run horizontally across the abdomen. The second being it lies across the transverse plane.
The transverse plane is one of four planes that divides the body into top and bottom, and the movements in this plane include rotating or twisting.
Flexibility in the transverse plane can be important for sports like golf, but trunk flexibility in general can be crucial for mobility.
The movement in the transverse plane include: rotation, pronation and supination, and horizontal flexion and extension. So if you're looking to work the transverse abdominis, you must do exercises that move through this plane.
The word abdominis may be more obvious, but it originates from the Latin word meaning
“of the abdomen”.
The transverse abdominis is just one of six abdominal muscles, and it’s responsible for supporting and stabilizing the spine and the pelvis, as well as helping protect your internal organs.
This muscle helps to flex the spine, twist the torso, and even assist in breathing.
As the central core stabilizer, strengthening this muscle can help in the reduction of the global health issue of low back pain.
Bigger compound lifts can benefit from a well-rounded core, but it’s not just in the gym where this muscle group is important.
The transverse abdominis helps maintain tension in the abdominal wall, which can play a crucial role in opening a door, carrying groceries, or even walking down the street.
Training this specific area of the body can help build a stronger core, reduce low back pain, lower your risk of injury, and contribute to a more sculpted midsection. Choosing exercises that target the transverse abdominis can be important for overall strength and stability.
In order to work the transverse abdominis, you must do exercises that move through the transverse plane. Below are seven exercises to help increase your core strength.
How to do the Hollow Hold:
How to do the Side Plank with Rotation:
How to do the Cable Woodchopper:
How to do Russian Twists:
How to do the Plank Pull Through:
How to do the Bicycle Crunch:
How to do the V-up:
The transverse abdominis is crucial for core strength and stability. Although many people think about beach bod abs when they think of core work, the importance of core training for gym performance and everyday life shouldn't be overlooked. Anytime you move or twist, your core is at work, and by practicing these exercises in the gym, you can help prevent an injury.
We all want abs, but training them right goes further than just looks. Get a stronger and more sculpted core by incorporating these seven transverse abdominis exercise. To maximize results, try the Ripped Stack now and watch your muscles grow like never before.
