Deep Abdominal Muscles - YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND

The pelvic floor muscles work with the deep muscles in your tummy, commonly referred to as the deep abdominal muscles. Understanding this partnership is important in your quest to improve your pelvic floor muscle function, as it is impossible to contract your pelvic floor muscles without contracting your deep abdominal muscles. Engaging the muscles of the abdominal wall facilitates greater pelvic floor contraction, but what is the abdominal wall and what are the deep abdominal muscles? 

The Abdominal Wall Muscles 

The external oblique, the internal oblique, transversus abdominis, and the rectus abdominis are the muscles which create the abdominal wall. The basic functions of these muscles involve providing structural support for the abdominal cavity as well as providing protection for the internal organs within the abdominal walls. The abdominal muscles also assist in the process of respiration. Contraction of the muscles of the abdominal wall usually assists in activities such as protecting and offering the spine extra stability when lifting heavy objects or assisting in the process of defecation.

Fig 1. Abdominal Muscles

The Deep Abdominal Muscles 

The deep abdominal muscles that are intimately involved with pelvic floor muscle contraction are the transversus abdominis. The transverse abdominal muscles (TA muscles) wrap around the torso from front to back and from the ribs to the pelvis. The  TA muscles run horizontally around your body, similar to a corset. 

The fourth layer of the abdominal muscles, the TA muscles, are very important muscles in assisting the pelvic floor muscles with urethral closing pressure. If your TA muscles are weak the probability of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is highly likely. The TA muscles work with an important back muscle called multifidus, as seen in figure 2, and the co-contraction strengthens pelvic floor contraction. 


By learning how to correctly contract the TA and multifidus muscles, the function of your bladder, bowel and pelvic organ support may be improved, whilst concurrent back pain may be helped also. 

Fig 2. Core Stability Muscles

Contracting the Deep Abdominal Muscles 

In order to engage the entire muscle and to perform a correct contraction, the ribs should be flush with your body and the spine and pelvis should be in a neutral position. A neutral position is achieved when lying on your back and your pubis and pelvic bone are all even. The cue that I like to give is to "use your muscles to pull your belly button back to your spine." I find it helpful to have clients perform the contraction on the exhale phase of the breath.  Make sure to keep the pelvis level during the contraction. 

When performing a lower abdominal exercise, such as table top ( common yoga and pilates exercise), you can tell if you are not using the TA muscles if your rectus abdominis, your six pack muscle, pokes out and looks like a loaf of bread.  Try contracting the TA muscle before you lift the legs (always lifting one leg at a time to avoid unnecessary downward pressure on your pelvic floor muscles) and see if the loaf of bread stays flat and engaged.

Fig 3. At rest 

Fig - 5 With TA muscle 
contraction -
No loaf of bread

Fig 4. Without TA muscle contraction -
the rectus abdominis pops up like a loaf of bread

Exercises to Strengthen the Transversus Abdominal Muscles

These exercises are simple, yet effective movements that work the TA muscles.  

These exercises are all about holding your position in a static pose, in order to strengthen the TA muscles.  These types of exercises, where you hold the static pose, are called isometric exercises and are great for strengthening and toning.

EXERCISE #1 - Plank Pose

TRAINER'S TIP: If you are a beginner to exercise it is recommended that you begin by planking against a wall, before progressing to planking using a chair, and then eventually planking on your knees on the floor.   


How to do the Plank Pose

Fig 6 - Plank Pose - Intermediate option 

Fig 7 - Plank Pose - Advanced option

1. Place your elbows on the floor underneath your shoulders.
2. Now place your knees on the floor with legs hip width apart.
3. With back straight, keep your body lifted off the floor and pull in your belly button towards your spine
4. Hold this position for a count of 5-15 seconds initially with the goal of being able to hold for 30-60 seconds. 
5. Relax, placing your body back on the floor and then repeat for 3 to 5 repetitions.

Note:  Remember to breathe while you are holding your position and keep your back straight and parallel to the ground.  For increased challenge, you can also do this as a straight arm plank pose, placing your hands on the floor instead of your elbows.


EXERCISE # 2 - Transversus Abdominal Pull Ins

This TA exercise is very difficult to illustrate, as the movement is so small, it is hard to tell the difference from start to finish position.  Although the move is small, it reaches deep down to the TA muscle.

You can do this exercise either standing up or laying down.  In fact the movement is so small you can do it standing up just about anywhere without anyone knowing your are doing an ab exercise.

How to do the Transversus Pull Ins

Fig 8. Transversus Pull Ins - 

TA muscle not activated 

Fig 9. Transversus Pull Ins -
 Activated TA muscle 

1. Lie on the floor with back flat, knees bent and feet on the floor.
2. Place your hands on your lower abs, about where your bikini bottoms would cover, and place your thumbs touching your naval.
3. Now pretend like you have to zip up a really tight pair of jeans and pull in your belly button towards the back of your spine.
4. Hold for 5-15 seconds initially with the eventual goal of 30 to 60 seconds, then relax and repeat 3-5 times.

Note:  To do this TA exercise in a standing position, just repeat the steps above while standing, being sure to keep the rest of your body relaxed and focus on the TA muscle to do the work.