Preventing and eliminating low back pain: Strengthening the transversus abdominis

Always consult your physician prior to trying any of the exercises on my channel.
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[@NickMasseyRideon]

this exercise has changed my life, my physio told me about it after I "hurt my back" now I am stronger fitter and no back pain. great video, thanks

[@Bitachon]

That's great. How did you hurt your back. How long did it take to get better?

[@omnipresent1215]

Two years later now Nick. Are you still doing this exercise? How is your back? Well I hope!

[@jol4342]

Good to hear it. I'm going to try it.

[@efek10]

Just went through 10 of your videos, wrote down some exercises and I'm ready to get better. Keep up the good work!

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+Konquest Will do !

[@Bitachon]

Did excerises work?

[@mathguy829]

On a scale of 1 to 10, this video was an ELEVEN. Very informative. Thank you!

[@vickyholland1357]

dude, THANK YOU. so much. You're fucking awesome, ive been struggling to find a excersize that hits this muscle and this just gave my whole body tingles and the most epic release ive felt in a long time after doing 4 sets of twenty, rock on man.

[@Bitachon]

Amazing. Did it get you out of pain?

[@moneybags183]

Are you sure you didn't just climax with your penus?

[@KerryFairbanks]

Something overlooked is the function of the TA to manually exhale, a more functional version of this is to coordinate it with breathing. Fully contracted you'll empty your lungs as much as you can, then control release and use your diaphragm to fill your lungs (belly breath) as much as you can (your TA is not involved with inhalation but it will stretch as your diaphragm expands). This will go on to help you with all weight training exercises as ideally your breath and TA activation (manual exhalation) should be coordinated and strict in all resistance training for example: bench press, control exhale on the press (TA activation), control inhale on the way down, diaphragm fully engaged at the bottom

[@jol4342]

I have long term back pain. This is a good simple exercise. I'll post again after doing the exercise regularly. Thank you.

[@shauryabhola]

Any improvement?

[@trishaberry5033]

Thanks for this video! I really appreciate how much time you took to explain the exercise and how it works on the body, etc. Can't wait to start feeling the increase in strength!

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+Trisha Berry :D Keep me posted!

[@ludek1pospa]

perfect, just what ive been looking for three years, THANKS!

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+Ludek Pospisil Glad you liked this Ludek. Be sure to check out my other videos!

[@shuibabdullah4932]

Did it work ?

[@22stephanieplacido]

I’ve been looking for a method that would teach me how to properly activate my core, thank you so much. My back has been killing me, this shall help. You’re amazing

[@bobojenkins5805]

1:59 is what you came here for

[@jessicagp]

The moment I did it I felt an amazing pain relief in my back. Thank you!

[@leonardkellum6984]

did'nt waste time and got to the point, and gave 1 simple easy anywhere exercise. BRAVO

[@conwayjames1]

If this exercise cures my back pain then I can never thank you ever thank you enough for it as I am in dreadful pain with it at the moment, so thanks a million for it.

[@LoftyProduction]

did this work james Conway?

[@Bitachon]

@@LoftyProduction wondering the same thing. Seems like people don't usually respond to their comments years later...I wonder why...

[@shauryabhola]

Did this work?

[@ROMANEMPIRE69]

Thank you so much. Your video made the most sense out of all the videos on the topic I’ve viewed. A very simple movement that had me huffing and puffing. And yep my right leg/hip and lower back pain/irritation was due to this muscle weakness. Not sure but it’s more so on my right side. Probably due to a past shoulder injury that weakened my right side.

[@omnipresent1215]

@ 2:34. I've always *absolutely hated* doing core exercises. Thankfully and thanks to you I won't mind doing them at all now. This... version of ab' exercises isn't so bad at all AND super effective! Many thanks!

[@dj_Davepz]

Legend. Incorporated this into my daily roller routine, something is helping :)

[@evademusa1015]

If only I found this in quarantine 😂😂😂

[@IvanaChapman]

Good explanation! I like this TVA variation, especially for my beginner clients.

[@jasonuren3479]

Totally out of shape 52 yo disabled person here. Just did my first 4 sets of this. Man! Way tougher than I imagined!

[@paulmaldo8261]

amazing well explain. it helps about my sports hernia. thank u very much. till 2020 im ur subscriber. i want to credit u when i become a pro baller soon

[@entertainmenttogo6974]

Hows the Pro Baller Journey ?

[@Crucifoe]

You have videos on like, everything I wanted to look up. Thanks man

[@howarddempsey3398]

Thanks for the good demo, my PT sent me home to work on this.

[@Nirrr1000]

You explain things perfectly!!

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+N94 Thanks! :)

[@misterwill3625]

Thanks for the easy-to-follow-along with exercises 👏🏾 This is difficult, but doable. I have an office job and I can feel the toll it’s taking on me. I just got serious about my waste when it measured 43in. Thank you.

[@JC3178]

How's it going so far?

[@robertkehr9361]

Hey, thanks for the video man, with this and other exercises to strengthen this muscle I found, this should help me get in better shape to go into the military. This was very helpful man.

[@andrewe3165]

I'd like to find a TVA strengthening routine that is more aggressive, most seem to be better for activation (than strengthening).

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+Andrew E Do palloff presses! I have a video on this

[@tank0792]

@@GuerrillazenFitness what's the title of the video

[@tank0792]

@@GuerrillazenFitness and if presses can be considered a more aggressive way to train the transverse abdominis then wouldnt all standing compound movements have the same effect

[@207512386]

Great video, recently injured a disk in my lower back by losing my form on deadlifts. Been seeing a biokineticist who is helping me try strengthen my core, this video makes it really easy to know whether ur activating it. Cheers

[@azzag2414]

This perfect to add into my working day, cheers

[@stizic]

glad i found your channel

[@thomasmulroney2065]

I wish I could work with you in person. You are great

[@blardyslartfast6651]

TL;DR 1:58

[@yunshao696]

i need this exercise i havr back pain.thanks for sharung 🙏♥️

[@dkizzle1290]

Very good info, thanks a lot!

[@theconversation9103]

Wow, that is tough! Do you hold your breath during the 20 seconds? Thanks

[@RicardiaMissBacardi]

Would you recommend this exercise for someone with diastasis recti?

[@kudezamiah8125]

Hi! I have DR too and so yes..you must workout the transverse to close the gap.

[@IvanaChapman]

Yes! Strengthening the TVA is important for dealing with diastasis recti. I've got some other TVA exercises on my channel as well. 😊

[@dlroto]

When you say sucking in, is it like when you make your stomach like a vacuum

[@shanksre6186]

Thank you.

[@mejasj74]

Hope this works cause I am going to try it, and hopefully get rid of the bump in the lower ab area

[@mejasj74]

I will do that and thanks for getting back, and just to know do I still continue with my normal ab workout's while doing this exercise. Thanks

[@mejasj74]

I do a variety of ab workout's but what would you say would be an ab exercise(s) not to do, maybe that would be the quickest way to understand what to avoid, thanks

[@mejasj74]

That's great so thanks

[@mejasj74]

At this now about 9 days. I do it 2-3 a day and I have noticed a big difference already, hopefully it will continue to give me the results

[@be_saltnlight]

Thank you!

[@jimbarentine3539]

I sit at a desk all day, will doing this exercise in my chair be ok? Love the videos

[@darkbluedude8789]

well I'm not even 30 yet and have back problems...

[@fahadalourifi1849]

DarkBlueDude 87 26 and a bulging disc lol

[@susieneves9596]

Ty so much😊

[@aaronfrable6460]

This is the second video of yours I have found this morning that is helping my back pain. I am not sure I am doing it correctly though. I am obese so I can easily tell that I am sucking in my belly. I am also feeling difficulty breathing when doing so like you said I should. The thing I think is strange is I feel tense up to my neck when doing it. Am I doing something wrong? Thank you for these helpful videos!

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+Aaron Frable Aaron, you probably have extra tightness in your neck. Send me a video brother!

[@Ignasimp]

I've been trying to do that for long, and I haven't seen that much improvement. My belly protrudes outward and I want to fix it and my physiotherapist told me I had to do core exercises with the transverse abs activated like in a vacum.

[@nebi75]

hey man thanks for the vid i think i have an anterior pelvic tilt as i cant squat with a straight back my butt and gut sticks out (yay) and my lower back always feels tight i will try this out and it seems like its just want i need i also sit on my crappy lumbar support chair all day when im not working

[@ObiePower1]

Great share! Question…will yoga blocks under knees increase the stretch?

[@emmamarlborough4394]

hello thanks for this, how many times a week would you recommend this? sorry if this has been asked before.

[@jasoneyes01]

Good stuff! Thanks!

[@yonah9983]

thank you for video

[@VideoProductions]

Good video. You state 4 sets of repetitions but how many per set? Apologies if I missed it.

[@JRS-iq9pz]

Thanks.

[@tumenodnuud4101]

Yooooo, something popped and my bulging disk is gone 😮😮😮

[@kartoffeltroels]

I can't help but contract my rectus abdominus a lot in this exercise. Is that ok?

[@learnwithjahsun]

Thanks!

[@Alonka1213]

Great video and amazing exercise! I can do this to strengthen my transverse abdominis to help heal my diastasis recti and decease the muscle separation too right? I would appreciate your response, thank you :)

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+Alonka1213 yes

[@hualee1032]

Do you think it works well for diastasis recti?

[@danmarinkovich5223]

One question... While sucking in the tummy should the abdominal muscles be clenched, or simply sucking in the tummy?

[@donquixote...]

How bout a gym tour...? I see some interesting pieces back there...

[@mengmenggo]

hey do you think i can do crunches/reverse crunches while holding my TA? , i feel when i'm doing crunches i'm not using my TA at all and my"six-pac" abs just stuck out a lot

[@XRyanK]

Iv gotta suck what hard?... On a serious note, gonna be trying this instead of a outstretched leg kick excerise my friend recommended from dance class that has been killing me.

[@markradich9903]

Can you perform this exercise everyday?

[@kathleenguada1595]

Hello, I found your video because I looked up lower back pain. I work out 3-5 times per week, mixing running, swimming, intense interval training (core work), and cycling. I have always had back pain since I was a kid..I was active and a pretty intense swimmer since age 8, which is what I attributed the pain to then. I'm 30 now, and for the last 12 years it usually gets bad when I stand for a long time or when I have my period. My grandma and great grandma had lower back pain, but they were much shorter than I, and less active. However, I just started working a job where I sit a lot more than I used to.... I am going to do what you suggest in this video as well as another you posted on the stomach muscles, but I told you all of this information (sorry) in case you can maybe offer any other advice. I'm really scared of having this pain for long term, and I feel like its getting worse. By the way, are you a licensed physical therapist? Thank you so much, I found your videos helpful.

[@kathleenguada1595]

Ok I thought maybeyou could shoot some ideas out. Anyways thanks anyways

[@GoodEyesight3000]

have you had your spine checked for a misalignment or fixation? Very easy to get one from a bump or fall. You also should check your hips, kneeds and ankles flex well. If they dont then its it gives an unfair work load on the lower back. Your pelvic floor muscles (kegel) need to be strong to ensure the lower back is stable.

[@kathleenguada1595]

Thank you for this info.

[@dougpavey8832]

What exercises do you recommend for Diastasis Recti/ Recti split and how long do you think it will take to get it closed back up?

[@TVBrainImonDrugz]

I'm having trouble, I was wondering if you could help me. I only feel the pull on my left side, I think I might have a deficiency on the right and would like to know how to correct this issue.

[@AshleyxAdamson]

Can we breathe in this hold to go past 20 seconds?

[@vaggeliskantidis9767]

Does this make and the stomach flat? Nice video btw!

[@FunInTheSun808]

I am trying to strengthen my ta, when I suck my stomach in is it normal to feel your hamstrings tighten at the same time

[@warchild888]

*Transverse not transversus and thoracic is said as (thor-ra-sik) not (thor-ra-kick)

[@user-eg5lo3rx1e]

i feel my lower back(kind of bad way) when i suck my stomach hard as i can. is this mean i have weak transverse abdominal muscle or low back problem?

[@Mary-yl7wb]

Is it normal to feel a lot of back pain after doing these?

[@victoriastrong_art_photography]

This is the muscle that is cut and damaged/weakened when a woman gets a c-section. I wish more fitness experts would focus on exercises for women who have had a c-section. It weakens these muscles, and then pulls on the back. Then when you are trying to strengthen the tranverse, it will hurt your back...

[@edyao5452]

Mate, not sure if you have encountered this, when I brace , I only can feel my right core/abs working but not my left. Do you have any exercises to activate my left core a bit more? Thanks in advmce

[@adamzoubi96]

hey i'm 17 year old bodybuilder and this muscle is weak in my body (i'm lean but i have a belly) how long does it take to start seeing results ??

[@FaithVsFate]

Any idea why I cramp when I do this

[@Sirach-pv5xv]

What the shat..... just caused a abdominal cramp.... That HURT!!!! And I am nursing an Iguinal hernia here.

[@chavischmell891]

Is there a modification where I can do this in my chair at my desk?

[@lindad.7602]

I’ve got bad knees so cannot go on all fours - is there an alternative?

[@jamies7375]

would this exercise be effective in helping my diastasis recti? I'm looking for exercises to close it, if you have any that would help.

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+Jamie s Yes

[@mattcyr2022]

Hi, I was wondering if I could ask you for some pointers. I'm 5'6, 156 lbs, and I use an elliptical for half an hour, 8 resistance for 10 minutes, 5 resistance fir 10 minutes, 8 resistance for 9 minutes, then 10 for the last minute. I do 15-30 minutes of pushups and weight training after that. I've been doing 5 days a week with extra weight lifting during the weekend for about 3 weeks now but I still can't seem to lose my damn belly fat. In fact, I seem to actually be gaining more at times. For the record, I'm on a fixed income and can't cook worth a damn. My meals usually consist of either a can of soup with a can of vegetables added, pasta with sauce and hamburger meat, or chicken burgers with bread and a slice of cheese, usually 3 at a time. I only usually eat one meal a day and I drink coffee with 2 sugars and i powdered whitener. I don't usually buy fruits and vegetables, other than canned veg., since it would usually go bad before I get a chance to use them and I buy all my groceries at the beginning of the month. I apologize for the lengthy message but I'm getting really frustrated. I am a new subscriber of yours and I'm going to start using the workout described in this video to see if it helps at all. Thank you very much for any help you could provide.

[@harrys7701]

Intermittent fasting might suit you well by the sounds of it. Look into it if you have not already. It would mean learning to drink your coffee black and not snacking during your fasting period but is a great way to keep trim and grow muscle at the same time. Speaking from experience, it has worked great for me. Losing fat and gaining muscle much easier than before and never feel bloated or like crap at the end of the day. Anyway, regardless of that, I suggest you try adding raw vegetables and nuts/seeds (raw/unsalted) to your diet sometimes and drinking a lot of water. I've found I can get my 3 - 3.5 litres a day a lot easier by buying a reusable litre bottle. I have a Nalgene bottle from amazon, but any will do. Drinking a lot of water can really play an important part, don't over do it though (find a recommendation based on your climate). Good luck.

[@mattcyr2022]

Harry Saleh Thank you very much for the tips, I'm going to look into them now. :)

[@BrettG07]

Hi Can you just clarify please, should this be done 4 x 20 secs 4 times a day Regards

[@julianfair155]

A set should equal 10 in a set or 20?

[@Andy61695]

How many days should we be doing it.

[@GuitarPlayingTV]

I have always done this exercise by blowing all air out and then suck it in. But my problem is that I am always running out of breath after a few seconds and I can only really contract the TVA for a couple of seconds also. I have no idea how I should breath during this. Can you help me?

[@itsamodernmess]

Can you use a TVA brace during compound lifts like during good mornings?

[@cosmic_gate476]

I just practice vacuum pose from bodybuilding 😂

[@sharpcitizens9936]

How many reps and sets and how often?

[@mengmenggo]

coming back here after doing different variation of this (stomach vacuum ) exercise for a while, too bad i find out all my past abs exercise and INCORRECT(not using my TA at all) every possible exercise that involves core strength my abs stuck out, even a simple leg lift can;t be correctly done, any suggestion on how to better improve this problem, i have been doing this for about 2month now i guess,would love to hear some of ur advises

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+dong liu I would just stick to this exercise to be honest. Maybe incorporate a palloff press which I have made a video on.

[@davidjuarez300]

Do you breathe and drop your pelvic floor before the 20 second hold ?

[@raghunandhanramdas7371]

Could you please post a vid on how to fix abs imbalances ??

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

Have a video on that

[@Ronnie9P]

do you breathe when you contract the muscles ?

[@danialfarooq7732]

U are my teacher :)

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+Danial Farooq :D

[@huhehiho9892]

I watched another video where a back expert said this muscle won't help strengthen the core. Not sure who to believe.

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

This will lol...you are activating the TVA and pulling it up against the weight of the organs therefore strengthening this muscle

[@melan8edgoddess251]

Doin all that suckin in I cant hold it for twenty seconds cuz I need to breathe after 15 secs 😭 what do we do for breathing? I empty my lungs to pull my belly in

[@TheMcwclewis]

Do you think this would be helpful on correcting an anterior pelvic tilt? I had a physical therapist say he thinks that's the problem but I was there for my shoulder so that's what he focused on. Thanks!

[@willsoonmarc8711]

Strengthen your hamstrings and glutes as well.And sometimes hip flexors are to tight pulling the body down into a pelvic tilt.

[@Synorix]

I suck in my stomach and run out of breath very quickly how do you hold it for 20 secounds? am i not activating it correctly?

[@Teo-uw7mh]

Synorix ur just fat, work on ur cardio

[@gregt995]

Don't hold your breath just breath into your chest instead of your belly while doing it

[@adamprice9856]

If you have to breathe, take a quick breath and reset the TVA right afterwards.

[@LoftyProduction]

ahahahahahaha. Brilliant

[@damatrixxxus]

Buster Posey!!!

[@Boriqua76]

“If you do this right youll restrict your breathing” Yeah fucking right mate I almost passed out

[@Andy61695]

Do the vaccum works good

[@markvargas5926]

isn't it the stomach vacuum wait but people saying sucking is bad for your breathing.

[@danialfarooq7732]

Sir please tell me that i have apt and weak abdominal ... Can i do abs exercise like leg raise or not ?

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+Danial Farooq I would recommend plank and this exercise first!

[@timothy1949]

is this essential the same as stomach vacuum?? Thanks!

[@GuerrillazenFitness]

+timothy1949 Yup

[@vincent7487]

You talk so much but I forgive you because you're good to look at