Hold the journal in one hand so you can read it, and place the other hand on your lower belly. Go ahead; just do it. Now, give a nice big cough or sneeze. Feel it? The transversus abdominus muscle, sometimes called the transversalis, is being activated. It is one of the main muscles of the stomach area used for anterior, posterior, and spinal support. It originates on the spine, and unlike most muscles, does not have an insertion on bone, but on the linea alba in the center of the abdomen. It is akin to a girdle wrapped around your lower middle. If conditioned, the muscle creates a sleek, long, functional front. (You know the transverses. It's the muscle that lies over the "pooch" women get when feeling bloated.)

If you think repetitive sit-ups are the answer to a strong transversus and tight rectus abdominus, you're on the right track. But there is a new exercise method that really gets these muscles working! It's called Pilates.

If you're like the thousands of hygienists who suffer chronic back, shoulder, or neck ailments, then Pilates should be considered as an exercise option. It focuses on conditioning the transversus and rectus abdominus and other muscles of the core, and powerfully aids in back and interior stabilization.

Pilates is a full body system of specific sequenced exercises performed on the mat and specially designed equipment. The method is centered around the concepts of awareness, balance, breath, centering, concentration, control, flowing movement, and precision. The principle goal of Pilates is to uniformly develop the body and mind.

Read Complete Article on RDH Magazine's website.

Download the Full PDF Scan of this article.