This week I want to speak directly to the men and women alike who are built NARROWLY through their pelvis and rib cage...those of you who are generally slender side to side:)
You tend to be more CONTRACTED in your posterior pelvic floor and feel stiffness in your lower back and hips with potentially chronically sore quadriceps. And for a variety of reasons, develop what’s commonly referred to as a “Pooch Belly”.
Conventional wisdom will lead you to believe that it’s all belly fat, but that’s NOT necessarily true!
What I see in my practice is that it’s usually more MOVEMENT and BIOMECHANICS. And, believe it or not, THAT is what’s contributing to your abdominal contents (aka your guts and your goods) sitting a bit forward and downward. Giving you the APPEARANCE of a pooch belly. Check me out --->
Now, of course, it could be caused by other stuff…medical, gut issues, or indeed belly fat itself…all which are outside the scoop of this email.
Our focus will be on what you can control immediately…the MOVEMENT and BIOMECHANICS contributions to this phenomenon.
So, how is a pooch belly influenced by body structure? According to friend and mentor Zac Cupples, it comes down to the PELVIC FLOOR and DEEP ABDOMINAL MUSCLES. Not co-contracting…basically not working together as they should.
By getting these muscles to kick in and start working together, we can “teach” our bodies to push the guts backwards and upwards.
See, these same folks have STRONGER UPPER ABS (think 6-pack muscles) pulling their sternum down and LOWER BACK MUSCLES pushing their center of gravity forward. And the result is there’s no place for their abdominal contents to go other than forward and downward.
But understand this is completely NORMAL for these folks with a narrow structure.
💥If you haven’t moved in a while (or never for that matter), I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND that you be ASSESSED by a professional FIRST! Because if you’re not being assessed, then your training is being guessed;)
And if you’re new to my approach to strength and longevity…try my Updated Lazy Moves FIRST. Here’s what you’re gonna need: -Comfortable/Clear space -Something for your head/neck
-Soft ball/Yoga block
Here’s what you’re gonna do: -Lie comfortably on your back -Legs bent. Feet flat. -BELLY RELAXED!!! LET GO the best you can. Think “Jelly Belly”.
💥Initially, you probably won’t be able to “sense” that…so please use your hands to get some feedback. Place them right below your bellybutton.
-Gently SQUEEZE the ball/yoga block between your knees
-Find your INSIDE HEELS (behind the arch in your foot) and gently put pressure there.
🔑Do your best to perform the following WITHOUT ENGAGING your UPPER ABDOMINALS or POOCHING your LOWER BELLY throughout this sequence. That would just defeat the purpose;)
1) 360 BREATHING -SILENT NASAL INHALE: Think about filling your torso SLOWLY from the bottom up, like a cup. -LONG SIGHING FULL MOUTH EXHALE: Like you’re “fogging a glass”. SOFT. SLOW. EASY. Don’t try so hard.
💡Notice if you feel your LOWER ABS getting SMALLER with your hands?
✔️Repeat for 3-5 breaths x 2-3rds 2) PELVIC TUCK/UNTUCK -SILENT NASAL INHALE: Un-arch lower back (Tuck). Feel lower back against the ground here. -LONG SIGHING FULL MOUTH EXHALE: Arch lower back (Untuck) Make each movement as SMALL AS POSSIBLE. 💥REMINDER: Do your best to keep your UPPER ABDOMINALS from kicking in or LOWER BELLY pooching out!
✔️Repeat 15x/each direction x 2-3rds
Simple…but DEFINITELY NOT EASY for these folks. Be patient. Allow your body to LEARN.
Practice as part of your DAILY maintenance or warm-up/cool down. Enjoy moving and feeling better afterward! Dedicated to your health and longevity, Mike
P.S. Curious and want to see if my training style is a good fit for you? Email me for a Complimentary Assessment & 1 Free Orientation Session. No gimmicks, no pressure, just a discussion about you! I want to help you move better and feel stronger. CLICK HERE to learn more.
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