Are you looking to build a strong core?
In this video, I’m going to show you the draw in maneuver to help strengthen your TVA.
Hi, it’s Ivana helping you get fit healthy and strong at any age.
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TVA Exercises
The draw in maneuver is a less intense form of the stomach vacuum exercise. And I actually prefer it because I feel like you actually get more TVA activation.
You don’t activate the obliques as much.
In my opinion, the draw in maneuver is a better way of focusing on the TVA activation and strengthening the TVA.
The transverse abdominis muscle is really important for preventing lower back pain.
And it can also help you to heal a diastasis recti, which is abdominal separation.
I’m going to show you three variations of this exercise, which is also called the drawing in maneuver.
Supine Draw In Maneuver
We’re starting off with the supine draw in maneuver.
That means you’re facing the sky and just keep your knees bent. All you’re going to do is breathe in and open it up. All the focus is going to be in this lower area here. I like to go where the hip bones are and then just about an inch in, and as you breathe out, you’re going to pull it in just in that area gently and then release. Okay.
You’re going to aim for about 10 to 20 seconds at first with this. You want to pull it quite gently just in belly button, towards the spine. It’s actually just a TVA activation exercise. It’s getting that TVA working and strengthening it up. So again, breathe in and breathe it out. As you’re breathing out, you’re pulling it in this lower part. Hold it tight And then release.
Cat Squeeze Draw In Maneuver
Now we’re going to come into the position that I really like, which is the cat squeeze position.
You’re up on your toes and knees here, and then you’re going to bring your hands in front just about if you bring one fist in between, that’s about the distance you want. Not too far away. And then you’re going to do exactly the same action.
Breathe in and as you breathe out, you’re going to pull the stomach in, do a little bit of a curl with the lower back then release, and then you let it out. So it’s okay to do a little bit of a shift in the hips here. Just pull it in really squeezed tight, and just feel that area between the hip bones. So let’s try one more time with this one.
Quadruped Draw In Maneuver
Now you’re going to go into the quadruped position, hands and knees. We’re going to release the belly, breathe it in. And then as you breathe out, you’re pulling in your lower belly towards your spine.
Relax. You can see I’ve done a little bit of a tilt of the pelvis there just tucking in with the lower back in order to help activate the TVA. So let’s try this again. Breathe in and relax.
If you have any questions about the draw in maneuver, please leave it in the comments and I’ll get back to you.
