No Crunch Abs
A Whole Body Approach to a Stronger Pelvic Wall
An Intro to the Pelvic Floor Series
The interior and exterior obliques, the muscles that wrap from the ribs to the pelvis, with connections to the spine, get less attention that the “Six Pack” rectus abdominis, but do the big work of supporting the internal organs and holding up the torso.
Deborah Bowes, GCFT® , PT, and creator of the “Pelvic Health” series has released a new series on Abdominals, to which are added a few additional Moshe Feldenkrais ATMs. Deborah takes a systemic approach to improving the pelvic system. The lessons are deceptively unimpressive but undeniably powerful.
“Please, no crunches” is a whole body approach to balanced, low-stress strengthening for better posture, internal organ support, and handsome obliques. It’s about the abs, AND your whole body will benefit.
No Crunch Abs - Pelvic Wall 1 - Love Your Lower Abs
Reorganizing the Nervous System’s Abs Story
Based on “Abdominals - 1” by Deborah Bowes, GCFT®
“Reorganize the abs” is the focus of Lesson One in this series. It’s a survey course on the variations of connections from pelvis to abs, abs to shoulders, legs to shoulders through the lower abs. The spine is involved as well. Supine, with minimal movement, feel into how the external obliques connect the pelvis, spine, shoulders and head.
Set Up:
Lying on a mat on the floor; take head and thigh support as needed for lying with legs long for part of the lesson
Or seated on a flat-bottom chair with thighs and hips level
Plan on a few extra minutes of re-entry after a flexion-rich lesson
Hip Socket Acetabulum - source:https:::www.bostonorthoandspine.com:.png
No Crunch Abs - Pelvic Wall 2 - Moon Rises Over Mountain (Peek A Boo Toes)
Roll to Strengthen the Abs With Your Whole Back… and Feet
Based on “Abdominals 2” by Deborah Bowes, GCFP, PT, and “AY63” by Moshe Feldenkrais
Arms up, Abs in - as demonstrated by Sadie Marquandt on YouTube
This lesson continues the strengthening begun in Lesson 1, bringing the legs and psoas muscles into the action.
Lying back in the ‘beach chair” position with torso propped up by elbows - or leaning back in a comfy chair with feet propped so knees can bend, place the legs so that the toes hide behind the knees - even when rolling the pelvis ever so slightly to lift the foot. Lift the feet just enough for the toes to peekaboo over the knees. like the moon rising over the mountain. The weight of the legs and support of the back give the abs a safe way to develop whole-body power.
Note: This can be a workout if you let it. Legs are heavy; please focus on distributing the work body-wide to protect your back. Take it slow. Rest between each gesture. If it’s too much, do less. If less is still too much, work in your imagination only. Take any support you need to be comfortable.
Remember - pain = no learning.
Also - if the ‘beach chair’ position doesn’t work for you, do those sections lying on your back. Try rounding your upper back by spreading the shoulder blades to allow the spine space. (That’s what the ‘beach chair’ position enables. Supporting each shoulder blade - a rolled towel would work - makes the position easier to hold.
Set Up:
Lying and sitting on a mat on the floor. Take any support you might need to sit comfortably in the “beach chair” position. That might mean sitting on a little height, or maybe elevating the feet.
Or seated on a flat-bottom chair with feet supported, even slightly elevated
No Crunch Abs - Pelvic Wall 3 - Arms Up, Abs In
Small Weights Safely Strengthen Abs
Based on “Abdominals 3” as taught by Deborah Bowes, GCFP, PT
This lesson continues the strengthening, bringing the arms - loaded with a little weight - to bring the ab muscles into the action.
Begin on the back and, after a little warming up, gently lift arms - just a touch - to feel deeply into the activating abs. Then add a small weight to amplify the awareness. Rolling to the side changes your relationship to gravity and uses the abs in different ways.
Overall, this is a safe way to develop those lower abs.
Props:
Optional: An easy-to-hold weight - maximum 1 pound
You may want support under your cheek and bolster between the knees in side lying.
Set Up:
Lying on a mat
OR side sitting at the edge of a flat-bottomed and armless chair, knees and hips level
No Crunch Abs - V2 - 4 - Scoop to Whoop - Strengthen to the Beat
Spark up your dance moves: groove your abs
Based on an “Octaves” ATM as imagined and taught by David Kaetz, GCFT
This lesson, a variation of a whole body listening exercise taught by David Kaetz, adds rhythm to our movement vocabulary; in this case, the tilt-grab-grab of the pelvis and abs let the low back release, the upper back to round, the lips to “kiss” and activated glutes swing those hips and propel the sound forward.
Most of the lesson is on the back, knees bent, arms extended up towards the ceiling. Rest when you need to.
Set Up:
Lying supine on a mat, knee and head support as needed
OR sitting on a firm-bottom chair with knees and thighs level.
No Crunch Abs - V2 - 5 - Walk Like An Egyptian
More Abs and Arms
The Chanukia/Candelabra Lesson For Supported Twisting and Lifting
Working the diagonals from the abs to the shoulders using the arms as levers: that’s pretty much what this lesson is up to. More whole-body strengthening for the lower belly, and softening for the low back. Finding the ease in moving the arms and shoulders through the abs is the goal here.
To get there, we use “candelabra” or “Egyptian” arms to move the shoulder blades, and the abs to move the shoulder blades.
Lying on a mat on the floor with knees bent and arms extended at shoulder height, with support for head and knees as needed
OR sitting on a firm chair with knees and hips level, with possible support for arms at shoulder height
No Crunch Abs - V2 - 6 - Walk Like An Egyptian
Abs to Arms, with Head
The Chanukia/Candelabra Lesson For Supported Twisting and Lifting
The slow exploration oozes onward, with the continuation of a variation of AY 18, the Candelabra lesson. The focus this week is on the “ab grab” timing that allows the most graceful and lightest movement of (the bowling ball of) the head and a supported, open chest. We will study the correlation of the lift of the chest, nose, belly and gravity, and how the ‘ab grab’ provides the extra power to lift the arms and legs.
Set Up:
Lying on a mat on the floor with knees bent and arms extended at shoulder height, with support for head and knees as needed
OR sitting on a firm chair with knees and hips level, with possible support for arms at shoulder height
Fatima Robinson in Michael Jackson’s ‘Remember The Time’ mu sic video (1992)
No Crunch Abs - V2 - 7 - Firm Abs, Open Heart
How Strong Abs Support An Open Chest
Based on “Ribbons and Gentle Fingers” as taught by Alan Questel, GCFT®
This lesson is about feeling into the support the abs give the upper back and shoulders, allowing the torso to rest on the hips, freeing the chest for deep inhales and exhales. The spine also comes into play as the abs support the vertebrae to stack up for an aligned back.
Set Up:
Side lying on a floor mat, head supported, knees drawn up
You will want some head support that allows your neck to align with your sternum. If your chin is too high put more support under your ear; if chin too low, support the jaw
You may want support between the knees so the thighs are aligned with the hips
OR - sitting on a firm, comfortable chair, knees level with hips.
No Crunch Abs - V2 - 8 - Firm Abs, Open Heart, Power On
How Strong Abs Support An Open Chest - Applied
Based on “Ribbons and Gentle Fingers” as taught by Alan Questel, GCFT®
Lying on your side of choice, or seated in a comfortable chair liberates the spine to arch and round, taking the pelvis, scapulae and head with it. It begins passively, allowing the breath to guide the sternum, upper back, public bone and low back. Then we do it again with active, engaged abs and feel the difference. Remember, a continually tensed muscle gradually weakens, so differentiating between active and passive is essential for actual strengthening.
The finale unites top and bottom, front and back, allowing the torso to rest on the pelvis, freeing the chest. And finding the stability in the spine to allow power to transmit into and out of the center.
Set Up:
Side lying on a floor mat, head supported, knees drawn up
You will want some head support that allows your neck to align with your sternum. If your chin is too high put more support under your ear; if chin too low, support the jaw
You may want support between the knees so the thighs are aligned with the hips
OR - sitting on a firm, comfortable chair, knees level with hips.
No Crunch Abs - V2 - 9 - Sole to Abs
Painting to connect the abs to sole, floor to core
Variations on “Painting the Floor (and ceiling) with Feet (AY111)”
This is another full-body abs strengthening lesson using the weight of the legs. It is also an exploration of how the abs move the soles, and how the soles activate the abs. And, for those who sometimes experience pain, a chance to tune into, and maybe begin to realign, your use of your ankles and knees. Imagine the creamiest, most luxurious, most luminous paint possible: nice and warm, squishy between the toes. Now allow your soles to glide, spread, smooth this exquisite paint over the floor.
Set Up:
This is a supine - lying on the back - lesson mostly. If lying on your belly is okay, there is a tummy side section. Support for the head and knees for the supine part, and some padding for the front for the prone part, might be helpful.
I did part of this lesson barefoot on a fuzzy rug. Very pleasurable. You may want to try the same thing.
Alternatively, sit in a firm, flat-seated chair with thighs parallel to the floor
No Crunch Abs - V2 - 10 - Sole to Abs Sideways
Painting to connect the abs to sole, floor to core
Variations on “Painting the Floor (and ceiling) with Feet (AY111)” continued
This full-body abs strengthening lesson use the weight of the legs and the flex in the ankle to explore how the abs move the soles, and how the soles activate the abs. Allow your soles to glide, spread, smooth this exquisite paint over the floor. Front and back, side to side, and - of course - in circles. It's a full-body sensual experience. And a direct line from the floor to the abs.
Set Up:
This is a supine - lying on the back - lesson mostly. If lying on your belly is okay, there is a tummy side section. Support for the head and knees for the supine part, and some padding for the front for the prone part, might be helpful.
I did part of this lesson barefoot on a fuzzy rug. Very pleasurable. You may want to try the same thing.
Alternatively, sit in a firm, flat-seated chair with thighs parallel to the floor
No Crunch Abs - V2 - Recap - The Pelvic Clock Test
Putting breath, abs and extremities together for graceful movement
Variations on Moshe Feldenkrais’ various Pelvic Clock lessons.
Notice the clever reference to painting the floor with the sole of the foot while (pretty much) demonstrating the ‘sitting and leaning back’ position.
Try this kinesthetic pop quiz. The pelvic clock lesson reveals all: stuck breath, tight ribs, uneven abs development, tight lower back. And good coordination of breath and pelvic rocking, relaxed spine and ribs, good balance and easy-moving arms and legs are the benefits of stronger, equally developed abs.
The pelvic clock has nearly infinite variations. For this lesson, try the sitting-on-floor-leaning-back position (see below). Sitting like this lets the pelvis rock, the feet engage, the spine to wave. Lean against a wall or furniture if that’s helpful. If that doesn’t work for you, sitting on a stool is a good alternative.
Set Up:
Sitting on floor with knees bent, leaning back a little, supported by hands on floor. You may want to sit on extra padding. Leaning against a wall of some sort is okay. So is lying down
Alternatively, sit in a firm, flat-seated chair with thighs parallel to the floor