Upper Ab Dominance and Lower Belly Pooch

WHAT is UPPER AB DOMINANCE?

• This refers to over-gripping with the upper abs and it can put tremendous downward pressure on the pelvic floor.
• This can come from dysfunctional breathing patterns and from not recruiting the TVA correctly.
• It can cause head and neck tension, back pain, difficulty taking full/deep breaths and pelvic floor issues.

Does upper ab dominance cause a tummy pooch? Yes.

• This occurs when there's a lack of emphasis on engaging the pelvic floor and TVA, and instead there's upper abdominal engagement.
• Initiating the core engagement from below can prevent dominance of upper ab muscles and downward pressure. When the upper abs push downward and you’re not engaged from below, it’s like squishing a tooth paste tube from the top and the cap isn’t on. The tooth paste comes out
• So you want to engage the pelvic floor first, then the low abs. That’s why you often hear the cue, “zip up” your core. Try it: put your hands on your upper abs so you will know if you’re keeping them soft and relaxed and then “zip up” your core. (this is hard, especially if you’re an upper ab gripper… if you don’t get it at first, keep practicing).

To recap: it's essential to establish a connection with your pelvic floor and initiate core engagement from the lower muscles. Practice proper breathing. This approach helps prevent undue pressure from the upper abs and promotes overall core strength.

This video is also found inside the Breathing Clinic:

LOWER BELLY POOCH:

What causes a lower belly pooch? Well, it could be caused by stubborn belly fat, diastasis recti (abdominal separation), bloating, genetics, upper ab dominance (which I discuss in the video above) and loose skin (i.e. from substantial weight loss or pregnancy).

For me, a significant factor contributing to my lower belly pooch is the seemingly innocent habit of constantly "sucking in" my stomach, which I adopted during my teenage years. Breaking this habit has proven challenging, yet it plays a crucial role in addressing the issue.

When you “suck in” your stomach, your upper and mid abs grip tight above the belly button. As the muscles tighten, the excess pressure needs to find an outlet, and this case it travels downwards, creating a lower belly pooch. But this pressure also extends down to the pelvic floor which can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction, urinary incontinence or exacerbate pelvic organ prolapse.

Furthermore, when you suck in your tummy and grip your abs, you start reverse breathing (paradoxical breathing), so you inhale upwards into your neck and shoulders and you exhale down (which is the reverse of what we want). This contributes to bearing down as well as neck and chest tightness.

The obvious solution is to stop sucking in! Relax your stomach. This will also make your pelvic floor much happier.

This video is also found in the Breathing Clinic: