Part 1 – Learn the Approach

PART 1: LEARNING STOMACH VACUUM

Sit back, relax, and watch the short videos in part 1.

In part 2, you'll be putting into action everything you learned in part 1!

Stomach Vacuum Prerequisite: Core Breathing

Can you connect your breath to your core engagement? To learn how, watch this tutorial.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to use your breath to help you activate your core, so you can bring this functionality into your training and life.

Nasal breathing isn't just having air travel in and out of your nose. In this tutorial, you will learn how to feel the core (TVA) connection to your inhalations and exhalations.

This is how to breathe! You can do this in any position. Do it when you exercise (I provide examples in the video)! Do it when you are stressed out or if you have back pain. Do it all the time! It will change your life.

Core Breathing with "More Dramatic" TVA Cinching:

Bridge Drills:

This is a warm-up exercise for the stomach vacuum.

Drill 1: Do a glute bridge, put your arms overhead. Inhale as you bridge up (belly rises). Exhale and cinch in your TVA as you descend.

Drill 2: Do drill 1, but this time, maintain a breathless hold.

Throat Locks & Fake Inhale:

1. Inhale and then exhale all the air out and hold (it's a breathless hold). You can exhale the air out your mouth, it doesn't have to be a nasal exhale.
2. FULLY RELAX YOUR BELLY.
3. Engage your pelvic floor. This creates a lock.
4. Make a swallowing action with your throat and when you feel the throat muscles tighten, hold it. This creates the throat lock.
5. Take a fake inhalation with your mouth closed and your throat still locked. The pressure created by your diaphragm trying to draw air into the lungs causes your abdominal contents to be sucked in and upwards. This is what creates that hollow cave in the lower abdomen. It feels like the contents of your abdomen are being gently tugged upwards by suction. This gets the diaphragm to move upwards and out of the way.
6. Hold it as long as you feel comfortable (but no longer than 10 seconds at first), before releasing the suction and then slowly inhaling Take some slow, deep breaths before trying again.

Stomach Vacuum (Uddiyana Bandha):

• This generates negative pressure in the abdomen.
• Learn in front of a mirror to help you visualize it.
• For the vacuum, you need to expel all air and maintain a breathless hold.
• The abdominals need to be completely relaxed.
• You have to get your diaphragm out of the way.
• You know you’re doing it right when you feel inward pressure on the throat.

1. Standing up straight take a deep nasal breath in, (you can put your arms overhead like I demonstrated in the video, but this is not necessary).
2. Exhale all the air out (you can exhale the air out your mouth, it doesn't have to be a nasal exhale) as you fold forward and place your hands on your thighs. I really meant it when I said to exhale all the air out. Even when you think you’ve reached the end of the exhalation, Push more air out.
3. FULLY RELAX YOUR BELLY. Like make it flaccid.
4. Engage your pelvic floor. This creates a lock.
5. Make a swallowing action with your throat and when you feel the throat muscles tighten, hold it. This creates the throat lock.
6. Keeping your hands on your thighs, take a fake inhalation with your mouth closed and your throat still locked as you rise up to a slightly bent over position. The pressure created by your diaphragm trying to draw air into the lungs causes your abdominal contents to be sucked in and upwards. This is what creates that hollow cave in the lower abdomen. It feels like the contents of your abdomen are being gently tugged upwards by suction. This gets the diaphragm to move upwards and out of the way.
7. Hold it here as long as you feel comfortable (but no longer than 10 seconds at first), before releasing the suction and then slowly inhaling and standing back up. Take some slow, deep breaths. Rest a minute or two between attempts.