Les Mills, Hypopressives, Low Pressure Fitness and the best way to train abs & pelvic floor.
Original post:
https://www.lesmills.com/fit-planet/fitness/the-core-comparison/
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2018
As Les Mills post is in English, I´ll deal with it in the same language.
I totally agree with Les Mills about Plank preferred to Crunches….but I think I can add more relevant information about Core & ab training.
Let´s start:
“Both the crunch and the plank engage the rectus abdominis and the obliques. However, the plank also targets the erector spinae, the glutes, hip flexors, quads and deltoids”
OK, perfect, but:
“They say nothing about Transverse abdominus, which is our postural muscle, also called natural abdominal belt, which keeps upright posture, organs in place and avoids belly pumping out due to pressure. This pressure acts more times than we think, like in coughing, laughing, running, high impact classes or weight training, like clean& press or crossfit exercises.
Another important thing, not mentioned, is than what we do in planks or cruches is a voluntary contraction of muscle fibres (ab coluntary activation of Type II muscle fibres).
¿Do You know that pelvic floor disfunctions and organ prolapse are due to lack of activation of Tipe I fibres?
Voluntary contraction fibres in abs & pelvic floor are 20%, involuntary contraction fibres are 80%. When we do a crunch we activate a % of the voluntary 20%, while the involuntary 80%, responsible of posture & lack of peeing, are not been worked. So when you only work voluntary contraction fibres, as in Kegel exercises, the other 80% are in an evident lack of tone. And the only way or working out an involuntary, automatic activation of these fibres is with Hypopressive exercises or Low Pressure Fitness, so called because they take away pressure in the core. And the activation of core & Pelvic floor muscles ius due to expiratory apnea + postural exercises, shown and taughe by Low Pressure fitness instuctors, better even if the a r also Lews Mills instructors.
So what I would therefore advice is to train your core with hypoppressive exercises, more than Hypopressive, like Low Pressure Fitness and then planks & all Les Mills Classes you like. That way you´ll have an inner belt and all the toning and fun Les Mills workouts. My perfect combination: Body Pump + Body Combat+ Body Attack + Body Balance
Otro día en Español.
