Week 1- The Program begins

March 14th I begin the Ab Rehab Program Week 1. The Terminology is defined/visualized as follows:

Consider your transverse muscle to be a horizontal elevator. Passive inflation with a belly breathe is First Floor. Contracted to the spine is Fifth Floor. Here's what the exercises look like:

BELLY BREATHING:

·       Sitting tall against a wall or chair, place your hands on the top and bottom of your abs.

·       Visualize closing your rib cage. This is your starting position.

·       Take in air through your nose and expand your belly with air.

·       Exhale out your mouth and let all the air out and bring your belly button to your spine (5^th floor)

****Belly breathing is important because by filling up your lungs and belly with air, you take in approx 30% more oxygen. Always start your exercises and finish with 1-2 belly breaths.

ELEVATOR:

·       Sit tall on a chair or crossed legged on the floor with your back against the wall.

·       Place your hands on the top and bottom of your abdomen.

·       Do a belly breath by inhaling through the nose and filling your belly up with air.

·       Exhale and bring your belly to 5^th floor. Hold it there for 30 seconds. Count out loud so you are breathing.

·       Do 10 little squeezes from from 5^th to 6^th floor (inner to outer spine)

·       Finish with a breath

CONTRACTIONS:

·       Place hands on upper and lower abs to ensure both parts of the muscle are working

·       Do a belly breath and bring your belly to 3^rd floor (define this as 1/2 way between 1st and 5th)

·       From there squeeze from 3^rd to 5^th floor like mini contractions

·       Control the release

·       Count out loud

·       1 set of 100 of these squeezes.

·       Should take about 2.5 minutes

Week #1

During the first week, do 5 sets of 100 of the contractions and 10 sets of the elevator. Your day should look like this:

AM

·       Contractions: 2 sets of 100 3^rd to 5^th floor

·       Elevator: 3 sets holding 5^th floor for 30 sec then squeezing 6^th floor for 10 counts.

·       Wore Splint

·       Held in transverse all day but kept at 5^th floor during activities

·       Got in and out of bed correctly

BEFORE LUNCH

·       Contractions: 1 set of 100 3^rd to 5^th floor

·       Elevator: 4 sets

·       Wore Splint

·       Held in transverse all day but kept at 5^th floor during activities

PM

·       Contractions: 2 sets of 100

·       Elevator: 3 sets

·       Wore spint

·       Held in transverse all day but kept at 5^th floor during activities

·       Got in and out of bed correctly

I managed to complete Week 1 fairly easily. The exercises were manageable and I laid the foundation of the routine in doing them every day. They can be done anytime due to the seated nature of them, so I found myself able to complete the sets while nursing, driving and watching TV. 

On to Week #2!