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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 (5th 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 5th floor. Hold it there for 30 seconds. Count out loud so you are breathing.
·       Do 10 little squeezes from from 5th to 6th 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 3rd floor (define this as 1/2 way between 1st and 5th)
·       From there squeeze from 3rd to 5th 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 3rd to 5th floor
·       Elevator: 3 sets holding 5th floor for 30 sec then squeezing 6th floor for 10 counts.
·       Wore Splint
·       Held in transverse all day but kept at 5th floor during activities
·       Got in and out of bed correctly

BEFORE LUNCH
·       Contractions: 1 set of 100 3rd to 5th floor
·       Elevator: 4 sets
·       Wore Splint
·       Held in transverse all day but kept at 5th floor during activities

PM
·       Contractions: 2 sets of 100
·       Elevator: 3 sets
·       Wore spint
·       Held in transverse all day but kept at 5th 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!


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