ABDOMINAL FACTS – PART VIII

By Professor Maurício de Arruda Campos
IFBB Education & Research Committee



ABDOMINAL TRAINING AND THE THORACOLUMBAR FASCIA

The Thoracolumbar fascia (lumbodorsal fascia) is a membrane which covers the deep muscles of the back of the trunk.
Recent evidence has shown that the posterior layer of the Thoracolumbar fascia is used for load transfer, i.e., the transfer of forces between the spine, pelvis and legs.
The abdominal muscles Tranversus Abdominis and the obliques (besides of gluteaus and lattissimus dorsi) are attached to the Thoracolumbar fascia. Thus, abdominal strengthening exercises can enhance back stability through their tensile transmission across the thoracolumbar fascia.
Latissimus dorsi and gluteaus should make part of the strengtining exercises so that the core region of the body can stabilize via tension on the Thoracolumbar fascia.





Vision from the back of the trunk showing the thoracolumbar fascia. Note that the gluteaus, Latissimus dorsi, and abdominal muscles all have some points of attachment on the fascia. The contraction of these muscles enables more stability to the lumbar spine.

Back to the newsletter