TikTok has a way of hyping up a trend so much so that it feels new and exciting, but according to Beverly Hills, California-based pilates instructor, Nonna Gleyzer (via Everyday Health), “People have been doing this type of breathing exercise for hundreds of years, specifically in the kundalini yoga practice.” In fact, every time you hear a fitness instructor saying the term, “bring your belly button to your spine,” they’re probably referring to a version of the stomach vacuum, personal trainer and founding instructor for Peloton Row, Katie Wang told TODAY.
@drjennypt Reply to @katiedobsfit tutorial you’ve all been waiting for #stomachvacuum #vacuums #tutorial #6pack #fitness
The act of drawing your belly button to your spine is one of mindfulness, in addition to being an exercise that strengthens your core. Picture doing a plank or any other form of ab exercise that forces you to mindfully connect with your ab muscles. For those who understand the benefits of mind-to-muscle connection, the stomach vacuum exercise can be a powerful way to help you stay in the present while working out. “There is this level of fitness that you can unlock when you start to mentally connect with your body during a workout and during your breath. So I think therein lies the beauty of the technique. It’s breathwork, it’s isometric contraction, muscle connection,” shared Wang.