In a culture where thin has been in since Marilyn Monroe leapt out of her last cake, one of the symbols of physical fitness has been a rock-hard belly. Ripped abs, six pack, washboard stomach – the terms go on and on. It’s the toughest fat to zap and it’s the quickest to gain. But what is it really there for, and will we ever learn to love our little bellies?

The abdominal area is one of the most crucial regions of our bodies. In yoga and Pilates, it’s referred to as the core, and practitioners are reminded to breathe and move from the core. Abdominal muscles help promote healthy breathing, alignment of the pelvis, good posture, support for the lumbar spine. In addition, these muscles keep all of our digestive muscles in place. It is important to keep these muscles toned. When we move from the abdomen, just below the navel, we move with more balance and grace. Twists from the abdomen cleanse the organs. Focus on this area promotes stability in any position, whether you are sitting at a computer or standing on one foot.

But seeing to it that these muscles are so rock hard that you can see them through your skin is not only unnecessary – for many, it is downright impossible. The skin of the stomach is different than the skin on other parts of the body. It has a subcutaneous tissue that soaks up fat. It has no problem storing up to a few inches, where the skin on the leg, for example, simply does not have this tendency. To be able to see the muscles through the belly, you have to have extremely thin skin in that area. Less than 10% of the population actually has such thin skin on their bellies, and that’s just genetics.

If you do accumulate fat cells around your belly, they will never go away. So if you have a tendency to fluctuate up and down the scale, your abs are simply never going to look like that. You may starve those cells into hiding, but if you practice a healthy lifestyle, those fat cells will be there, and they will be fed. Women who work too hard to get rid of belly fat can suffer severe problems, such as estrogen depletion. Now, is it really worth having chiseled abdominals if you have to grow hair on your chest to get them?

Another major problem that our culture seems to manifest is the “sucking in” tendency. How many times have you looked at yourself, holding your breath, and thought, “If only it always looked like this?” The sad part is, almost everyone is guilty of this. But tightening up your abdominals is just as bad as having tight hamstrings or tight calf muscles. We shouldn’t strive for tightness in our muscles; we should strive for limber, supple, and strong muscles. That means that we should release the muscles of the belly and do exercises that promote strength – not disappearance.

By tightening up the muscles in the abdominals, we are also constricting our breathing. The diaphragm is located at the base of the lungs, over the liver and stomach. When you are engaged in what yogis call ujayi breathing, what singers practice for breath support, your diaphragm contracts. This pushes your belly out slightly. If you watch an infant breathing, you will learn the proper way to breath. It’s in your belly. And it won’t work if you’re sucking in and staying tight.

Of course, it is not healthy to have a potbelly. It is definitely important to tone the muscles in your core. By maintaining strength in the core, you are able to promote healthy breathing and movement, as well as balance and correct posture. But instead of doing a thousand sit-ups every morning in front of the Patty Winters’ Show, give a few key yoga postures a try. Navasana is a posture where you raise your legs and torso, so your body looks like a “V” balanced on your sits bones. You will feel your abdominals engage immediately, and if you practice breathing deeply in this pose, you will find strength and centering. If the pose is too difficult at first, try it with your knees bent. You can even hold the backs of your knees when you get tired. Do three sets of five breaths each, taking a breath or two and relaxing on your back in between.

So the next time you start feeling self-conscious, just remember that those girls with the six-packs in the Bally’s Fitness commercials may be hunched over in a few years’ time. It’s not all about strength and minimalism – it’s about balancing strength and suppleness.

Inspirations

Bellies