Abdominal Engagement

The drop and throw are used to drive abdominal work during the landing. Nasal breathing during the hold reinforces core stability. Keeping the resistance band close to the body increases abdominal engagement during the movement. Lifting the torso slightly during the hold is the mechanism that brings the abs into the exercise. Abdominal engagement is initiated by the pelvic position and reinforced by the scaption arm reach during the exhale. Abdominal engagement is emphasized from setup through the drop and throw. The needle mental cue causes the abdominal muscles to engage immediately. Reaching the top arm toward the ceiling during the exhale maintains abdominal activation while increasing the stretch. Full ribcage depression during scaption further reinforces abdominal activation established by the pelvic cue. A braced, compact torso position is created by slightly tucking the hips and exhaling the ribcage before the movement starts. More challenging variations should not be attempted if they cause a loss of abdominal engagement. The drill is designed to activate the abdominal muscles through positioning, breathing, and reaching. The abdominals serve as the secondary muscle group…