This may sound like an infomercial, but I'm not selling anything. I'm just trying to help and that's my job as a coach for eliteFTS. So, here me out. After all, I'm just trying to share my knowledge and experience to help anyone I can.

I will explain how I did it in a minute but I need to admit something, first. I have used this method before but I haven't stayed with it and done it consistently for a period of time to see real results. In fact, I have heard others who have used this same method and rolled my eyes every time I heard their results. I finally decided to buckle down, invest the time, and consistently use the method to see for myself if it would work or not. I figured if it didn't work I could call bullshit but if it did work, I would get some pretty good results from it. Results make me happier than proving someone wrong -- though I certainly do like to prove people wrong.

The method? 

Simple.

I did vacuums. 

I know what you're thinking: "There is no F-ing way that vacuums took 3 inches off of Skip's midsection."
If you think this, you are dead wrong. I was FLOORED and couldn't believe it as I watched my lifting belt continue to go down notch by notch.  

I will explain the protocol that I came up with and used for the 8 weeks (and continue to use). Before I do that, though, I want to give you some basic knowledge about vacuums. 

The primary muscles involved while doing a vacuum is the transverse abdominis. The best way to explain what these muscles do is they hold your guts in. People with a protruding stomach will almost always have weak TVA muscles. When you do vacuums, you work to strengthen and tighten the TVA muscles and this helps to keep your stomach tighter and your belly from rounding out. Keep in mind that I did not say that I lost body fat because I didn't. From a body-fat standpoint, my midsection didn't get leaner. It only got SMALLER in that my stomach doesn't protrude as much as it did only 8 weeks ago. 

Keeping your stomach from protruding is likely the most important reason to work your TVA muscles but there are other benefits, as well. Your posture will almost certainly get better and strengthening the TVA muscles can also reduce lower-back pain. If you still don't believe me, there are studies that can back up my assertions. 

The protocol is quite simple and I continue to do my TVA workout in 10-12 minutes. I know how long it takes because I do them while lying in a tanning bed. My protocol looks like this:

5 sets (hold for 20 seconds) by pulling and holding the upper TVA just under the ribcage

5 sets (hold for 20 seconds) by pulling and holding the lower TVA closer to the hips. The best way to explain this area is the "V" at the bottom sides of the abs that you can visually see on a very lean person that "points" to the groin or pelvic bone.

5 sets (hold for 20 seconds) by pulling the entire TVA from below the ribcage to the bottom of the ab wall above the pubic bone. 

When you start, you might not be able to hold for 20 seconds so you can start with 10 seconds and build to 20 seconds. From there you can build to 30 seconds. 

Be careful when you first start doing these holds because the TVA can cramp and it doesn't feel very good. 

I do them lying on my back because it is easier to pull a vacuum in that position. When this position gets easy, you can then move to a standing or seated position and progress with longer and longer holds to continue to build TVA strength. 

In only 8 weeks I was able to move my lifting belt 3 notches. Something that I found noteworthy was after a day of skiploading, I would not have anywhere near the distention that I used to have. This is because the muscles are stronger and can hold the guts in where they didn't have the strength to do that in the past.

If you are skeptical (like I was), give it a shot and see for yourself. I will continue to do them because if I have had this much progress in only 8 weeks, I assume that progress will continue. I will report back in another 8 weeks.

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