Core

All movement begins with the core, where the body’s centers of gravity is located. Components of the core comprise of the limbo-pelvic-hip complex, and the thoracic and cervical spine. The muscles of the core are separated into the stabilization system, and movement system, for a total of 29 muscles. Just like needing to learn how to walk before learning to run, developing the stabilization system first is critical before developing the movement system. Developing a strong movement system, with a weak stabilization system, can result in low back pain and injury.

Key Elements to Stabilization Core Training

  1. Suck in the area just below your belly button toward your spine.
  2. Keep your head in a neutral position aligned with your body, avoid tucking the chin into your chest, or the head rearing back to look up at the sky.
  3. Try to hold each position between 6 seconds to 20 seconds per repetition.
  4. Movements need to be slow, and controlled.

The following 4 exercises are great exercises for stabilizing the core.

Plank

Plank

Preparation: Lie on your stomach, with forearms on the ground tucked into the body and feet together.
Movement:

  1. Draw in abs and contract your butt muscles.
  2. Raise entire body off the ground creating a straight line from head to toe, resting on forearms and toes. Relax grip in hands
  3. Hold for 6-20 seconds
  4. Slowly relax the body, ensuring chin is in a neutral position and back is flat.
  5. Repeat until failure
Two Leg Floor Bridge

Two Leg Floor Bridge

Preparation: Lie on your back with your toes and shoulders hip-width apart, bending your knees to where both feet are flat to the ground. Arms are by your side, palms down.
Movement:

  1. Draw in stomach, and squeeze your butt muscles.
  2. Raise your pelvis off the ground until a straight line is formed between the knees, hips and shoulders.
  3. Hold for 6-20 seconds
  4. Count 4 seconds as you lower your pelvis to the ground.
  5. Repeat until failure
Prone Cobra

Prone Cobra

Preparation: Lie on your stomach with you arms in front of you, palms facing down.
Movement: 

  1. Draw in your stomach, retracting your shoulder blades together, and contracting your butt muscles
  2. Lift you chest off the ground, head in neutral position, keeping toes on the ground.
  3. Hold for 6-20 seconds
  4. Count 4 seconds as you lower your chest back to the ground
  5. Repeat until failure
Side Plank Twist

Side Plank Twist

Preparation: Hands and toes are shoulder-width apart in a push-up position, ensuring your body is in a straight line from shoulders, hips to feet.
Movement:

  1. As you begin to lift your left arm, simultaneously begin rotating your left hip until your arms are stacked in line with one another and your torso is fully open to the side.
  2. Pause for 1 second
  3. Slowly return back to starting position.
  4. Repeat set 2 on the right arm
  5. Repeat 20 times on each side
Balance Table

Balance Table

Preparation: Knees are bent in 90 degrees, shoulder-width apart. Lean forward placing your palms on the ground shoulder width apart, creating a flat back.
Movement:

  1. Draw area below your belly button to your spine.
  2. Lift your right arm, while simultaneously lifting your left leg in the air, creating a straight line through out your entire body. Hold for 2 seconds
  3. Slowly lower limbs, and repeat on opposite side.
  4. Repeat 20 times on each side.

Key Elements to Movement Core System

  1. Suck in the area just below your belly button toward your spine.
  2. Keep your head in a neutral position aligned with your body, avoid tucking the chin into your chest, or the head rearing back to look up at the sky.
  3. Contract at the peak for 2 to 3 seconds
  4. Movements need to be slow and controlled

The following exercises are great for the movement core system.

Reverse Crunch

Reverse Crunch

Preparation: Lie on your back either on a flat or incline surface, with either your knees slightly bent, or in a 90 degree angle (easier). Lift feet 2 inches in the air, and firmly grip a stable object for support.
Movement: 

  1. Suck in area just below the belly button.
  2. While counting 2 seconds, lift legs, or knees off the bench while bringing them to your chest.
  3. Return hips back to starting position for 2 counts
  4. Repeat 12-20 times.
Side Crunch

Side Crunch

Preparation: Lie on your back, legs bent 90 degrees with your feet on the ground, placing your finger tips behind you ears. (Not Head!) Rotate your hips to either side, keeping your upper body flat on the ground, head neutral.
Movement:

  1. Draw in the lower part of you belly button to your spine.
  2. Lift your shoulder blades off the ground, while simultaneously lifting your rotated knees into you chest. Ensure not to pull on your neck, keeping head in a neutral position
  3. Pause for 1 second at the top
  4. Slowly return on a 2 second count-down.
  5. Repeat. Perform 12-20  reps on each side
Superman Back Extensions

Superman Back Extensions

Preparation: Lie on your stomach with you arms in front of you, palms facing down.
Movement: 

  1. Draw in your stomach, retracting your shoulder blades together, and contracting your butt muscles
  2. Lift you chest off the ground, head in neutral position, and lift your heels up, pointing your toes up. Count 2 Seconds up
  3. Hold for  1 second
  4. Count 2 seconds as you lower your chest back to the ground
  5. Repeat 12-20 times.
Crunch Twists

Crunch Twists

Preparation: Lie on your back, fingers placed behind your ears (not head), head kept in a neutral position, draw in below your belly button, lift feet 2 inches off the ground, toes pointed up.
Movement:

  1. While crunching in with your right knee, rotate your left torso to bring your left elbow to your right knee. Keep head in line with your torso, ensuring not to pull on the back of your neck. 2 second count
  2. Pause at top for one second.
  3. Return both torso and knee, and repeat action on opposite side
  4. Repeat on each side 12-20 times
Scissor Kicks

Scissor Kicks

Preparation: Keeping a straight line in torso through your head, raise onto your elbows, palms facing down, knees slightly bent, shoulder-width apart, foot in a neutral position
Movement:

  1. Draw in area below the belly button towards the spine.
  2. Lift both feet 2 inches off the ground, feet in a neutral position
  3. Lift one leg at a time towards the sky, for a 2 second count.
  4. Pause at the top for a second
  5. Return leg to 2 inches above the ground, for a 2 second count
  6. Repeat action on other leg
  7. Perform 12-20 on each leg.