When you hear the words “use your core”, what comes to mind? Perhaps it’s your abdominal region or the image of a 6-pack. It’s more than just that. Your core comprises of a complex set of muscles which include the front body: transverse abdominis (compression of the abdomen), rectus abdominis (trunk flexion and lateral flexion), internal and external obliques (trunk rotation); the back body: multifidus (spine stabilisation) and erector spinae (trunk extension and lateral flexion), and pelvic floor muscles.
Here’s a short series of 4 core exercises to help strengthen your core, stabilize your spine and pelvis, and increase overall mobility in your body. Grab an exercise mat and repeat each exercise for 6-8 repetitions with good form.
Let’s get moving!
1. Roll Up (Knees Bent)
Muscle Focus: Abdominals
Purpose: abdominal strength, mobility and stability of the spine
• Lie on your back with arms overhead, palms facing inward
• Bend your legs to a comfortable angle where you’re sitting directly over your sitz bones. Adjust to move your feet further forward or toward you to find a neutral pelvis.
• Inhale as you lift your arms up and forward, followed by a head nod and chest lift
• Exhale as you continue to roll up, flex forward and keep your spine in a C-shape
• Inhale pause and lengthen your spine
• Exhale to scoop abdominals and roll your spine back down, returning to your starting position
Tips:
• Maintain a C-curve throughout the movement to roll up and roll down
• Pause when your shoulders are aligned above your hip joints
• Keep length in the back of your neck, with a slight chin nod (imagine a small lemon placed between your chin and chest)
2. Spine Twist Supine
Muscle Focus: Abdominals (obliques)
Purpose: spinal rotation, stabilising pelvis & lower back, abdominal control (especially obliques).
• Lie on your back with arms extended out from shoulders in a T-position with palms up. Bend your knees and lift both legs off the mat and into a tabletop position (imprint spine to the mat, aim for knees in line with hips, and knees bent at 90°)
• Inhale: lower legs to the left
• Exhale: draw abdominals in and return to starting position
Tips:
• Relax your shoulders and keep shoulder blades on floor
• Keep your low back imprinted: in contact with the mat to protect lumbar spine and avoid arching.
3. Hundred Prep
Muscle Focus: Abdominals (obliques)
Purpose: Abdominal strength and trunk stabilization
• Lie on your back with arms overhead, palms facing ceiling, legs in a tabletop position
• Inhale to prepare
• Exhale as you lift the arms, head and chest in one unit. Bringing arms to your sides and palms next to hips
• Inhale as you lower the body and arms, returning to the starting position
Tips
• Imagine your collar bones extending to the side to avoid the shoulders rounding forward
• Move your arms intentionally through space, as if the air molecules were filled with honey and you’re pressing down and lengthening fingers forward
4. Hundred
Muscle Focus: Abdominals
Purpose: Abdominal strength and trunk stabilization
• Lie on your back with arms overhead, palms facing ceiling, legs in a tabletop position
• Inhale to prepare
• Exhale as you lift the arms, head and chest in one unit, bringing your arms to your sides and palms next to hips
• Pump arms up and down an inch
• Exhale through mouth for five pumps
• Inhale through nose for five pumps
• Repeat for 10 rounds
Can be performed with straight legs, with height of legs dependant on hamstring flexibility
and maintaining a neutral pelvis.
Tips
• Use deep, long breaths
• Keep arm pumps small and lengthen arms through triceps and forearms
