A strong core is linked to reduced low back pain, better balance & movement and improved posture. Often sit ups and crunches can be aggravating if you are already suffering from neck pain or low back pain. Here are our favourite ways to train your core while minimising risk of injury or strain in other regions.
1. Neutral Spine
This first exercises is crucial to correctly activating your deep core muscles. Lie on the floor with your legs bent. Place your hands on your hip bones at the front and tuck your chin in. Tilt your hips to roll the tail bone under and flatten the lower back, then lower your tail bone and arch your lower back. Neutral spine is around midway between these two positions. Hold this position by activating your core stability muscles in your tummy and pelvic floor. Complete 2×10, holding for 3 seconds. Exercise Tip – imagine your pelvis is a bowl of water and you are tipping water out of the front and the back.
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2. Bird Dog
Start in 4 point stance. Tighten the abdominal core muscles. Extend the opposite leg and the opposite arm simultaneously, making sure you maintain good control in your torso. Do not allow your body or hips to rotate. Repeat on the other side. Complete 10 each side 2 times.
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3. Supine Bilateral leg slides
Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Ensure your feet and knees are hip-width apart. Tighten your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, then slowly straighten one leg, sliding it along the floor. Ensure you keep your body and hips level throughout this movement. Control the movement as you slowly bring your leg back up to the starting position. Repeat this movement with the opposite leg. Perform 10 each side.
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4. Table top alternate Toe Taps
This one is a bit more challenging. Make sure to start with a neutral spine! Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet flat on the floor. Raise one leg, and then the other leg, up to the table-top position, with your hips and knees at 90 degrees. Maintaining a strong stable position with your back, lower one heel down towards the floor, then return to the table-top position. Repeat with the other leg. Complete 10 each side x 2
Exercise Tip – Continue this movement, ensuring you do not allow your lower back to arch.
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