Basic Core Conditioning
What Is Posture?
AFTER completing the inner unit exercise program and you
have corrected basic postural misalignment, you can move on to
basic core training. The core is the bridge between the upper
and lower body. A strong and stable core will help stabilize large
and small joint structures.
Anyone can benefit from a good core conditioning program.
Whether you’re a mountain climber, housewife doing daily
chores, an athlete at any level, or construction worker, everyone
needs core conditioning to carry out daily activities and reduce
injury.
Women in particular can benefit from inner unit and postural
improvement plus the addition of outer unit and core exercises.
Because they have a wider pelvis for childbearing. This
sometimes leads to a “knock-kneed” lower body posture. This
knock-kneed position creates muscle imbalances, sheer force
through the pelvis, and compression in the lumbar spine. A
simple squat with a belt around your knees can dramatically
improve your situation.
The core exercises should work the outer unit muscles in all
three planes of motion:
Transverse plane (rotation)
Sagittal plane (backward and forward)
Frontal plane (left and right)
Knowing the planes of motion is not necessary for improving
your core strength and coordination, but will help you
understand the theory behind the exercises.
The major muscles of the core consist of the following:
Internal oblique
External oblique
Rectus abdominis
Transverse abdominis
Quadratus lumbar
Spinal erectors
A good core program coordinates all these muscles as one
working unit.
The following core exercises contribute to functional
integration of the body
for both men and women. These
exercises will provide maximum benefit.
A core-conditioning program should follow the correct order.
Always train your lower abdominals first, followed by your
oblique musculature, finishing with the upper abdominals. This
exercise order is determined by the neurological demand for
each region of your core.
IMPORTANT! MASTERING ALL INNER UNIT EXERCISES
IS CRUCIAL BEFORE BEGINNING A CORE CONDITIONING
PROGRAM. I CAUTION YOU AGAINST DOING ANY OF
THESE EXERCISES WITHOUT A GOOD FUNCTIONING
SPINE AND PELVIS. DO NOT PERFORM ANY OF THESE
EXERCISES IF YOU HAVE ANY SPINAL ORTHOPEDIC
PROBLEMS. YOU MUST HAVE GOOD STABILIZATION AT
THE JOINT LEVEL COUPLED WITH PROPER ACTIVATION
OF THE TRANSVERSE ABDOMINIS (GIRDLE) TO PREVENT
YOUR JOINTS, BIG AND SMALL, FROM DETERIORATION.
CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING ANY
EXERCISE PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE ANY
JOINT DETERIORATION.
Reverse Crunch on Floor (Lower Abdominals)
Reverse trunk flexion, commonly known as the Reverse Crunch,
is a multi-joint movement designed to target the entire
abdominal region. The exercise starts out by contracting the
lower abdominals and progressing to the upper rectus
abdominis. The oblique musculature assists in stabilizing the
pelvis during the movement.
Position: Lie on the floor or exercise mat with your back flat,
scapula (shoulder blades) and sacrum (tailbone) pressed firmly
against the floor.
Movement:
1. Holding your legs together, flex them to 90 degrees or
perpendicular to the floor. Place your arms at your sides.
2. Slowly contract the lower abdominal region by pulling the
pelvis up towards the rib cage. Continue to pull the pelvis
toward the rib cage until the abdominals are fully contracted
and the hips are rolled up slightly off the floor.
3. Slowly lower the trunk and pelvis to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.
Keep your shoulder blades on the floor throughout the exercise.
Avoid arching your back at the lumbar region. Keep the tempo
or movements slow, and maintain your upper body in proper
neutral alignment. Make sure you go down only far enough to
touch your sacrum, keeping your thighs perpendicular to the
floor.
Horizontal Woodchopper (Internal and External Obliques)
Note: This exercise requires a cable system.
The Horizontal Woodchopper is one of the best exercises for
integrating the oblique musculature into functional movement.
There are many variations, as you’ll see later in this chapter. To
begin, start with the standard Horizontal Woodchopper. This
exercise will familiarize you with the movement pattern.
Position: Sit on a workout bench perpendicular to the weight
stack and cable system. Grasp the cable handle with your right
hand and place your left hand over your right. Keep your body
in good postural alignment; do not flex forward or sideways.
Adjust the weight so that you can accomplish this exercise with
proper form.
Movement:
1. Draw your belly button in toward your spine.
2. Pull the cable handle across the front of your chest to the
opposite side.
3. Return to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the other side.
You can perform the progression of this exercise while sitting on
a Swiss ball, kneeling on the ground, standing, and then to
dynamic movement.
Supine Lateral Ball Roll
Note: This exercise requires a Swiss ball and a dowel rod.
The Supine Lateral Ball Roll is an excellent integrative exercise
that will challenge anyone.
Position: Sit on the ball and gently roll out so that your trunk is
parallel to the floor. The ball should support your head and
shoulders. Your feet should be shoulder width apart. Place a
dowel rod across your chest and grip it with your palms up.
Movement:
1. Gradually slide your right shoulder blade off the ball,
keeping the dowel rod parallel to the floor and your hips in a
neutral position (do not let them drop).
2. Slowly return to the middle position.
3. Gently slide your left shoulder blade off the ball and hold for
the allotted time.
4. Repeat on each side the desired number of reps.
Floor Crunch
Trunk flexion or the “crunch” sit-up is the most popular
exercise for conditioning the abdominal region. When
performed correctly, the crunch is a good upper abdominal
strengthening exercise. However, if you do not include
additional abdominal exercises like the ones described in this
program, performing only crunches could have a detrimental
effect on your body over time. Overusing the crunch can lead to
a more rigid thoracic spine. It also contributes to a shortened
rectus abdominis, which in turn pulls the rib cage toward the
pelvis, resulting in poor postural alignment. This decreases
your ability to extend backward, causing poor posture and
leading to potential injury.
Position: If you’re a beginner of trunk flexion or crunch
exercises, perform the Floor Crunch lying on the floor. To
perform the exercise correctly, maintain proper neutral posture
in the cervical spine. Place your tongue on the roof of your
mouth to protect your cervical spine. Keep the lower back
pressed firmly against the floor throughout the exercise and
place your arms across your chest.
Movement:
1. Moving slowly, contract your rectus abdominis, rising up one
vertebra at a time. Keep tension in the abdominals at all
times. Do not let your chin drop to your chest.
A good way to maintain neutral posture in the cervical spine
is to pretend that your chin is traveling toward the ceiling.
2. Once you have reached full contraction, slowly return to the
starting position.
3. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.
To increase the difficulty of this exercise, place your arms out to
the side with your fingertips on your cheekbones.
Sharing is sexyAFTER completing the inner unit exercise program and you
have corrected basic postural misalignment, you can move on to
basic core training. The core is the bridge between the upper
and lower body. A strong and stable core will help stabilize large
and small joint structures.
Anyone can benefit from a good core conditioning program.
Whether you’re a mountain climber, housewife doing daily
chores, an athlete at any level, or construction worker, everyone
needs core conditioning to carry out daily activities and reduce
injury.
Women in particular can benefit from inner unit and postural
improvement plus the addition of outer unit and core exercises.
Because they have a wider pelvis for childbearing. This
sometimes leads to a “knock-kneed” lower body posture. This
knock-kneed position creates muscle imbalances, sheer force
through the pelvis, and compression in the lumbar spine. A
simple squat with a belt around your knees can dramatically
improve your situation.
The core exercises should work the outer unit muscles in all
three planes of motion:
Transverse plane (rotation)
Sagittal plane (backward and forward)
Frontal plane (left and right)
Knowing the planes of motion is not necessary for improving
your core strength and coordination, but will help you
understand the theory behind the exercises.
The major muscles of the core consist of the following:
Internal oblique
External oblique
Rectus abdominis
Transverse abdominis
Quadratus lumbar
Spinal erectors
A good core program coordinates all these muscles as one
working unit.
The following core exercises contribute to functional
integration of the body
for both men and women. These
exercises will provide maximum benefit.
A core-conditioning program should follow the correct order.
Always train your lower abdominals first, followed by your
oblique musculature, finishing with the upper abdominals. This
exercise order is determined by the neurological demand for
each region of your core.
IMPORTANT! MASTERING ALL INNER UNIT EXERCISES
IS CRUCIAL BEFORE BEGINNING A CORE CONDITIONING
PROGRAM. I CAUTION YOU AGAINST DOING ANY OF
THESE EXERCISES WITHOUT A GOOD FUNCTIONING
SPINE AND PELVIS. DO NOT PERFORM ANY OF THESE
EXERCISES IF YOU HAVE ANY SPINAL ORTHOPEDIC
PROBLEMS. YOU MUST HAVE GOOD STABILIZATION AT
THE JOINT LEVEL COUPLED WITH PROPER ACTIVATION
OF THE TRANSVERSE ABDOMINIS (GIRDLE) TO PREVENT
YOUR JOINTS, BIG AND SMALL, FROM DETERIORATION.
CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING ANY
EXERCISE PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE ANY
JOINT DETERIORATION.
Reverse Crunch on Floor (Lower Abdominals)
Reverse trunk flexion, commonly known as the Reverse Crunch,
is a multi-joint movement designed to target the entire
abdominal region. The exercise starts out by contracting the
lower abdominals and progressing to the upper rectus
abdominis. The oblique musculature assists in stabilizing the
pelvis during the movement.
Position: Lie on the floor or exercise mat with your back flat,
scapula (shoulder blades) and sacrum (tailbone) pressed firmly
against the floor.
Movement:
1. Holding your legs together, flex them to 90 degrees or
perpendicular to the floor. Place your arms at your sides.
2. Slowly contract the lower abdominal region by pulling the
pelvis up towards the rib cage. Continue to pull the pelvis
toward the rib cage until the abdominals are fully contracted
and the hips are rolled up slightly off the floor.
3. Slowly lower the trunk and pelvis to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.
Keep your shoulder blades on the floor throughout the exercise.
Avoid arching your back at the lumbar region. Keep the tempo
or movements slow, and maintain your upper body in proper
neutral alignment. Make sure you go down only far enough to
touch your sacrum, keeping your thighs perpendicular to the
floor.
Horizontal Woodchopper (Internal and External Obliques)
Note: This exercise requires a cable system.The Horizontal Woodchopper is one of the best exercises for
integrating the oblique musculature into functional movement.
There are many variations, as you’ll see later in this chapter. To
begin, start with the standard Horizontal Woodchopper. This
exercise will familiarize you with the movement pattern.
Position: Sit on a workout bench perpendicular to the weight
stack and cable system. Grasp the cable handle with your right
hand and place your left hand over your right. Keep your body
in good postural alignment; do not flex forward or sideways.
Adjust the weight so that you can accomplish this exercise with
proper form.
Movement:
1. Draw your belly button in toward your spine.
2. Pull the cable handle across the front of your chest to the
opposite side.
3. Return to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the other side.
You can perform the progression of this exercise while sitting on
a Swiss ball, kneeling on the ground, standing, and then to
dynamic movement.
Supine Lateral Ball Roll
The Supine Lateral Ball Roll is an excellent integrative exercise
that will challenge anyone.
Position: Sit on the ball and gently roll out so that your trunk is
parallel to the floor. The ball should support your head and
shoulders. Your feet should be shoulder width apart. Place a
dowel rod across your chest and grip it with your palms up.
Movement:
1. Gradually slide your right shoulder blade off the ball,
keeping the dowel rod parallel to the floor and your hips in a
neutral position (do not let them drop).
2. Slowly return to the middle position.
3. Gently slide your left shoulder blade off the ball and hold for
the allotted time.
4. Repeat on each side the desired number of reps.
Floor Crunch
Trunk flexion or the “crunch” sit-up is the most popular
performed correctly, the crunch is a good upper abdominal
strengthening exercise. However, if you do not include
additional abdominal exercises like the ones described in this
program, performing only crunches could have a detrimental
effect on your body over time. Overusing the crunch can lead to
a more rigid thoracic spine. It also contributes to a shortened
rectus abdominis, which in turn pulls the rib cage toward the
pelvis, resulting in poor postural alignment. This decreases
your ability to extend backward, causing poor posture and
leading to potential injury.
Position: If you’re a beginner of trunk flexion or crunch
exercises, perform the Floor Crunch lying on the floor. To
perform the exercise correctly, maintain proper neutral posture
in the cervical spine. Place your tongue on the roof of your
mouth to protect your cervical spine. Keep the lower back
pressed firmly against the floor throughout the exercise and
place your arms across your chest.
Movement:
1. Moving slowly, contract your rectus abdominis, rising up one
vertebra at a time. Keep tension in the abdominals at all
times. Do not let your chin drop to your chest.
A good way to maintain neutral posture in the cervical spine
is to pretend that your chin is traveling toward the ceiling.
2. Once you have reached full contraction, slowly return to the
starting position.
3. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.
To increase the difficulty of this exercise, place your arms out to
the side with your fingertips on your cheekbones.
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