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If you have been watching infomercials during your spare time, perhaps you would have noticed that over the years, there has been a major change when it comes to exercise and gym products being advertised on TV.
Before, we were used to seeing new models of treadmills, stationary bikes, even dumbbells and other gym equipment that allow us to perform cardiovascular and strength exercises. Now, a vast majority of products being sold on TV are those that target one specific area, our abdominals.
This is because of the emphasis being put by fitness experts on our CORE muscles. The core is the midsection of our body, from the groin to the shoulder. It includes our pelvis, back, abs and chest muscles. Every movement we make originates from it. Therefore, if the core is not conditioned, it will affect the strength of our other muscles.
Think of yourself as a car. No matter how much you spend and how well you take care of the hood, wheels, and even the upholstery, if you don’t take good care of your engine, then your car will not do you any good. It might look good, but if it doesn’t even run decently, then it doesn’t amount to much, right?
Same thing goes for your body. Even if you are able to perform a thousand bicep curls and a hundred leg curls, if your core is not strong enough, you will not be able to optimize the strength of your limbs, and worse, it can even lead to injuries.
So what do you do now? Strengthen your core. Lucky for you, there are very simple ways to do it. Pilates and the Swiss Ball are two of them.
Here’s how they are different from one another.
The Pilates makes use of our own body for resistance. It mixes proper breathing with slow and controlled movements while lying on the floor most of the time. In this way, the core muscles are strengthened.
The Swiss Ball, meanwhile, provides instability and engages the core as you try to balance on it. There are many fun and easy exercises that you can do with it; and each one of them helps make our core muscles stronger.
Even without core exercises, having the proper posture when lifting weights will help out a lot to strengthen the core. Straightening your body while doing push ups can also help.
While core exercises are very easy to perform, many are discouraged because they get hurt easily and are unable to do as many repetitions as they could.
Note that it’s supposed to be like that. You will feel some discomfort in your abdominals because you are engaging your muscles there. But then again, it’s always best to seek a trainer’s advice to ensure that you are doing things right.
By: Dian Sia
About the Author:
Before, we were used to seeing new models of treadmills, stationary bikes, even dumbbells and other gym equipment that allow us to perform cardiovascular and strength exercises. Now, a vast majority of products being sold on TV are those that target one specific area, our abdominals.
This is because of the emphasis being put by fitness experts on our CORE muscles. The core is the midsection of our body, from the groin to the shoulder. It includes our pelvis, back, abs and chest muscles. Every movement we make originates from it. Therefore, if the core is not conditioned, it will affect the strength of our other muscles.
Think of yourself as a car. No matter how much you spend and how well you take care of the hood, wheels, and even the upholstery, if you don’t take good care of your engine, then your car will not do you any good. It might look good, but if it doesn’t even run decently, then it doesn’t amount to much, right?
Same thing goes for your body. Even if you are able to perform a thousand bicep curls and a hundred leg curls, if your core is not strong enough, you will not be able to optimize the strength of your limbs, and worse, it can even lead to injuries.
So what do you do now? Strengthen your core. Lucky for you, there are very simple ways to do it. Pilates and the Swiss Ball are two of them.
Here’s how they are different from one another.
The Pilates makes use of our own body for resistance. It mixes proper breathing with slow and controlled movements while lying on the floor most of the time. In this way, the core muscles are strengthened.
The Swiss Ball, meanwhile, provides instability and engages the core as you try to balance on it. There are many fun and easy exercises that you can do with it; and each one of them helps make our core muscles stronger.
Even without core exercises, having the proper posture when lifting weights will help out a lot to strengthen the core. Straightening your body while doing push ups can also help.
While core exercises are very easy to perform, many are discouraged because they get hurt easily and are unable to do as many repetitions as they could.
Note that it’s supposed to be like that. You will feel some discomfort in your abdominals because you are engaging your muscles there. But then again, it’s always best to seek a trainer’s advice to ensure that you are doing things right.
By: Dian Sia
About the Author:
Rosemount fitness trainerin The Body Project Studio has become popular in weight loss program in and around Eagan. They guarantee the best weight loss program around the city. You can visit them here http://thebodyprojectstudio.com/
I am going to make a bold statement. There is no better way to burn body fat than to perform body weight exercises. I firmly believe this from personal experience and from the results of those who have dedicated themselves to bodyweight exercises. Is it any wonder that some of the most fit individuals in the world (our U.S. military) primarily use body weight exercises to achieve their fitness level.
I have a health club membership (although I am not sure why other than it gives me someplace warm to perform certain exercises in the winter) and I watch in amazement how people can show up week after week and never lose fat. It is kind of sad. They are paying their money faithfully and they get on the treadmill or elliptical machine and go through the ritual. But at the end of the week when they step on the scale the numbers are all too familiar. It is no wonder that they give up after a couple of months.
If this has been you, I am here to tell you that it does not have to be that way. You do not have to train with weights and you do not have to do cardio for an hour a day for seven days a week. You do not have to spend $40 per month on a health club membership. You do not have to embarrass yourself by stepping on some goofy BOSU ball.
You are frustrated and you are not sure where to turn. If you have trainers at your gym like I do at mine you probably don’t want to ask them because it is quite obvious that they haven’t practiced what they preach. They are not exactly the image of thriving fitness and you surely don’t want to pay them extra for their “expertise.”
Maybe you are like me and your body is now suffering the effects of weight lifting and your joints are no longer capable of lifting heavy weights. Or possibly you have tried every fad diet known to humankind and you still are disgusted every time you look in the mirror.
You have tried everything else now why don’t you try what actually works. Instead of going to out-of-shape “personal trainers” at your gym why not lean on the expertise of someone who has been in the fitness industry for 30 years. And by the way, he has the physique of someone who has been in the fitness industry for 30 years (lean and mean).
Emile Jarreau has created the Naked Commando System of exercises that you can do at home, in the park, behind closed doors in your office, or even in your hotel room while you travel. If you want to see fat begin to melt away with as little as 3 intense workouts per week then this is the program for you. You will build strength, increase endurance, increase your metabolism and improve your heart with his time-efficient circuit workouts.
You will avoid boredom in your workouts as he keeps it spiced up with 69 challenging and dynamic body weight exercises. Your stamina will increase, you will begin to understand the meaning of the word slim again and you will cut a major chunk of stress out of your life.
He will provide you with complete fat burning workouts with instructions, pictures and everything you will need to be successful. And you can get all of this for less than what you are paying for one month at a health club. I could describe it in detail for you but he does it so much better. So click on over to learn more about Naked Commando System.
In gyms all across the country, people are using many different tools to exercise their core muscles. Some people really like the Swiss ball (Exercise Ball), and some people really like using the Bosu Ball. The Bosu is half of a Swiss ball on a flat rubber platform, and it stands for Both Sides Up or Both Sides Utilized because you can do exercises on the flat platform and also on the soft dome shaped side.
Balance Training has become an important part of core workouts, because when you stand on one leg your center of gravity shifts, and the core muscles in your lower back and hips must work harder to maintain your stability. You can stand on the Bosu Ball with 2 feet or on 1 leg. 1 legged balancing is really challenging, but it can lead to dramatic improvements in balance, coordination, and sports performance.
In addition to balancing exercises, you can do traditional abdominal and core exercises on the exercise ball. The stability ball can enhance your core workout in 2 major ways. It can challenge your stability because it has a soft unstable surface, and it can increase your core strength by allowing your body to utilize a greater range of motion when you perform traditional core exercises.
Whenever you do a core exercise on a ball, your core muscles work both to stabilize and move your lower back and pelvis. When you perform core exercises on a stable surface like a machine or the floor, there is less challenge for the stabilizer muscles.
The balls can also enhance your core workout by allowing your spine to utilize a greater range of motion. Your lower back has a natural curve, and the abdominal muscles work to reverse that natural curve. When you lie flat on the floor, the floor partially reverses the natural curve in your lower back, and this decreases the range of motion that the spine can move. Less range of motion equals less muscle work.
Here is an example of how the Bosu can be used in your core workout to make your exercises more effective. When you perform crunches on a Bosu Ball, your spine can extend to its natural position, so you get additional range of motion when compared to the floor. It is also unstable like the stability ball, so your core muscles also work to keep you balanced as you crunch.
Also, because the balls are contoured, your body can focus more on segmental movement through the spine. Lastly, because the balls keeps your body elevated off the ground, there truly is no rest position for the core muscles, so they stay engaged throughout the entire exercise.
The balls are great tool to use for core exercises. In addition to regular ab crunches, you can do reverse crunches, oblique crunches, or Russian Twists. If you see a ball lying around the gym floor, ask a trainer to show you a few exercises on it. You may find that it is one of your favorite tools to incorporate into your core workouts.
By: Charles Inniss
About the Author:
Balance Training has become an important part of core workouts, because when you stand on one leg your center of gravity shifts, and the core muscles in your lower back and hips must work harder to maintain your stability. You can stand on the Bosu Ball with 2 feet or on 1 leg. 1 legged balancing is really challenging, but it can lead to dramatic improvements in balance, coordination, and sports performance.
In addition to balancing exercises, you can do traditional abdominal and core exercises on the exercise ball. The stability ball can enhance your core workout in 2 major ways. It can challenge your stability because it has a soft unstable surface, and it can increase your core strength by allowing your body to utilize a greater range of motion when you perform traditional core exercises.
Whenever you do a core exercise on a ball, your core muscles work both to stabilize and move your lower back and pelvis. When you perform core exercises on a stable surface like a machine or the floor, there is less challenge for the stabilizer muscles.
The balls can also enhance your core workout by allowing your spine to utilize a greater range of motion. Your lower back has a natural curve, and the abdominal muscles work to reverse that natural curve. When you lie flat on the floor, the floor partially reverses the natural curve in your lower back, and this decreases the range of motion that the spine can move. Less range of motion equals less muscle work.
Here is an example of how the Bosu can be used in your core workout to make your exercises more effective. When you perform crunches on a Bosu Ball, your spine can extend to its natural position, so you get additional range of motion when compared to the floor. It is also unstable like the stability ball, so your core muscles also work to keep you balanced as you crunch.
Also, because the balls are contoured, your body can focus more on segmental movement through the spine. Lastly, because the balls keeps your body elevated off the ground, there truly is no rest position for the core muscles, so they stay engaged throughout the entire exercise.
The balls are great tool to use for core exercises. In addition to regular ab crunches, you can do reverse crunches, oblique crunches, or Russian Twists. If you see a ball lying around the gym floor, ask a trainer to show you a few exercises on it. You may find that it is one of your favorite tools to incorporate into your core workouts.
By: Charles Inniss
About the Author:
Dr. Charles A. Inniss, Jr. is a physical therapist and personal trainer.
For pictures of core exercises and free ab workouts with the Bosu Ball visit his website Ab-Core-and-Stomach-Exercises.com
I have run across an exercise program that I believe will be just the thing that some of you are looking for. Many have been searching the internet for some sort of body weight exercise program. You are aware of many different types of body weight exercises but you aren’t sure how to put them all together in a program. That is where Body Weight Exercise Revolution comes in.
If you are like me then your hectic schedule often sabotages your exercise goals. That today as an example. I left the house at 5:45 am and did not return home until 7:15 pm. The local gym in my small hometown closes at 8:30 pm. So often I do not have a gym at my disposal even though I am paying for a membership. I haven’t made it to the gym in four days because of my schedule.
Training at home is the perfect solution if you find yourself running short of time like I do. But many are put off by the need to buy expensive home exercise equipment, weights, etc. The nice little home gym can set you back a pretty buck.
As I have shared with you before, however, is that you don’t need a gym membership or an expensive home gym to get in the best shape of your life. You have everything that you need already to get an incredible workout day in and day out. By using your own bodyweight and utilizing a little specialized knowledge you can whip yourself into a state of peak fitness.
This program, Body Weight Exercise Revolution, is not merely a regimin of push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. It consists of innovative bodyweight exercises and movements to help you reach your goals.
If you are looking for any of the following then I encourage you to check it out.
# Increased energy
# Improved pain-free range of motion
# Peace of mind from knowing that you’re working towards your exact and personal goals
# Fat loss
# Greater strength
# Muscle gain
# Longevity
# General athleticism
# Fun-to-learn bodyweight exercises
I could go on and on about it but they can describe it better than I can. Give them a look. You will be glad you did.
The “core” is a collection of hundreds of muscles – the abs (all layers), lower to mid back, upper pelvic region, the obliques and the world famous ‘love handles’ areas are loaded with muscles of all different sizes, shapes, lengths and angles. All these muscles require specific core exercises to get the desired core strength training effect.
The wonderful thing about these muscles is that they are placed so closely together and some of them are even placed one behind the other in a layered fashion. When all these are worked on properly with the right exercise program you will get an amazing core. No doubt about it. But the question is when?
Unlike most so called “core” fitness workouts that are now so prevalent, the best core exercises are the ones that work on everyone of these muscles and collectively build the entire core of the body.
Avoiding your upper, middle and lower core – the love handles – the obliques – the lower and mid back areas will not only make it impossible for you to get killer abs, but also can lead to serious injury. And you think these injuries are rare? People get injured everyday because of the lack of proper guidance when it comes to workout, and that’s one reason why physio-therapists are so busy nowadays.
The best core workouts don’t even require a single machine or some silly but expensive gadgets.
But the only thing these exercises need is our body, our natural movement patterns and how your muscles work in real world gravity. In other words, ideal core workouts can be done anywhere, anytime.
One of the biggest mistakes folk like me make is that they try to mimic the technique of body builders and power lifters. The fact that most people don’t realize is that they are not bodybuilders or power lifters. In the process they tend to over train themselves leading to a lot of wasted time and injuries that are serious and injuries that sometimes even last for a long time.
A proper abs workout should be able to most effectively work out the entire mid-section and core, in minimal amount of time with no risk of injuries. Finding such an exercise is very difficult but here are some things you should focus on when planning your core workout.
1. Choose a collection of core workouts that will work on your entire midsection. These exercises should provide you with proper stimulus to become lean, defined, flat, strong and solid.
2. There a certain exercises that are specifically responsible for creating those lines that give the abs that “six pack” look.
3. There are several functional moves that create the small diagonal muscles on the sides of the ribcage.
4. Exercises that target the love handles, those that reduce them to zero or at least firm them up.
5. Any time, anywhere Core workouts.
6. Exercises those are appropriate for both men and women.
7. The core exercises should be workable on behalf of the person doing it. Many trainers and fitness freaks misinterpret the word ‘killer’ as in ‘killer ab workout’. A truly effective core workout should not kill the person doing it. No injuries, no six days worth of soreness.
8. Choose a blend of exercises that will build you in a balanced way, on every side of your abs.
9. Choose specific exercises that are derived from injury rehab programs. These exercises should be able to strengthen and tone the deepest layers of the ab, the core and the most sensitive muscles of the lower back region.
By: mikejan635
About the Author:
The wonderful thing about these muscles is that they are placed so closely together and some of them are even placed one behind the other in a layered fashion. When all these are worked on properly with the right exercise program you will get an amazing core. No doubt about it. But the question is when?
Unlike most so called “core” fitness workouts that are now so prevalent, the best core exercises are the ones that work on everyone of these muscles and collectively build the entire core of the body.
Avoiding your upper, middle and lower core – the love handles – the obliques – the lower and mid back areas will not only make it impossible for you to get killer abs, but also can lead to serious injury. And you think these injuries are rare? People get injured everyday because of the lack of proper guidance when it comes to workout, and that’s one reason why physio-therapists are so busy nowadays.
The best core workouts don’t even require a single machine or some silly but expensive gadgets.
But the only thing these exercises need is our body, our natural movement patterns and how your muscles work in real world gravity. In other words, ideal core workouts can be done anywhere, anytime.
One of the biggest mistakes folk like me make is that they try to mimic the technique of body builders and power lifters. The fact that most people don’t realize is that they are not bodybuilders or power lifters. In the process they tend to over train themselves leading to a lot of wasted time and injuries that are serious and injuries that sometimes even last for a long time.
A proper abs workout should be able to most effectively work out the entire mid-section and core, in minimal amount of time with no risk of injuries. Finding such an exercise is very difficult but here are some things you should focus on when planning your core workout.
1. Choose a collection of core workouts that will work on your entire midsection. These exercises should provide you with proper stimulus to become lean, defined, flat, strong and solid.
2. There a certain exercises that are specifically responsible for creating those lines that give the abs that “six pack” look.
3. There are several functional moves that create the small diagonal muscles on the sides of the ribcage.
4. Exercises that target the love handles, those that reduce them to zero or at least firm them up.
5. Any time, anywhere Core workouts.
6. Exercises those are appropriate for both men and women.
7. The core exercises should be workable on behalf of the person doing it. Many trainers and fitness freaks misinterpret the word ‘killer’ as in ‘killer ab workout’. A truly effective core workout should not kill the person doing it. No injuries, no six days worth of soreness.
8. Choose a blend of exercises that will build you in a balanced way, on every side of your abs.
9. Choose specific exercises that are derived from injury rehab programs. These exercises should be able to strengthen and tone the deepest layers of the ab, the core and the most sensitive muscles of the lower back region.
By: mikejan635
About the Author:
mikejan635
Get 6 more FREE tips on how to get rid of your belly fat and be well on your way to having rock hard six pack abs. For more information visit http://www.fitnessmadeeasy.net.
Core conditioning is a fitness buzz word these days but few are actually doing it correctly. Many confuse it with abdominal training when in fact the core covers your body from your groin to your shoulders (front, side, back and inside-out). Your core offers stability, balance and flexibility to all your movements. An improperly conditioned core will limit movement capabilities and predispose you to injury whether you are performing everday activities or complex sports movements.
The aim of working the core muscles is primarly one of stabilization and coordination versus strengthening. There are many muscles in the core including the lower back, superficial front and side abdominals, deep abdominals, deep back muscles, and the hip and pelvic muscles. It is the deep muscles that usualy get negleted. The ultimate aim of core conditioning is to insure the deep trunk muscles are working correctly to control the lumbar spine during dynamic movements such as lifting a box. The deep muscles act as stabiliizers and are isometrically contracted (contraction with no movement). Thus when training your core you should start with the inside and work outwards.
Exercises and products intended to train the core do so by creating resistance and instability so the core muscles must respond to maintain balance. Core exercises often imitate moves we employ in daily life or sports, reducing the strain we put on our limbs daily. Some popular core exercises come from Pilates which uses both the bodies own resistance as well as balance deivices such as foam rollers. The swiss ball provides an unstable platform to perform a variety of core strengthening moves on. Another newer balance and core developing device is the half domed shaped Bosu. Whatever type of exercises and equipment you choose start slowly. Even if you are a finely tuned athlete chances are you do not have a well developed core. Core strength is important for all ages and fitness abilities. Incorporating core training into your exercise routine can reduce muscular fatigue, avoid muscle strain and injury, improve posture and improve strength and mobility.
By: Dr.lanny Schaffer
About the Author:
The aim of working the core muscles is primarly one of stabilization and coordination versus strengthening. There are many muscles in the core including the lower back, superficial front and side abdominals, deep abdominals, deep back muscles, and the hip and pelvic muscles. It is the deep muscles that usualy get negleted. The ultimate aim of core conditioning is to insure the deep trunk muscles are working correctly to control the lumbar spine during dynamic movements such as lifting a box. The deep muscles act as stabiliizers and are isometrically contracted (contraction with no movement). Thus when training your core you should start with the inside and work outwards.
Exercises and products intended to train the core do so by creating resistance and instability so the core muscles must respond to maintain balance. Core exercises often imitate moves we employ in daily life or sports, reducing the strain we put on our limbs daily. Some popular core exercises come from Pilates which uses both the bodies own resistance as well as balance deivices such as foam rollers. The swiss ball provides an unstable platform to perform a variety of core strengthening moves on. Another newer balance and core developing device is the half domed shaped Bosu. Whatever type of exercises and equipment you choose start slowly. Even if you are a finely tuned athlete chances are you do not have a well developed core. Core strength is important for all ages and fitness abilities. Incorporating core training into your exercise routine can reduce muscular fatigue, avoid muscle strain and injury, improve posture and improve strength and mobility.
By: Dr.lanny Schaffer
About the Author:
Dr. Lanny ******** is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The International Fitness Academy. To find out more cutting edge fitness ideas and information go to aerobic-exercise-coach.com.
Abdominal core conditioning program is a synergized and total approach to abdominal training. The central region of the body is known as the ‘core’ and is comprised of the abdominal muscles and the lower back. These are the most important muscles in our body which help us to function in our daily tasks, prevent injuries and also make us look good if we shed that extra flab around it. The core is the region from which we get all our strength and movement and is also the focal point of balance. Hence, the conditioning of this musculature is very important.
Moving from the outer-most to the inner-most, these muscles are rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques and transverse obliques. For conditioning the core area, all these muscles need to be targeted and worked out. Most of us do not see these muscles because of the flab on them but they are underneath and can emerge if we follow the abdominal core conditioning program. These are the so-called ‘fab six-abs’ which remain invisible on almost all, but the fittest of bodies.
Pulling in the abdominal wall is the main criteria in abdominal core conditioning program, as this conditions the core muscles deep inside and not just the upper layer of muscles. The abdominal exercises are usually divided into three groups- upper, obliques and lower but the upper and lower abdominals are not separate. Some exercises in abdominal core conditioning program emphasize moving the lower body more than the upper body, while others focus only on the upper abdominals.
Here are a few do’s and don’ts of abdominal core conditioning:
Do warm up before starting your exercises by doing some simple aerobic movements. Do work the lower abdominals first, followed by the obliques and lastly, the upper abdominals. The upper abdominals give support when you are working out the lower abdominals but, if you do the reverse, only the upper abdominals will get a total work-out.
Don’t work the upper abdominals first, as you will exercise those muscles to the core leaving them pre-fatigued and will not be able to do a challenging set of lower abdominals exercises.
Hip-flexors are joined to the lower vertebrae and doing any exercise which involves a full 90 degree flexion of the hips will place emphasis on the lower vertebrae getting more exercised than the abdominal muscles. Don’t do sit-ups for this reason.
Do use a wide variety of exercises to improve your core and abdominal region.
Do use a medicine ball, cables or exercises bands, as they will increase your external load and ultimately improve your core area.
Don’t use your hands to carry the weight of your head; avoid tugging at your head at any time doing any core flexion movements.
Remember – Spot-reducing fat loss will not happen with extra high reps!
Fast movements should be avoided by all beginning core exercises. The Firm and Flatten Your Abs System explains how important exercise form is to success.
Do gradually progress from a firm ground to a more unstable setting as you get better and master the core exercises, for example, a Swiss ball to increase the strength of your nervous system.
Do not do crunches all the time, as they lead to overuse and poor posture. Always make sure you do back exercises such as back extensions on a Swiss ball…
Do gradually move from floor-based core exercises to standing exercises for core movements.
By adopting these basics for abdominal core conditioning program, you will reward yourself with a fit and injury-free body, not to mention a great set of six-pack abs you always dreamt of.
By: David Grisaffi
About the Author:
Moving from the outer-most to the inner-most, these muscles are rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques and transverse obliques. For conditioning the core area, all these muscles need to be targeted and worked out. Most of us do not see these muscles because of the flab on them but they are underneath and can emerge if we follow the abdominal core conditioning program. These are the so-called ‘fab six-abs’ which remain invisible on almost all, but the fittest of bodies.
Pulling in the abdominal wall is the main criteria in abdominal core conditioning program, as this conditions the core muscles deep inside and not just the upper layer of muscles. The abdominal exercises are usually divided into three groups- upper, obliques and lower but the upper and lower abdominals are not separate. Some exercises in abdominal core conditioning program emphasize moving the lower body more than the upper body, while others focus only on the upper abdominals.
Here are a few do’s and don’ts of abdominal core conditioning:
Do warm up before starting your exercises by doing some simple aerobic movements. Do work the lower abdominals first, followed by the obliques and lastly, the upper abdominals. The upper abdominals give support when you are working out the lower abdominals but, if you do the reverse, only the upper abdominals will get a total work-out.
Don’t work the upper abdominals first, as you will exercise those muscles to the core leaving them pre-fatigued and will not be able to do a challenging set of lower abdominals exercises.
Hip-flexors are joined to the lower vertebrae and doing any exercise which involves a full 90 degree flexion of the hips will place emphasis on the lower vertebrae getting more exercised than the abdominal muscles. Don’t do sit-ups for this reason.
Do use a wide variety of exercises to improve your core and abdominal region.
Do use a medicine ball, cables or exercises bands, as they will increase your external load and ultimately improve your core area.
Don’t use your hands to carry the weight of your head; avoid tugging at your head at any time doing any core flexion movements.
Remember – Spot-reducing fat loss will not happen with extra high reps!
Fast movements should be avoided by all beginning core exercises. The Firm and Flatten Your Abs System explains how important exercise form is to success.
Do gradually progress from a firm ground to a more unstable setting as you get better and master the core exercises, for example, a Swiss ball to increase the strength of your nervous system.
Do not do crunches all the time, as they lead to overuse and poor posture. Always make sure you do back exercises such as back extensions on a Swiss ball…
Do gradually move from floor-based core exercises to standing exercises for core movements.
By adopting these basics for abdominal core conditioning program, you will reward yourself with a fit and injury-free body, not to mention a great set of six-pack abs you always dreamt of.
By: David Grisaffi
About the Author:
David Grisaffi is a Sports Conditining Coach and holds multiple certifications including three from the prestigious CHEK Institute: Level II Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiologist, Golf Biomechanic, and Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach. Plus he is also the author of the popular selling e book, “Firm and Flatten Your Abs,” which teaches you how to develop a ripped abdominal region. Visit his blog at http://www.flattenyourabs.net/blog
After my article Stick Your Neck Out was published; I surprisingly caught some flack from the “hardcore” types just because I showed a stability ball being used in a few of the exercise applications.
Since I’m not emotionally attached to any one piece of equipment or style of training, I was not upset in the least about this. However, it did make me realize how misunderstood the Swiss ball is within the “hardcore strength” community.
So, in light of this realization, I’m stepping up to set the record straight once and for all about Swiss balls and how they should and shouldn’t be utilized in and effective strength program.
Don’t **** the Player, **** the Game
My friend and colleague Coach Rob Simonelli brought up an interesting point when he and I were discussing this article and why serious weight lifters dislike Swiss balls. Rob said “What serious lifters don’t understand is that it’s not so much that they dislike Swiss balls, it’s that they dislike what Swiss Balls represent”.
He was absolutely right. ******** weightlifters have made Swiss balls guilty by association just because there are a bunch of “functional trainers” out there doing some seriously ridiculous stuff on them.
This doesn’t mean that Swiss balls can’t be use for stuff that actually has value.
To all you Swiss ball haters out there, I want you to ask yourself one question; “Am I blaming the tool or the practitioner?”
I think you will realize that myself and Rob and are correct in saying that, the Swiss ball, like everything else in the gym is just a tool. One that can be used or abused depending on whose hands it’s in. Just because there are people out there abusing a certain tool doesn’t mean we should throw it out of the tool box all together. If that were the case, we wouldn’t use any equipment at all judging by what I’ve seen done with barbells and dumbbells these days.
Now let’s get one thing clear, the title of this article is not called “Swiss Ball Exercises that You Need to Do Everyday or Else Your Will Go to Pot”. The exercises shown in this article are in no way a necessity, they are just other options to challenge your body in a positive manner and compliment your “core” lifts.
In other words, they are just tools in the tool box.
You just have to know when to use the tools you’ve got.
When Instability and Strength is Actually Good
Recently, I got to attend one of my friend Eric Cressey’s classes on training the overhead athlete. During his workshop, Eric made a great point that I feel is relevant to this article. He said that although it has been found that unstable surface training for the lower body has been found to be ineffective and in some cases even counterproductive for healthy individuals, instability training for the upper body may actually be beneficial. Eric went on to explain that it all has to do with the fact that the lower body predominantly functions in a close chained (both feet in contact with the ground) manner that does not normally involve the ground moving underneath it. However, the upper body functions in more of an open chained (no ground or solid surface contact) manner with things more likely to move and change position.
This makes a lot of sense if you think of a football lineman blocking a pass rusher. The lineman’s feet are dealing with a flat and stable ground while his upper body is all over place dealing with another body moving in every which way trying to get around him.
Now that I have hopefully changed your mind about the Swiss ball, I’m going to provide you a list of exercises using the Swiss ball that we have found to be beneficial to our clients, athletes and physique competitors.
a href=”http://www.performanceu.net/article05.html”>Click here to view pictures and videos of all the exercises described below.
The Exercises
Y,T,W, L Shoulder Circuit w/Swiss Ball
The reason why we preffer to use the Swiss ball while performing our Y,T,W, L shoulder circuits has nothing to do with the shoulders themselves but has everything to do with the trunk. In that, when athletes perform the Y,T,W, Lcircuits on a flat surface like the floor or a bench, they usually start to extend from their lower back in a superman like position. This is normally due to the fact that they, like many athletes, lack ample shoulder flexion. Therfore, they attempt to kick in the lumbar extensors to help raise the arms.
If you reffer to my article How Not to Warm Up, you will see why this type of movement is undesirable. We all tend to slouch and sit too much, in doing so we create length and weakness in the thoracic area. So, the real goal here is to somehow create extension at the thoracic spine, not the lumbar spine. This can be successfully accomplished by performing the Y,T,W shoulder circuit on a Swiss ball.
With the swiss ball and some correct positioning, the extension comes from the thoracic spine
We position our athletes so that the apex of their thoracic curve during flexion over the ball is over top the apex of the ball itself. We also have them flex at the hip joint which further decreases extension at the lumbar spine. This enables us to get more bang for our buck.
We build endurance in all the muscles invovled in extending the thoracic spine while simutaneously reaping the benefits of the Y,T,W, L shoulder circuit.
The Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Press
The swiss ball chest press allows us to build flexibilty in hip flexors, strength endurance in the anterior neck muscles and glutes while simultaneously building upper body pushing strength.
The swiss ball chest press is the only exercise that we use a swiss ball in combination with weights. However, because it involves an unstable surface, we only use it while performing repetitive effort lifts and never use it while performing dynamic or max effort lifts.
Many people will agrue about the instability of the ball interferring with strength output. When I meet coaches that are of that mindset, I tell them two things;
1. If the feet are positioned shoulder width or wider, the instability is pretty much canceled out.
2. We agree that instabilty interferes with max strength output. This is why we ONLY use this exercise with submaximal loads as in a hypertrophy phase or repetitive effort phase.
In my mind, if you want allot of bang for your buck the Swiss ball chest press is a great choice.
Swiss Ball Perturbations
This is one of the most popular exercises we use at Performance University amoung our high level athlets and recreational clients alike.. Swiss perturbations are a fun and very effective way to develop rock solid core stability. The goal of the person holding the ball is to maintain optimal alignment and own the position thay began in. With each diffrent strike of the ball, the torso as to make a slight adjustment to maintain control of its position. Thi is what Rehab spractioners call rythmic stabilization. We call it a damn good exercise.
The unpredicatable nature of this exercise makes it more functional than most other “core stabilization” exercises.
This exercise can be progressed by the partner striking the ball with slightly more force or the holder standing with the feet closer together or in a stagered stance.
Swiss Ball Roll Out
The swiss ball roll out is one of our favorite exerciss for training the anterior trunk muscles. We like it because it devloped torso strength and pelvic control without putting the spine in a flexed position as it would be in a crunch or sit up type exercise. Mike Boyle produced a great article called Anterior Core Training that thoroughly desribes the theory and methodolgy behind movements like the swiss ball roll out. In that same article, Boyle also diplayed many progressions to the swiss ball roll out involving tools like the ab dolley and arko wheels. However, if you don’t have all of those tools/toys available to you, here are some simple progression strategies you can use.
The beginers version of the Swiss ball roll out starts with the elbows bent and forearms resting on the ball.
This exercise can then be progressed by raising the torso and straightening the arms. This lengthens the lever arm and increases the demand on the anterior core. Shown below.
On both of these roll out variations be sure to extend both your arms and legs while maintaining a fairly neutral spine. Only go out as far as you can without losing optimal spinal alignment.
The Reverse Ball Roll Out
As of late we have been using another variation of the roll out which we call reverse roll outs. To perform the reverse roll out, hold on to a stable object such as a weight bench. While maintaining alignment, extend your lower body until reaching a superman type position. Return to the starting position and repeat.
The height of surface your holding onto should be approx. even to the height of the ball. In the picture above, Tim is holding on to a bar that is slightly higher than the ball underneath his legs. You can see how this is causing him to sag slightly at his low back. We were in the process of moving our gym during this photo shoot and we had to work with what we had left in the gym.
Swiss Ball Toe Plank
This is another great anterior core exercise. We usually perform holds for anywhere from 10-20 seconds. Proper form for this exercise is pretty much self explanatory.
Swiss Ball Knee Tucks
If you have fairly decent “core strength”, Swiss ball knee tucks aren’t really that difficult. This is why we don’t use this exercise with the intention of building strength. We use this exercise to build awareness of what the rehab world calls” hip/back disassociation”.
All this really means is, how well you can move at your hips without moving at your lumbar spine. There are a lot of ways to accomplish this which are beyond the scope of this article. However, in the context of the Swiss ball knee tuck exercise, we want our athletes to be able to flex at their hip without flexing at their low back. If they can accomplish this, it shows that they posses good hip/back disassociation.
Athletes with poor hip back disassociation will always compensate for a lack of hip mobility by increasing mobility at the lumbar spine. Which according to the latest research is designed for stability, not mobility? My article How NOT to Warm Up covers that science in great detail.
The science aside, just keep this little saying in mind, “what your hips lack can hurt your back”.
So, yeah…do your knee tucks.
1 Leg Swiss Ball Knee Tuck
This version of the knee tuck is much more difficult than the previous because there is an added rotary component. Although there is no visual rotation, the athlete has to work to prevent gravity form pulling them into rotation on the side of the lifted leg. This is what my good friend JC Santana calls “training the invisible. This is an important point to keep in mind anytime you go from a bi-lateral position to a unilateral position.
1 Arm Holds
This is another one that’s pretty self explanatory. Simply maintain optimal spinal alignment while keeping your arm locked out. We use holds ranging from 5-15sec.
This one is just plain tough!
Swiss ball Straight Leg Bridge
We always make sure to encourage our athletes to create the lift using from their hamstrings and glutes, not from their low back. Athletes with an increased lordosis (low back curve) will find this more difficult and therefore tend to need more coaching on movements like this.
Yes, I know you can also do this on a bench but our athletes seem to like it better with the ball. So, as they say, “the customer is always right”.
Plus, you can’t do some of the progressions I’m about to show you on a bench.
Straight Leg Bridges (w/Long Lever)
We learned this progression from Coach JC Santana. It’s a great way to integrate in the calf’s and increase the overall difficulty on your posterior muscles.
Be sure to keep the heels off the ball.
1 Leg Hip Bridges (w/straight leg)
These are not only a great progression to the 2 leg bridges but they serve as a nice compliment to the 1 leg knee tucks.
These work on improving hip/back disassociation in extension. We want to see the extension coming from the hips and glutes and not from the low back. We encourage our athletes to keep the lifted knee stable during this exercise. If the knee moves, it means that the pelvis is moving and therefore stability is lost.
Swiss Ball Bent Leg Bridges
The bent leg bridges are more glute dominant bridge than the straight leg version. That said, your hamstring have to work isometrically to hold the ball in place while the hips rise and fall.
We normally just alternate straight and bent leg bridges each workout.
Swiss Ball Bent Leg Bridge (1 Leg)
The rules on the one leg version are the same as above. Just be sure to prevent any sort of pelvic rotation due to the reduced base of support.
Swiss Ball Leg Curls
Once you can successfully perform both the straight and bent leg exercises. We simply combine the two moves to make the leg curl. This you really can’t do with a bench. You can do this with a slide board if you have access to one.
Once your hips lift up, they don’t come down until the set is complete. Be sure to lift your hips higher up as the legs curl in. This will create a straight line between the knee, hip, and torso.
Aside from glute ham raises is the only exercise that allows us to train hip extension and knee flexion simultaneously. Those two motions are always coupled together during any locomotive type action.
Running involves the combined action hip extension and knee flexion of the rear leg as it prepares to pull through
1 Leg Ball Curl
This progression from the two leg curl, when done correctly, will challenge even the most advanced athlete.
Swiss Ball Complex
Once each one these exercises are mastered separately, we like to combine them into a Swiss ball complex. We use this complex as part of an active dynamic warm up, as a warm down or as active rest on recovery days.
We start with roll outs for 10-20 reps
Then to push ups for 10-20 for reps
Followed up with the Y,T,W,L shoulder circuit for 10-15reps each letter
Then move to knee tucks for 10-20 reps
We finish with a toes on ball plank hold for 10-30 seconds
This entire complex is normally performed for 1-3 sets and 0-60 seconds rest between sets. Three rounds of this at 20 reps each exercise with no break is just plain tough.
This complex is very popular with our clients and athletes because it has a smooth flow from between exercises, it’s easy to remember and it gets a lot of quality work done in little time. Aside from that, it’s kind of fun.
a href=”http://www.performanceu.net/article05.html”>Click here to view pictures and videos of all the exercises described above.
Final Comments
Well, there you have it, the definitive list of Swiss ball exercises that don’t ****.
If it’s not on this list and it involves a Swiss ball then…well, you get the point.
The exercises on this list have been a part of our performance and physique programs for many years. They have been used at some point by just about everyone who has walked through our doors.
I can’t honestly tell you that these Swiss ball are solely responsible for our clients and athletes consistently getting bigger stronger and faster.
But I can tell you that they sure as hell haven’t hurt.
By: Nick Tumminello
About the Author:
Since I’m not emotionally attached to any one piece of equipment or style of training, I was not upset in the least about this. However, it did make me realize how misunderstood the Swiss ball is within the “hardcore strength” community.
So, in light of this realization, I’m stepping up to set the record straight once and for all about Swiss balls and how they should and shouldn’t be utilized in and effective strength program.
Don’t **** the Player, **** the Game
My friend and colleague Coach Rob Simonelli brought up an interesting point when he and I were discussing this article and why serious weight lifters dislike Swiss balls. Rob said “What serious lifters don’t understand is that it’s not so much that they dislike Swiss balls, it’s that they dislike what Swiss Balls represent”.
He was absolutely right. ******** weightlifters have made Swiss balls guilty by association just because there are a bunch of “functional trainers” out there doing some seriously ridiculous stuff on them.
This doesn’t mean that Swiss balls can’t be use for stuff that actually has value.
To all you Swiss ball haters out there, I want you to ask yourself one question; “Am I blaming the tool or the practitioner?”
I think you will realize that myself and Rob and are correct in saying that, the Swiss ball, like everything else in the gym is just a tool. One that can be used or abused depending on whose hands it’s in. Just because there are people out there abusing a certain tool doesn’t mean we should throw it out of the tool box all together. If that were the case, we wouldn’t use any equipment at all judging by what I’ve seen done with barbells and dumbbells these days.
Now let’s get one thing clear, the title of this article is not called “Swiss Ball Exercises that You Need to Do Everyday or Else Your Will Go to Pot”. The exercises shown in this article are in no way a necessity, they are just other options to challenge your body in a positive manner and compliment your “core” lifts.
In other words, they are just tools in the tool box.
You just have to know when to use the tools you’ve got.
When Instability and Strength is Actually Good
Recently, I got to attend one of my friend Eric Cressey’s classes on training the overhead athlete. During his workshop, Eric made a great point that I feel is relevant to this article. He said that although it has been found that unstable surface training for the lower body has been found to be ineffective and in some cases even counterproductive for healthy individuals, instability training for the upper body may actually be beneficial. Eric went on to explain that it all has to do with the fact that the lower body predominantly functions in a close chained (both feet in contact with the ground) manner that does not normally involve the ground moving underneath it. However, the upper body functions in more of an open chained (no ground or solid surface contact) manner with things more likely to move and change position.
This makes a lot of sense if you think of a football lineman blocking a pass rusher. The lineman’s feet are dealing with a flat and stable ground while his upper body is all over place dealing with another body moving in every which way trying to get around him.
Now that I have hopefully changed your mind about the Swiss ball, I’m going to provide you a list of exercises using the Swiss ball that we have found to be beneficial to our clients, athletes and physique competitors.
a href=”http://www.performanceu.net/article05.html”>Click here to view pictures and videos of all the exercises described below.
The Exercises
Y,T,W, L Shoulder Circuit w/Swiss Ball
The reason why we preffer to use the Swiss ball while performing our Y,T,W, L shoulder circuits has nothing to do with the shoulders themselves but has everything to do with the trunk. In that, when athletes perform the Y,T,W, Lcircuits on a flat surface like the floor or a bench, they usually start to extend from their lower back in a superman like position. This is normally due to the fact that they, like many athletes, lack ample shoulder flexion. Therfore, they attempt to kick in the lumbar extensors to help raise the arms.
If you reffer to my article How Not to Warm Up, you will see why this type of movement is undesirable. We all tend to slouch and sit too much, in doing so we create length and weakness in the thoracic area. So, the real goal here is to somehow create extension at the thoracic spine, not the lumbar spine. This can be successfully accomplished by performing the Y,T,W shoulder circuit on a Swiss ball.
With the swiss ball and some correct positioning, the extension comes from the thoracic spine
We position our athletes so that the apex of their thoracic curve during flexion over the ball is over top the apex of the ball itself. We also have them flex at the hip joint which further decreases extension at the lumbar spine. This enables us to get more bang for our buck.
We build endurance in all the muscles invovled in extending the thoracic spine while simutaneously reaping the benefits of the Y,T,W, L shoulder circuit.
The Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Press
The swiss ball chest press allows us to build flexibilty in hip flexors, strength endurance in the anterior neck muscles and glutes while simultaneously building upper body pushing strength.
The swiss ball chest press is the only exercise that we use a swiss ball in combination with weights. However, because it involves an unstable surface, we only use it while performing repetitive effort lifts and never use it while performing dynamic or max effort lifts.
Many people will agrue about the instability of the ball interferring with strength output. When I meet coaches that are of that mindset, I tell them two things;
1. If the feet are positioned shoulder width or wider, the instability is pretty much canceled out.
2. We agree that instabilty interferes with max strength output. This is why we ONLY use this exercise with submaximal loads as in a hypertrophy phase or repetitive effort phase.
In my mind, if you want allot of bang for your buck the Swiss ball chest press is a great choice.
Swiss Ball Perturbations
This is one of the most popular exercises we use at Performance University amoung our high level athlets and recreational clients alike.. Swiss perturbations are a fun and very effective way to develop rock solid core stability. The goal of the person holding the ball is to maintain optimal alignment and own the position thay began in. With each diffrent strike of the ball, the torso as to make a slight adjustment to maintain control of its position. Thi is what Rehab spractioners call rythmic stabilization. We call it a damn good exercise.
The unpredicatable nature of this exercise makes it more functional than most other “core stabilization” exercises.
This exercise can be progressed by the partner striking the ball with slightly more force or the holder standing with the feet closer together or in a stagered stance.
Swiss Ball Roll Out
The swiss ball roll out is one of our favorite exerciss for training the anterior trunk muscles. We like it because it devloped torso strength and pelvic control without putting the spine in a flexed position as it would be in a crunch or sit up type exercise. Mike Boyle produced a great article called Anterior Core Training that thoroughly desribes the theory and methodolgy behind movements like the swiss ball roll out. In that same article, Boyle also diplayed many progressions to the swiss ball roll out involving tools like the ab dolley and arko wheels. However, if you don’t have all of those tools/toys available to you, here are some simple progression strategies you can use.
The beginers version of the Swiss ball roll out starts with the elbows bent and forearms resting on the ball.
This exercise can then be progressed by raising the torso and straightening the arms. This lengthens the lever arm and increases the demand on the anterior core. Shown below.
On both of these roll out variations be sure to extend both your arms and legs while maintaining a fairly neutral spine. Only go out as far as you can without losing optimal spinal alignment.
The Reverse Ball Roll Out
As of late we have been using another variation of the roll out which we call reverse roll outs. To perform the reverse roll out, hold on to a stable object such as a weight bench. While maintaining alignment, extend your lower body until reaching a superman type position. Return to the starting position and repeat.
The height of surface your holding onto should be approx. even to the height of the ball. In the picture above, Tim is holding on to a bar that is slightly higher than the ball underneath his legs. You can see how this is causing him to sag slightly at his low back. We were in the process of moving our gym during this photo shoot and we had to work with what we had left in the gym.
Swiss Ball Toe Plank
This is another great anterior core exercise. We usually perform holds for anywhere from 10-20 seconds. Proper form for this exercise is pretty much self explanatory.
Swiss Ball Knee Tucks
If you have fairly decent “core strength”, Swiss ball knee tucks aren’t really that difficult. This is why we don’t use this exercise with the intention of building strength. We use this exercise to build awareness of what the rehab world calls” hip/back disassociation”.
All this really means is, how well you can move at your hips without moving at your lumbar spine. There are a lot of ways to accomplish this which are beyond the scope of this article. However, in the context of the Swiss ball knee tuck exercise, we want our athletes to be able to flex at their hip without flexing at their low back. If they can accomplish this, it shows that they posses good hip/back disassociation.
Athletes with poor hip back disassociation will always compensate for a lack of hip mobility by increasing mobility at the lumbar spine. Which according to the latest research is designed for stability, not mobility? My article How NOT to Warm Up covers that science in great detail.
The science aside, just keep this little saying in mind, “what your hips lack can hurt your back”.
So, yeah…do your knee tucks.
1 Leg Swiss Ball Knee Tuck
This version of the knee tuck is much more difficult than the previous because there is an added rotary component. Although there is no visual rotation, the athlete has to work to prevent gravity form pulling them into rotation on the side of the lifted leg. This is what my good friend JC Santana calls “training the invisible. This is an important point to keep in mind anytime you go from a bi-lateral position to a unilateral position.
1 Arm Holds
This is another one that’s pretty self explanatory. Simply maintain optimal spinal alignment while keeping your arm locked out. We use holds ranging from 5-15sec.
This one is just plain tough!
Swiss ball Straight Leg Bridge
We always make sure to encourage our athletes to create the lift using from their hamstrings and glutes, not from their low back. Athletes with an increased lordosis (low back curve) will find this more difficult and therefore tend to need more coaching on movements like this.
Yes, I know you can also do this on a bench but our athletes seem to like it better with the ball. So, as they say, “the customer is always right”.
Plus, you can’t do some of the progressions I’m about to show you on a bench.
Straight Leg Bridges (w/Long Lever)
We learned this progression from Coach JC Santana. It’s a great way to integrate in the calf’s and increase the overall difficulty on your posterior muscles.
Be sure to keep the heels off the ball.
1 Leg Hip Bridges (w/straight leg)
These are not only a great progression to the 2 leg bridges but they serve as a nice compliment to the 1 leg knee tucks.
These work on improving hip/back disassociation in extension. We want to see the extension coming from the hips and glutes and not from the low back. We encourage our athletes to keep the lifted knee stable during this exercise. If the knee moves, it means that the pelvis is moving and therefore stability is lost.
Swiss Ball Bent Leg Bridges
The bent leg bridges are more glute dominant bridge than the straight leg version. That said, your hamstring have to work isometrically to hold the ball in place while the hips rise and fall.
We normally just alternate straight and bent leg bridges each workout.
Swiss Ball Bent Leg Bridge (1 Leg)
The rules on the one leg version are the same as above. Just be sure to prevent any sort of pelvic rotation due to the reduced base of support.
Swiss Ball Leg Curls
Once you can successfully perform both the straight and bent leg exercises. We simply combine the two moves to make the leg curl. This you really can’t do with a bench. You can do this with a slide board if you have access to one.
Once your hips lift up, they don’t come down until the set is complete. Be sure to lift your hips higher up as the legs curl in. This will create a straight line between the knee, hip, and torso.
Aside from glute ham raises is the only exercise that allows us to train hip extension and knee flexion simultaneously. Those two motions are always coupled together during any locomotive type action.
Running involves the combined action hip extension and knee flexion of the rear leg as it prepares to pull through
1 Leg Ball Curl
This progression from the two leg curl, when done correctly, will challenge even the most advanced athlete.
Swiss Ball Complex
Once each one these exercises are mastered separately, we like to combine them into a Swiss ball complex. We use this complex as part of an active dynamic warm up, as a warm down or as active rest on recovery days.
We start with roll outs for 10-20 reps
Then to push ups for 10-20 for reps
Followed up with the Y,T,W,L shoulder circuit for 10-15reps each letter
Then move to knee tucks for 10-20 reps
We finish with a toes on ball plank hold for 10-30 seconds
This entire complex is normally performed for 1-3 sets and 0-60 seconds rest between sets. Three rounds of this at 20 reps each exercise with no break is just plain tough.
This complex is very popular with our clients and athletes because it has a smooth flow from between exercises, it’s easy to remember and it gets a lot of quality work done in little time. Aside from that, it’s kind of fun.
a href=”http://www.performanceu.net/article05.html”>Click here to view pictures and videos of all the exercises described above.
Final Comments
Well, there you have it, the definitive list of Swiss ball exercises that don’t ****.
If it’s not on this list and it involves a Swiss ball then…well, you get the point.
The exercises on this list have been a part of our performance and physique programs for many years. They have been used at some point by just about everyone who has walked through our doors.
I can’t honestly tell you that these Swiss ball are solely responsible for our clients and athletes consistently getting bigger stronger and faster.
But I can tell you that they sure as hell haven’t hurt.
By: Nick Tumminello
About the Author:
The director of Performance University, Nick Tumminello is a highly sought after coach and educator in the field of human performance enhancement. He is the developer of the Core Bar™ and has authored numerous best selling DVD’s which can be purchased at www.PerformanceU.net .
Nick also serves as the Strength & Conditioning Coach for Team Ground Control MMA. Nick lives in Baltimore MD where he regularly trains his athletes.
Forget about crunches, sit ups, or leg raises. The drawing-in maneuver to engage the transversus abdominus is the most important core exercise to master if you want to develop core stability.
If you’ve never heard of the transversus abdominus I wouldn’t be surprised. It the deepest of the abdominal muscles and so you can’t see it. As its name implies, it runs across the abdomen. It is often referred to as your natural girdle because it’s only job is to brace your lower back and pull in your belly button, like a girdle.
Why is targeting the Transverse Abdominus so important?
A group of physiotherapists in Australia studied back pain by looking at muscle coordination patterns. They wanted to see if there were difference between people with no lower back pain and those with chronic lower back pain. What they found is that when healthy people with no lower back pain move their arms or legs the transverse abdominus is the first muscle to fire.
That’s right… If you move your arm, this core muscle contracts before your arm contracts. Your body is naturally wired to be stable around the center first before you can move.
In contrast, people with chronic lower back pain displayed an inability to contract the core muscles before the arm muscles. When you start to move before your spine is stable, more pressure is placed on the joints of the lower back.
This is one reason core training has become so popular. Core training can help to stabilize the pelvis and lower back while taking pressure off the spine.
The drawing-in maneuver is very easy to do. Simply pull in your belly button so that it moves towards your back. Hold for 10 seconds, relax and repeat 5-10 times.
This simple core exercise can help to improve your core stability and it’s the most important core exercise to master!
By: Charles A. Inniss, Jr. DPT
About the Author:
If you’ve never heard of the transversus abdominus I wouldn’t be surprised. It the deepest of the abdominal muscles and so you can’t see it. As its name implies, it runs across the abdomen. It is often referred to as your natural girdle because it’s only job is to brace your lower back and pull in your belly button, like a girdle.
Why is targeting the Transverse Abdominus so important?
A group of physiotherapists in Australia studied back pain by looking at muscle coordination patterns. They wanted to see if there were difference between people with no lower back pain and those with chronic lower back pain. What they found is that when healthy people with no lower back pain move their arms or legs the transverse abdominus is the first muscle to fire.
That’s right… If you move your arm, this core muscle contracts before your arm contracts. Your body is naturally wired to be stable around the center first before you can move.
In contrast, people with chronic lower back pain displayed an inability to contract the core muscles before the arm muscles. When you start to move before your spine is stable, more pressure is placed on the joints of the lower back.
This is one reason core training has become so popular. Core training can help to stabilize the pelvis and lower back while taking pressure off the spine.
The drawing-in maneuver is very easy to do. Simply pull in your belly button so that it moves towards your back. Hold for 10 seconds, relax and repeat 5-10 times.
This simple core exercise can help to improve your core stability and it’s the most important core exercise to master!
By: Charles A. Inniss, Jr. DPT
About the Author:
Charles A. Inniss, Jr. has a Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy and is a Certified Personal Trainer. He is dedicated to helping people to live healthier happier lives.
Visit his website for Free Pictures of 100 Ab Exercises and Free Ab Workouts
Forget about crunches, sit ups, hanging leg raises, russian twists, or stability ball exercises. The drawing-in maneuver to engage the transversus abdominus is the most important core exercise to master if you want to develop core stability.
If you’ve never heard of the transversus abdominus I wouldn’t be surprised. It the deepest of the four anterior abdominal muscles and so you can’t see it. It lies underneath the rectus abdominus (the muscle that forms the 6 pack) and the external and internal oblique muscles.
As its name implies, it runs across the abdomen. It is often referred to as your internal weight belt or your natural girdle because its only job is to brace your lower back and pull in your belly button, like a girdle.
Why is targeting the Transverse Abdominus so important?
A group of physiotherapists in Australia studied back pain by looking at muscle coordination patterns. They wanted to see if there were difference between people with no lower back pain and those with chronic lower back pain. What they found is that when healthy people with no lower back pain move their arms or legs the transverse abdominus is the first muscle to fire.
That’s right! If you move your arms or legs, this core muscle contracts before your arm or leg muscles contract. Your body is naturally wired to be stable around the center first before you can move.
In contrast, people with chronic lower back pain displayed an inability to contract the core muscles before the arm and leg muscles. When you start to move before your spine is stable, more pressure is placed on the joints of the lower back.
This is one reason core training has become so popular. Core training can help to stabilize the pelvis and lower back while taking pressure off the spine.
When a personal trainer says to pull your abs in, they are often referring to drawing in and engaging the transverse abdominus.
You can focus on this muscle during all of your exercises. Maintaining good posture is a key to keeping your joints healthy.
The drawing-in maneuver is very easy to do. You can perform it while sitting in a chair, lying on the floor, standing, or even while balaning on your hands and knees in the quadreped poisition.
Simply pull in your belly button so that it moves towards your back. Hold for 10 seconds, relax and repeat 5-10 times.
This simple core exercise can help to improve your core stability and it’s the most important core exercise to master!
By: Charles Inniss
About the Author:
If you’ve never heard of the transversus abdominus I wouldn’t be surprised. It the deepest of the four anterior abdominal muscles and so you can’t see it. It lies underneath the rectus abdominus (the muscle that forms the 6 pack) and the external and internal oblique muscles.
As its name implies, it runs across the abdomen. It is often referred to as your internal weight belt or your natural girdle because its only job is to brace your lower back and pull in your belly button, like a girdle.
Why is targeting the Transverse Abdominus so important?
A group of physiotherapists in Australia studied back pain by looking at muscle coordination patterns. They wanted to see if there were difference between people with no lower back pain and those with chronic lower back pain. What they found is that when healthy people with no lower back pain move their arms or legs the transverse abdominus is the first muscle to fire.
That’s right! If you move your arms or legs, this core muscle contracts before your arm or leg muscles contract. Your body is naturally wired to be stable around the center first before you can move.
In contrast, people with chronic lower back pain displayed an inability to contract the core muscles before the arm and leg muscles. When you start to move before your spine is stable, more pressure is placed on the joints of the lower back.
This is one reason core training has become so popular. Core training can help to stabilize the pelvis and lower back while taking pressure off the spine.
When a personal trainer says to pull your abs in, they are often referring to drawing in and engaging the transverse abdominus.
You can focus on this muscle during all of your exercises. Maintaining good posture is a key to keeping your joints healthy.
The drawing-in maneuver is very easy to do. You can perform it while sitting in a chair, lying on the floor, standing, or even while balaning on your hands and knees in the quadreped poisition.
Simply pull in your belly button so that it moves towards your back. Hold for 10 seconds, relax and repeat 5-10 times.
This simple core exercise can help to improve your core stability and it’s the most important core exercise to master!
By: Charles Inniss
About the Author:
Dr. Charles A. Inniss, Jr. is a physical therapist and personal trainer.
Click the link to his website for free pictures and detailed descriptions of core exercises and free core workouts
