CORE EXERCISES
Side Plank
● Lay on your side on a mat with knees bent
● Stack your knees on top of each other
● Place your elbow and forearm on the mat to make a right angle with
the mat
● Push your hips up to the sky and let your knees support you
● If you feel comfortable, fully extend legs placing the top foot in
front of the lower foot
● Hold for 10 seconds
● For shoulder stabilization: Place hand across body and hug your
opposite shoulder
Bird Dog
● Begin in a tabletop position with all four limbs on the mat with a
neutral spine
● Lift left arm & right leg into extension
● Lower to neutral; switch arm & leg
● Activate abdominal brace (tighten your core muscles)
● Challenge: Draw squares with the hand and foot to activate spinal
stabilizing muscles & glutes.
Curl Up
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Lie down with your back on a mat face up
Have one leg bent & one leg straight
Keep a neutral spine to protect lumbar disc
Place both hands behind your head & neck
Lift your shoulder blades off the mat & raise your chest
Hold for 10 seconds
Stiffness is stabilization
Benefits: Disc protection from damage or pain
Dead Bug
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Lie down with your back on the mat face up
Place your hand under your lumbar spine for support
Bring your left hip & knee to 90 degrees
Extend your right leg & left arm
Lift your extended right leg & left arm with slight elevation off of the
mat
• Hold for 10 seconds
• Activate abdominal brace to stabilize core & spine
• Challenge: Plyometrics. Rapidly stiffen torso and flex left shoulder
and right hip
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Plank & Stir the pot
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Place elbows on mat and tuck toes under
Maintain a neutral spine
Hold for 8-10 seconds
Challenge: Perform plank on an exercise ball. Perform small circular
motions "Stir the Pot" to enhance abdominal spring. Perform
stirring motion both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions.
• Benefits: Spares compression of spinal discs
References:
McGill , S. & Karpowicz, A. (2009). Exercises for spine stabilization:
Motion/motor patterns , stability progressions, and clinical technique. Archives
of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 90, 118-126. doi:
10.1016/j.apmr.2008.06.026
McGill, S. (2010). Core training: Evidence translating to better performance and
injury prevention. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 32,33-46. doi:
10.1519/SSC.0b013e3181df4521