Core Training Exercises
Core stability, Anti rotational Stability exercises are movement routines to strengthen the muscular protective sheath that circle and surround the center of the body, at the intersection of the bodily planes, roughly equivalent to the navel area, intrinsic to movement. Proximal stability is central to applying force, resisting inertia and creating movement. Proximal stiffness is absolutely necessary to distal athleticism. Rethinking core exercise, in for instance the trad old school full flexion sit-up, crunch, the flexing spine mimics a frequent spinal injury mechanism that flexes the vertebrae forward, squeezing the spinal discs, tending to bulge the discs out the back, impinging on spinal nerves causing pain, numbness, tingling and so forth. Rethinking movement exercises especially for a person who has acquired the label, back pain. Rethinking the zig zag, deep bending, back and forth flexing of the spine often advised as a one size fits all movement regimen that often is offered by various experts as a solution. Recognize that the abdominal core muscle groups, stabilize stop motion rather than create motion. So the important concept to recognize is that the abdominal core muscle groups, rather than mainly creating or initiating movement actually function more to stabilize or resist movement. So training is designed to stabilize the spine, recruit, rehabilitate, retrain and engage, the deep core musculature in static isometric exercises as in side planks, bird dogs, mcgill curl up, Pallof press, dead bugs and associated training, rather than the rocking back and forth flexion of the spine in say a traditional sit-up. Likewise vigorous bending of the spine is to be avoided in the rehabilitation phase recruitment of the muscular groups. These movement routines are built around a premise which is named core. Body mechanics is the study of forces and their effects in relation to this core center axis pivot point.
Biomechanics is the application of mechanical laws to our unique upright bipedal standing body, specifically to the locomotor system of the human body. When we observe almost all other mammals and animal creatures walking, moving, running, grazing, or hunting, within the animal kingdom, it is almost always on all fours with the spine horizontal to the ground. Humans are unique because they have the body parts and heritage of the 4-leggeds walking on all fours, with an upright 2-legged gait.
The spinal column which is parallel to the ground, horizontal in a walking four legged animal becomes upright, vertical, perpendicular to the ground in human beings. This particular unique situation creates enormous challenges in all our spatial movements. This anatomical anomaly is further complicated by our sedentary cultured modern lifestyle which has produced a deconditioned body which in many ways is incapable of sustaining the optimum muscular strength required for this upright spinal column in motion. Even unlike our most recent human great grand parents who during waking hours continuously moved, worked, walked, bent down, picked up, carried, we in contrast often do nothing. This do nothing, idleness, basic sloth, feeds the deconditioning process which is exacerbated exponentially after age 40 when all body systems decline. Every decade after age 30 there is a 3-5% decline in muscle mass and strength. During youth the bodies internal inherited resilience, is able to compensate for the forced idleness of modernity. We could call this inheritance the primal ch’i that is synonymous with youth. It is a inherent ch’i that one carries with oneself from birth that is a resilience that slowly dissipates with age. At a certain point the conversation must become preserving function.
It is important to recognize modernity is in many people a forced imposed idleness, that not only saps the health of the body, it also saps the vitalism of the body BioSpirit. Each culture has its unique imperfection that is imposed on the individual as part of the social process, ours is the industrial esthetic that is imposed on every aspect of life, one way or another. It is a mechanistic world view of consumption distribution imposed on activity of daily living. The mechanistic system of distribution is not an accurate description of who we are, it is a belief system imposed on the person. The throw away mentality of objects is the throw away of persons. Eventually many come to the conclusion of a violence in a cruel bargain, and face with dread the moment of their culling. Rightly so at that moment we do not go gently into that night. We rage in one way or another against the transhuman bargain. When we include the neurogenic factor of a forced watched vicarious life, the obvious result in the counterpart of modernity is a decrease in the threshold of life, depression. While the modern technology appears to be miraculous and wondrous in its labor saving dazing quality, it has recently past a tipping point. We are being owned and replaced by our own technological extravaganza. The objective is a transhuman person partnership with the intranets. Our children are especially being owned and occupied by an anti- life replacement erasure culture. They are duped and robbed by the pleasure center of the brain into an adolescent life of reckless abandon fueled by electro pornography, pharmaceutical drugs, bizarre rhythmic musics and they wake up in their late 20’s or 30’s, as impoverished slaves hooked to a cycle of poverty. Essential face to face learning is stripped from our children in a virtual, digital culture. Again their innate capacity to learn is stunted to condemn and condition them for a 10 to 15 year erotic electric porn pleasure jaunt, prepping them for the slavery pod. The digital virtual revolution has upped the ante in every respect. We can earnestly of the socialization of evil and the brutalization of youth simply by growing up digital. Then when we include continuous masks, lockdowns, arbitrary unannounced societal closure imposed by a bureaucratic elite, what we have is enforced cycles of generational poverty as the everyday. What appeared probable or likely has now been plandemic-ed, reset into that next upper echelon level of erasure. We are rapidly entering victimhood. The metaphors of erasure are a godzilla attacks Tokyo circa Japan 1954, nine years post Hiroshima Nagasaki. Only this time rather than Godzilla's atomic breath, it's Covid, a mysterious accidental bio weapon unleashed as a potential boomer erasure that shuts everything down. With endless variants, endless mutations and the only dominant culture remedy is a trumped out vaccine that neither protects or immunizes but appears to be more dangerous than the Godzilla virus. We are King Kong wrestling with the virus on Mt Fuji.
Because of the unique way our body is proportioned, all our movements must refer in some way to the core at which is the intersection of the three planes of motion: sagittal, frontal, and transverse, and the 3 axis X, Y, and Z at the spinal column. Core stability training involves focus on these inner bundled muscle groups which control movement in those three different planes of motion: sagittal, frontal, and transverse.
The idea of a skeleton bone framework, within the body can be in some ways be likened to a frame of a building in the sense of support. So if you imagine a tall modern building, it has a skeleton of rigid steel. Likewise a house has a rigid skeleton of wood underneath. The problem with these analogies is that they are too simple to describe a semi rigid framework which also functions as a pivot axis of movement. Not only do bones in some way provide a rigid frame as the the femur does in the thigh, the skeletal framework of the body, specifically the spine works in conjunction with a complex of superficial, deep, crisscross, circling muscle groups, that work to transfer energy and facilitate movement in both the X, Y, Z axis and the 3 planes, both within the body, and moving the body through space, in addition to protecting the complex nerves of the spine.
When the core muscle complex are deconditioned and weakened movement is impacted in the transfer of energy between the top half and bottom half of mass within the transverse plane. Spinal alignment and core stability is central to the activation of the pelvis, hip joint and legs in walking. Repetitive imbalances in movement impact the joints of the hips, knee and hip. A weakened core eventually impact the spine itself. By impacting the spine they impact the spinal nerves resulting in pain and loss of function through out the body. Because the spinal nerves control every function of the body, innervation of the intestines, digestion, bowel movement, urinary function, sexual performance, priopreceptive sensation and every aspect of sensation and sensitivity. The spatial feedback loop from the hips, spine and legs moving through the nerve system of the spinal column is essential in movement. Problems in the spine effect every aspect of living, breathing and movement. Often these impacted nerve bundles are directly related to spinal stability and core stability. The ability of the core muscles to stabilize the spinal vertebrae is not only critical to sports related injury and performance, a weakened deconditioned core that impacts the proper stabilization of the spine produces pain. Numerous studies in twins have shown that one of the most important factors in life expectancy, happiness, depression and quality of life is back pain. Chronic back pain has become a descriptor of our modern sedentary lifestyle.
All physical movement occurs in relation to the core. So all preparation for action is part core strength and stability. Because everything in the human realm has a biospiritual aspect in a sense this core has been understood as spiritual muscle, spiritual center of action becoming. Prepare to move. As said by Jesus, ‘Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning’ Luke 12:35. The dress of the time were loose hanging cloth, so whenever critical action was called for, gird the loins, gather the cloth around the waist, tuck in the belt circling the waist, engage the center core. Prepare for vital action from the loins, the loins being the generative force. So gather and prepare. When Paul was imprisoned an angel messenger of God spoke to him, advising him to action, ‘And the angel said to him: Gird thyself and put on thy sandals. And he did so. And he said to him: Cast thy garment about thee and follow me,’ 12:8 Acts
In our modern situation this girding of the loins, stabilization of the core, moving in the three different planes of motion: sagittal, frontal, and transverse is tempered not only by the body but also the environmental body. The athlete has to deal with the bio psycho spiritual dimensions and the sedentary world view. We push the envelope of biology, space and time. Athletes are overcoming age, athletes are pushing boundaries and while well understood resistance weight training. Rotational resistance training is part of the real work. Oftentimes this comes up via injury. Injury enforces inactivity and this inactivity in the highly trained athlete creates a detrained, deconditioned state. So part of overcoming injury is returning to the conditioned state. In the weekend warrior athlete all these factors come into play. In order to exist in a sedentary high tech culture a lot of time is spent cozy lounging, sitting and a deconditioned state becomes the baseline. Often a person recognizes use it or lose it, commits to becoming fit, hits the gym, begins running, jogging, and boom, injury. The sedentary lifestyle has created an epidemic of deconditioned, depressed, painful miserable people trapped in a cycle of metabolic syndrome, obesity, high blood pressure. The resilience of youth disperses in age. Despite the dominant culture ever hopeful, have a nice day mindset, eternal youth, forever young, as we age we are progressively dying. All body systems decline after age 40. Even with the don’ts, don't drink, don't use recreational drugs, don't eat junk food, don't smoke, don't give into negative defeatist mindsets, don't guilt, don't antiwhite, don't isolate...the definition of a sedentary erasure replacement culture means your decline is accelerated. Our bodies were not designed to be parked like automobiles. Our culture lifestyle regardless of the applied label, right now the way it is lived for most people will automatically produce degenerative disease. This degenerative dis-ease lifestyle seems to be illness by design. The American lifestyle has become a for profit deathstyle.
So wherever you come to the conclusion, use or lose. Whatever it was, injury, displacement, aging, antiwhite erasure, biology, replacement, whatever got you to the place where you are confronting a weakened core holding you back, it is essential you begin anti rotational core stability exercise. Learn to do them correctly. For the journey ahead, and it is a physical journey through space, to the degree you can address the core effectively, to that degree you will succeed. A virtual journey is mostly deception. A virtual online solution is the problem. While it's true you may have encountered this due to the shun shame cancel victim culture online intranet bound, your success can only occur in real life IRL, in real time and space learning doing these exercises.
Let's begin with an understanding of the three planes of movement sagittal, frontal, and transverse, in relation to the human body musculoskeletal system, with regard to the musculo system primarily the girding bands of muscle coming together at the umbilical navel, known as the core, and as far as the skeletal system primarily the spinal column and hips.
In basic terms when there is ease of function there is spontaneous movement with no need for conscious bodily awareness. When the body is well there is in a sense no body. When the body is young, and the musculoskeletal system is at peak performance there is the flow. Now this is somewhat modified in the young athlete in training honing and practicing skills, challenging the body to peak performance yet the principle is there, when the body in youth is peak functioning, there is in general a loss of body consciousness, a relative quick recovery with no need to monitor, watch and observe the body. Of course when an musculoskeletal injury occurs there is increased focus awareness of the body. Pain, inflamation, loss of function what you are no longer able to perform, there is loss of function and awareness of that loss of function. In a sense in the young, highly trained, genetically gifted athlete there is little need to describe the automatic function of bodily perfection. The health is natural.
Fast forward to the injured young athlete attempting to regain lost function, or the mature adult athlete seeking to maximize function past biological youth peak performance, then we have to insert awareness into the process. While it's true biological older athletes are pursuing and pushing the age envelope while legitimately competing against younger athletes while in their 30’s. It's also true you do not see 40 year old female gymnasts competing against teenage world champions. We are putting tools into the hands of those who are determined to maintain function, return to function after injury and push the envelope within a very lush but restrictive sedentary culture that itself, after a certain point mounts an assault on normative functioning. One does not need to be a rocket social scientist to know that the sedentary lifestyle of the the modern industrial society is beginning to take a toll not only on life expectancy but the simple joy of having a body that can move on its own power through space is becoming a rarity. Obesity and the constellation of illness known as metabolic syndrome has begun to significantly undermine our ability to love.
Body Planes Axis X, Y, Z
Central coordinate system with its origin between the cornua of the sacrum with an imaginary plumb line hanging down to the floor from the lower spine forming -Y axis. For our purpose the center of the sacrum. The large, triangular-shaped sacrum (os sacrum) is composed of five vertebrae (S1-S5) that fuse during early adulthood (18-30 years). Directly below the sacrum, the smaller coccyx (os coccygis) articulates with S5 and is also known as the tailbone. It image description consists of three to five vertebrae (C1-C5) that are also usually fused.The human body is shown in anatomic position, standing, hands at side relaxed. The planes are as shown: The sagittal plane is the YZ plane; the frontal plane is the YX plane; the horizontal plane is the XZ plane. The −Y axis is described by an imaginary plumb line weight, hanging by a string, from the center of the tail bone sacrum. So imagine a plumb line hanging from the tip of tail bone, centered perfectly between the legs towards the toes. x-axis going from front to back, The +X axis points to the left at 90 degrees to the Y axis, the y-axis going from right to left. The +Z axis and the z-axis going from toe to head, points forward at a 90-degree angle to both the Y axis and the X axis. Movements are described in relation to the origin of the coordinate system.
For the purpose of understanding movement, we divide the body into 3 imagined planes, transverse, frontal/coronal and sagittal, planes. Each ideally divide the body equally by weight mass.
Since the body is a living dynamic system all body movements take place simultaneously in all 3 imagined planes and axis. An example of this would be a description of walking as a predominant sagittal plane movement, left right movement of the lower extremities legs.
Our upright walking is an example of a human body movement which occur along all 3 three axis, in all 3 three planes, centered in a stable core musculature that wraps, circles and braces the spine, again across all three axis and planes. For example during walking, the hip will be flexing/extending in the sagital plane, adducting/abducting in the frontal plane and internally/externally rotating in the transverse plane.
We Divide the body into axis and planes for understanding muscle groups and training. It's important to realize the body itself is not and can not be divided. Another basic principle is that observed, perceived, seen movement is more a symptom of what is going on. The movement that you “see” does not represent what is occurring in terms of motor control and force absorption within all three planes. What appears to be movement in one plane may hide its “control” and contribution from the other two planes. For example during gait the most obvious hip movement is expressed in the sagital plane, but at the joint there is an interplay between eccentric force absorption and concentric force production in all three planes. The hip is subtly decelerating internal rotation and adduction and then accelerating external rotation and abduction.
This simultaneous movement can be seen as one motion with three components...... it can be termed tri-planar motion.
It is essential that the exercise professional is comfortable with the concepts of tri-planar motion and the fact that all functional movements are three dimensional, however it is biomechanically understood that description in single plane terms is most useful when generalising about gross movement patterns.
A transverse plane, or cross-section, (also known as axial or horizontal plane) is an x-y-z plane, parallel to the ground, which (in humans) separates the superior from the inferior, or put another way, the head from the feet. Transverse Plane: Cuts the body into top and bottom halves. Twisting movements. The transverse plane has a top higher superior and a bottom lower inferior. Concerning the ground, it runs parallel, that's why it is called a horizontal plane. The transverse plane or axial plane (horizontal) divides the body into cranial and caudal (head and tail) portions, or the head from the feet.
Interesting this plane, like all the planes described intersects meets below the navel umbilical area in the lower abdomen, divides the arms somewhere near the elbow, dividing the body into above and below. Superior: Above, over;
Inferior: Below, under. These also can be viewed the superior north towards the sky. Inferior south, towards the ground earth. The head is north, the feet south. The transverse plane is a horizontal plane that divides the body into upper and lower halves.
Transverse plane - passes through the middle of the body and divides the body horizontally in an upper and lower half. Rotation types of movement occur in this plane, eg hip rotation in a golf swing, twisting in a discus throw, pivoting in netball, spinning in skating. Movement along the transverse plane includes an ice skating spin, a ballet pirouette, spinning motion.
A Coronal/Frontal plane, anterior and posterior (belly and back) sections, (also known as frontal plane) is an x-z plane, perpendicular to the ground, which (in humans) separates the anterior from the posterior, the front from the back, the ventral from the dorsal. Frontal Plane: Cuts the body into front and back halves. Side-to-side movements. The coronal/frontal plane is also a vertical plane but this divides the body into front and back. The coronal/frontal plane divides the body into ventral (front) and dorsal (back) portions. The coronal plane or frontal plane (vertical) divides the body into dorsal and ventral (back and front, or posterior and anterior) portions. Imagine an up and down, vertical plane that runs through the center of your body from front side to back side. This plane divides the body into front ventral (anterior) and dorsal back (posterior) regions. So the face eyes and mouth anterior, the back of the head posterior.
Coronal/Frontal plane - passes from side to side and divides the body into the front and back. Abduction and adduction movements occur in this plane, eg jumping jack exercises, raising and lowering arms and legs sideways, cartwheel. Movement along the coronal/frontal plane could include star jumps or cartwheels.
Frontal plane:
LATERAL ARM AND LEG RAISES
-straight-arm lateral raises shoulder adduction and abduction
-lateral straight leg raises hip adduction and abduction
The sagittal plane, (also known as median plane) is an y-z plane, perpendicular to the ground, which separates left from right. The sagittal plane cuts the body into left and right halves. Forward and backward movements. The sagittal plane is named for the sagittal suture of the skull which is is a dense, fibrous connective tissue joint between the two parietal, topmost fused bones of the skull. The sagittal plane is a vertical plane that divides the body into right and left sides. The mid-sagittal plane is the specific sagittal plane that is exactly in the middle of the body. The imaginary sagittal plane divides the body into a left and right half. The third plane Lateral Plane or Sagittal Plane: A vertical plane that runs parallel to the median plane is called a Sagittal plane. Imagine a vertical plane that runs midline through your body up and down, through the nose, lips, center of spinal column, into two symmetric equal halves. This plane divides the body into right and left regions.
Sagittal plane - a vertical plane that divides the body into left and right sides. Movement along the sagittal plane tends to be forwards or backwards, like walking, running, somersault. Flexion and extension types of movement occur in this plane, eg kicking a football, chest pass in netball, walking, jumping, squatting.
SAGITTAL PLANE EXERCISES
-BACK SQUAT, During a squat, everything above the waist is stabilized while everything below is in motion, performing flexion (when lowering to the ground) and extension (when standing back up) at the ankles, knees, and hips.
BICEP CURL:
Exercises
Big Three - descending sets
6….4….2…. Each side
10 second hold
1)Plank World: start with elevated planks with your hands on a bench, or a smith machine bar that you can gradually lower to the ground in increments. Doing the plank form at an angle makes it easier to maintain proper form. See the standing Pallof press as a preparatory plank exercise. Likewise glute bridge. Regardless of plank variations brace the core, tuck in the umbilical cord towards the spine, breathe from this solar plexus, conscious breath.
Plank modifications, Side plank, knee, fully extended leg plank, Plank with Shoulder Taps. Plank standard to twist side plank. Rolling side plank. Get in plank, without rotating hips, neutral spine, Without letting your hips twist and keeping them pointed at the floor, shift your weight to one hand while bringing the other over to touch your opposite shoulder. Return and repeat on the other side. If your hips are rotating, bring your feet out wider!
2)Pallof Press Banded Standing Core Press with resistance band or cable: Pallof press is the traditional anti rotational core exercise. Standing square stance. Use both hands to grip single handle, with cable forming an 90 angle at start to press motion, at apex limit of movement, doing a press, the cable forms a 45 degree angle. Soft bent knees. Push off, pull in. Resist the rotational force the cable places on the upper torso to twist. Maintain umbilical cord pulled in towards spine as in plank. Focus on the solar plexus during movement. The arms moving together in the press motion are the only body parts moving.
Variations: All these variations can be done kneeling, half kneeling one knee stable lunge, etc with straight bar attached to one side of bar. Same movement with straight bar anchored to cable on one side. Variations kneeling, half-kneeling, with a split lunge stance.
2A)Pallof kneeling, half kneeling one knee stable lunge
2B) Standing Pallof Plank Use both hands to grip single handle, with cable forming an 90 angle at start to press motion, push hands out to farthest extension where a 45 degree angle is formed. Hold this isometric steady Pallof plank position. Brace the core, tuck in the umbilical cord towards the spine, breathe from this solar plexus, normally. Brace with the hips and core. Repeat opposite side.
2C)
3)Glute Bridge with Knee Extension
4)Single Arm Band Row, 1 arm pallof standing row/press, stabilize
5) Bird Dog, engage core quadruped position, hands and knees on floor, extend opposite leg arm out, hold arm in a fist, point the toes down, make a fist with extended hand, with slow and controlled movement pattern. Slide the leg, push the leg back. Drive the heel toe done, engage the flutes. Hold the extended position for 5-10 seconds, no more the 10 seconds. In the position, push the earth away and get taller. Sweep the floor then return to the bird dog as before. The only motion is coming out of the ball and socket, hip and shoulder. Do 3 repetitions on each side.
Keep in mind 3 thing smoothnes, sequencing, stability. Mindful with movement quality. Prefer to have the toe drag on the ground pushing leg back rather than a rounded arching thrust lift.
5A)Bench bird dog, elbows on bench, wide stance, straight legs, lift alternate limbs L-arm R-leg R-arm L-leg
5b) Bull Bird dog pull through, quadruped pull through. Get in quadruped stance, knees hands, spine neutral, pull slide item left to right, one side to other, lifting with one arm
6)2 handed off set carry, farmers upright walk, one dumb bell hanging, one lifted chest high, walk
7) Overhead Lift Walk, One dumb bell is lifted over head in a press, one hand empty, walk, secure engage the core, tuck the umbilical cord inward towards the spine, don't shift, resist rotation, slow deliberate intentional movement.
8) Kneeling 1 arm press kneel solidly stance on one knee in a lunge position. Brace engage the core, do a Single Arm Shoulder Press with light dumbbell. Resist rotation, engage the core.
10) Glute Bridge: lay on back supine, knees bent 90^, feet flat on floor, keep lower back in contact with floor, lift leg, engage core, single leg, double both legs
10)Dead bug: The starting position is flat on your back, lie on back, arms straight up with both arms reaching straight toward the ceiling. 90/90 knees hips raised 90. Engage core, lower arm towards floor, lower opposite leg towards floor, in one simultaneously smooth movement with slow and controlled pattern, return to center position, pause, switch sides, coorodinate with breath, fully engage core. Extend your leg while maintaining an optimal braced position, don't exceed this braced position. Work up to the full range of motion over time. Stabilize to prevent arching of the back by consciously engaging the core, tightening your abs, pressing your bellybutton down to anchor your lower back to the floor. Brace the core, tuck in the umbilical cord towards the spine, breathe from this solar plexus, breathe normally from the abdomen. Become stable core.
Can begin back on the floor, with legs only. Place head a few inches from the wall. Bring arms up to contact the wall with palms, lightly pressing into the wall for reference, keeping knees at 90^, extend arms behind head, pressing firmly into a wall, or solid object, in this beginner movement. Lower one leg down towards the floor, keeping the other leg up, Get a feel for the movement, so you are not moving from the spine, or arching the spine. Maintain a strong stable anti-rotational stance, with deliberate, conscious slow movement, cuing into wall for reference. Once this movement is understood then the arms can be integrated into the movement.
11) Pallof Cable low Row . Develop square stance, wide hips, slightly bent knees. Grab single pulley lowest bottom position, with one arm, pull upward in row, towards side. Resist rotational force to twist torso in one handed pulling row. Maintain belly button pulled in towards spine as in plank. Brace the core, tuck in the umbilical cord towards the spine, breathe from this solar plexus, breathe normally focused abdominal breath. The arm is the only body part moving exactly the same as Pallof press anti-rotational exercise. Instead here you are in a slightly bent position. Stabilize the core and hips. Slow steady controlled movement. Repeat change sides, left and right.
12) Pallof kettle bell swing. This is a core stability exercise where you resist the side pulling motion of the cable. Grip a low position pulley with two hands. Develop an invincible, braced, wide shoulder, lower soft knee bent stance. Push off into a Pallof press, arms fully extended. Now do a wood chop, kettle bell swing from low to overhead. Resist twist, maintain a braced core. Switch sides.
13) one leg Bicep curl. Stand with legs apart, soft slightly bent knees. Use a bicep curl bar without weight and visualize the movement internally, develop the movement, brace the core tucking the navel, focus on the quads and hips to stabilize the lower body, synchronize the breathing. Once the movement is smooth, lift one leg slightly and continue the movement, alternating legs. Then begin to add weight to the bar, starting with very low weights, high reps. Use can also use dumb bells.
14) Pallof curl. Take the Pallof stance with a cable machine or resistance band, do single hand, or double hand arm curls while bracing the core.
15)Reverse crunch Lay on back supine, keep spine flat connected to floor, place hands in diamond under buttocks, place legs in 90* feet flat on floor. Keep knees tightly together, raise knees towards chest till lower leg tibula/fibula is parallel to floor, thigh perpendicular 90*, raise and lower with controlled movements
16) Kneeling mountain climber: Get in plank position, arms perpendicular at a 90* angle to floor, alternate bringing legs toward chest in a climbing running motion. If on the floor is too challenging, then use a smith machine bar at lowest position, or a sturdy chair to change the angle.
17)Stuart McGill Big 3
McGill Curl up, before beginning exercise practice bracing the core by placing hands on each side of abdomen opposite navel, and practice feeling the muscles brace at the same time keeping normal breathing. One mistake people make is holding the breath. The purpose of these exercises is practice the movements and bracing, so you can effortlessly integrate them into daily life, IRL movements. You are learning new spinal hygiene behaviors that you implement into everyday movement. Holding and aggressively artificially forcing the breath, is not a learned behavior that is promoted here.
One leg extended, one leg foot flat on ground bent knee, hands in triangle under supporting naturally present lumbar spine curve in small of back, or keep a rolled towel in that space of shoulder immobility prevents placing your hands there, keep spine in neutral position, pull in navel towards spine. The movement is barely perceptible. If someone was watching you, it's possible they’d miss the movement. Lift the neck, shoulders, elbows, the entire spine without flexing, without curving the spine, without rolling the neck. Hold the position for three breaths and lower to the floor. You tighten brace the abdominal muscles without doing the spinal flexion of a ab-crunch. Think of this as a motionless, isometric exercise.
Side Bridge (side plank). Up on one elbow, legs fully extended, top leg goes in front, feet staggered, straighten the spine through, top rests on opposite lower deltoid, relaxed or on side. The beginner side plank has the knees bent, so the rise is from the hip hinge, by pulling the hips through. One common mistake is drop the hips straight down. You want to make rising pull the hips forward and up using the hip hinge, dropping of the bridge through the hip hinge, back and down, up and down using the hip hinge forward and backwards.
Bird Dog, take quadruped position, to begin, knees slightly spaced apart, cat roll spine up full extension full flexion to understand range of motion, extend opposite leg arm, with sweeping motion on the floor, core abdominal muscles stabilize the spine to resist motion.
Stirring the Pot: Place elbows on Swiss ball, legs straight, set apart fairly wide, assume this plank position.
Create a stirring circular motion with the ball, stirring the pot, this exercise is done with core tight yet not so tight as to buckle the spine.
Recognize, the abdominal core muscle groups, stop motion rather than create motion, rather than mainly creating or initiating movement actually function more to stabilize or resist movement.
18) Shortstop Squat Stu McGill Hip Hinge movement Here we are creating the hip hinge, which will be a component you will integrate into all basic movements.
To get used to the hip hinge movement. Place a wooden dowel on the spine, observe 3 points of contact back of head, mid back, sacrum/ butt. Find neutral spine and bend forward from the waist, keeping the spine straight, not losing contact with the 3 points. Keep neutral spine position, movement involves flexion and extension of the hips. Maintain points of contact during movement.
Hip Hinge :Stand with hands create ‘V’-shape notch with index finger/thumb, place v-shaped hands on top of thigh, slide hands down and the knee cap will go into the crotch you form. Wrap the hands firmly around the knee cap, grip the knee cap, lock out the elbows. Brace your abdomen. Slide your hands down by moving your pelvis back, avoid rounding the spine. Create the movement with hip motion. Live the position, find the sweet spot, do a camel-round, then cat-arch the back. Tune the spine curvature to find the sweet spot posture, then anti-shrug away to core brace and stiffen the posture. Check posture, feet set apart shoulder width, knees over balls of feet. Again move forward and back to find the sweet spot. So weight of the body is centered over Don't lift with the back, simply pull the hips through.
Once in the shortstop squat, after gaining familiarity by using the wooden dowel, use the hip hinge movement to practice picking up objects. Something like a tall wicker basket with a handle, or empty kitchen waist basket, Swiss ball, placed between the knees on the ground. Lift by extending the hips,
19) Re-Hab Sequence
A-Prone foam roll quads, Rectis femoris mid qudriceps foam roll
B-Half Kneeling gentle hip flexion positional stretch
C-Bird Dog
