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Exercise

Quick core

Increasing your core strength will reduce your risk of pain and injury and improve your ability to undertake daily tasks with ease. When completing these exercises, focus on good technique and stop if you experience lower back pain.

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1. Donkey kicks

10-15 repetitions each leg

  1. 1.

    Position self on forearms and knees

  2. 2.

    Keeping core tight, kick 1 leg backwards into the air

  3. 3.

    Bend knee to bring leg back down and the knee toward your chest

2. Press and plank

10-­15 repetitions  each side

  1. 1.

    Start in a modified side­plank, knees bent

  2. 2.

    Hold a filled water bottle in your right hand, right elbow bent 
    and weight resting against your forearm

  3. 3.

    Lift your hips so your body is straight from knees to shoulders, 
    pressing water bottle up to the ceiling

3. Supine bridge with leg extension

10-15 repetitions

  1. 1.

    Lie on back, knees bent and feet on floor, arms elevated above your head

  2. 2.

    Lift hips up off the ground so that your knees, hips and shoulders are in a straight diagonal line

  3. 3.

    Holding hips level, lift one foot off the ground 1-2 inches and slowly place down again and repeat with alternate leg

  4. 4.

    Keep core muscles tight throughout the entire movement

4. Russian twist

10-15 repetitions each side

  1. 1.

    Sit on floor, knees bent and feet on the floor

  2. 2.

    Keep your back at a 45-degree angle, arms extended with palms together

  3. 3.

    Move the arms from one side to another in a twisting motion

5. Contralateral limb raises

10-15 repetitions each side

  1. 1.

    Lie on your stomach with the arms outstretched and palms facing one another

  2. 2.

    Slowly lift one arm a few inches off the floor, keeping it straight without rotating the shoulders

  3. 3.

    Simultaneously lift the leg of the other side

  4. 4.

    Hold the position, then lower the arm and leg back down

6. Mountain climber twists

10-15 repetitions each side

  1. 1.

    Start on hands and knees

  2. 2.

    Bending at the knee, bring the left knee forward directly under the chest while keeping the right leg straight

  3. 3.

    Quickly alternate legs, keeping core muscles tight

7. Three way crunches

8-10 repetitions of entire sequence

  1. 1.

    Lie on back, knees bent and feet hooked over each other

  2. 2.

    Perform a sequence of 3 crunches: firstly crunch to bring right elbow toward left knee, secondly crunch straight upwards, finally crunch to bring left elbow toward right knee

  3. 3.

    Repeat this sequence

8. Dead bugs

10-15 repetitions each side

  1. 1.

    Lie on back with arms extended upwards and knees bent at 90degrees with feet in the air

  2. 2.

    Drop your arm and leg on the opposite side and make sure your leg doesn’t touch the floor

  3. 3.

    Bring them slowly back up to starting position and repeat with opposite side

9. Sprinter sit-up

10-15 repetitions each side

  1. 1.

    Lie on back with the legs straight and arms by your side, elbows bent at a 90-degree angle

  2. 2.

    Sit up, bringing the left knee toward the right elbow

  3. 3.

    Lower back down to starting position