Archive for the ‘Core Stability Exercises’ Category
Low back pain is nasty!
It’ll hit you where it hurts…
…It can bring you to tears
It’ll get you down
But, I’ve got a secret 1-2 Punch–er, exercise–to KNOCK-OUT lower back pain fast!
Give it a go and let me know how it goes by leaving a comment below (hey, I could’ve been a poet…:)
Now you see it…
…Now you don’t
See what you ask?
The difference between the 2 photos on the left depicting the plank exercise.
Ok, so either I’m one apple short of a fruit salad or there’s not a difference right?
While it’s true that there is no visual difference (it’s the same photo) there can be a difference in what 2 clients FEEL even though they appear to perform the exercise the same way.
And, the muscles they feel can improve core strength, muscle balance and function or they can reinforce existing compensation strategies that contribute to shoulder, lower back and knee problems…
So, how can you tell if your clients are getting it right or if they’re just reinforcing pain patterns?
Watch the video below where I share an often over-looked problem that 9 out of 10 people are doing leading to pain and how to correct it.
Oh, and don’t forget to leave me a comment below after you watch:
I love using the swiss ball (a.k.a “stability ball”, “gym ball”, “exercise ball”) for upper & lower body core exercises because the unstable environment doesn’t allow much leeway to cheat on exercises.
This way compensatory strategies that lead to muscle imbalances and injuries are minimized and the effectiveness of the exercise is maximized.
In the short video below I show my ’2-for-1′ lower body swiss ball core exercise from my Muscle Imbalance Solution program that’s great for developing core & hip strength. I got the idea for this exercise by noticing a number of my clients who were overusing their hamstrings during lower body exercises like squat, lunges and bridges.
I wanted a way to get their glutes fired-up in these movements so they didn’t get hamstring cramps or injuries.
And, that’s when the idea hit me.
After a bit of experimenting with all kinds of ways I finally came up with this one and it’s a real challenge but suitable for just about anybody.
It’s a cool variation of a hip extension & hamstring curl wrapped up into one movement with one unique trick I use to make this exercise completely different and unmatched by ANY machine…(hint: watch my feet 
Check it out, try it and leave a comment below.
By the way, don’t forget to get a copy of the webinar “Muscle Imbalances Revealed” at 50% off the regular price + another $30 off. There are only 11 copies left and at midnight tonight the price will go up (or when the final 11 copies are sold).
They might all be gone already but you can check for yourself –>CLICK HERE For Muscle Imbalances Revealed Special Offer
As fitness professionals we’re well schooled in proper exercise form and the importance of core fitness training . When it comes to performing exercises involving rotation of the spine we’ve heard all the typical theories like:
And, I used to preach these principles to my clients over and over giving myself the proverbial ‘pat on the back’ for–what I thought at the time–might save my clients from possible injuries
Little did I know back then that I was actually INCREASING the likelihood that my my clients would injure themselves by following my ‘rules of core exercise’ as if they were the 10 commandments
Many of the movements we perform on a daily basis are much like an illusion in that we don’t actually see what’s really happening…
…many movements we think occur in the sagittal plane are actually dominated by the transverse plane
A great example is walking
When viewing a person walking we see movement occuring only in the sagittal plane (assuming the person hasn’t a few too many cocktails…then that might be a different story entirely)
However, other muscle actions and movements occur that we cannot see
If we could actually see what’s going on ‘behind-the-scenes’ we would notice that walking involves movement and muscle actions in the sagittal, frontal & transverse planes
In fact, 87.5% of the major core muscles are oriented diagonally or horizontally and include rotation as one of their actions yet much of today’s popular core exercises like stability ball crunches, the plank and back extensions do not train trunk rotation
World-renowned fitness expert and educator Juan Carlos Santana brought to light the ‘Serape Effect’ (originally published by Logan & McKinney) that describes the human body’s natural mechanism of using integrated muscle actions to produce rotational movement
So, with all this being said we can now expose 3 popular core exercise training myths:
Fact: The vertebrae of the thoracic spine is actually designed to allow rotation to occur. Trunk rotation is a natural and much needed movement that comes almost entirely from the thoracic spine not the lumbar spine and is safe to perform utilizing light and even moderate loads in an unsupported environment (not in a machine)
Fact: Most injuries occur at high speeds and during the eccentric phase of muscle contraction yet most training protocols only focus on performing movements including trunk rotation exercises in a slow, controlled manner focused mostly on the concentric phase
Movements aren’t the cause of most injuries but lack of preparation and physical conditioning to perform those movements effectively is
Fact: If you look closely at the movements involved in golfing, tennis, wrestling, bowling, throwing and many other movements and activities you’ll notice how they all involve rotation of the trunk with a natural kyphotic posture of the spine at the upper back.
A healthy thoracic spine has a natural kyphotic curve that it is meant to perform a number of movements within which poses no real threat of injury to the spine
I’ve also mentioned some very valid reasons why you should lift with a rounded back in a previous post
By now, we can understand the importance of core training exercises involving rotation and why they are needed to improve functional movement and performance
And, more importantly why these movements need to be trained in a capacity beyond just the traditional ‘slow & controlled’ environment
Our bodies are designed to twist and turn in different angles and at high speeds we encounter in a number of movements outside of the gym and the best way to minimize the potential for injury is to physically prepare for those movements rather than trying to avoid them
Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think
Do you agree? Do you think I’m a total nut case who’s cuckoo for coca puffs? Would you like me to demonstrate some unique rotation exercises in a future post? What are some rotation movements you’ve used with positive results?
I’d love to hear all your feedback
Here’s an unlikely core exercise assessment for shoulder or lower back pain
It’s not some fancy, secret underground exercise from outer space…But, it’s not an exercise that is associated with assessing muscle imbalances of the shoulder or lower back
So, just what is this core fitness assessment?
It’s one word…THE PLANK–ok, it’s technically 2 words–
Now, before you think I’m the name many of my clients call me (crazy), I’d like to share with you the wealth of information this simple core exercise test can reveal about shoulder and lower back pain
Here are 3 things to look for when performing a core training assessment using the plank exercise:
1) Lifting the upper body first-This is when the the shoulders and chest come off the floor before the hips and is often a subtle occurrence that shifts emphasis away from the abdominal stabilizing muscles because the lumbar extensors become overactive and is a sign of lower back compensation which often contributes to lower back pain
2) A kyphotic upper back-Most of the time this occurs in conjunction with #1 and involves an overcompensation pattern of the neck and shoulder muscles. The client often will feel significant fatigue in the shoulders, neck and triceps and usually struggles to hold this position for 30 seconds. This is often a sign of weakness or inhibition in the upper/mid-back muscles and contributes to neck and shoulder pain
3) The hips are lower than the shoulders-This usually indicates weakness of the abdominal stabilizers and increases stress to the lower back. In fact, the client will often feel as if the lower back is “working” which can easily be mistaken for a weak lower back when this is not the case
Keep in mind that the plank is just one exercise that can be used in a core exercise assessment and other specific core fitness tests should be performed to confirm or dismiss what the plank reveals
Leave me a comment below and tell me about any core exercise tests you use
Manual muscle testing is a skill that takes time and practice to perform with reliability. However, it is a valuable tool for fitness professionals.
There are visual and verbal cues that can be used to perform an exercise properly but looks can be deceiving.
Let’s use the squat exercise as an example.
If you were to instruct a client on how to properly perform the squat you would probably explain the proper stance width, foot, trunk and head position, staying back on the heels, etc.
And, from what you can see, it appears that they’re doing the exercise correctly but they feel lower back pain. Now, you could simply modify the exercise or substitute an alternative.
But, what if the pain wasn’t caused by the exercise itself but from the inability to activate the core stabilizing muscles?
Since this isn’t something that can actually be seen, and verbal feedback from the client can be misleading at times, manual muscle testing can help to determine whether or not an exercise is achieving its main purpose.
This is particularly true when performing core stabilization exercises for the abdominals because many times the client will recruit the rectus abdominis but fail to recruit the deep abdominal stabilizing muscles (ex: transverse abdominis).
The client might feel their abs working however without manual muscle testing it’s difficult to know if the right muscles are being activated.
Below are 2 manual muscle tests for assessing abdominal stability:
Modified Deadbug:
Instruct the client to try to hold this position for 30 seconds and ask them what area or part of the body they feel most. During the test, palpate the area of the transverse abdominis (TVA) with your middle finger and feel for contraction. A good rule of thumb to use is if you can easily push your finger to first knuckle depth. If so, this is an indication of weak or inhibited abdominal stabilizers. Also, if the client feels mostly the thighs and/or just below the ribcage the abdominal stabilizers are most likely weak or inhibited.
Sitting ‘V’ Position
Instruct the client to hold this position for with a slight backward lean of the trunk for 60 seconds and notice any changes. If the chest drops, they feel burning in the thighs, cramping in the hips and/or the lumbar extensors this indicates weakness or inhibition of the abdominal stabilizers.
Also, palpatation of the quadriceps will provide important feedback. If you feel the quadriceps contract strongly this is an indication of the quadriceps compensating for weak or inhibited abdominal stabilizers.
These tests take time and practice to learn but manual muscle testing is a valuable skill for fitness professionals that can help correct muscle imbalances, prevent injuries and improve the effectiveness of an exercise program.
Unfortunately, muscle testing isn’t taught in most personal training certification courses however there are some excellent resources available on muscle manual testing and core stabilization exercises
