Muscle Sport Magazine

Make the Core Muscles All Work Together (Pt. 3 of 3)

Bird dog

1. Rest on all fours: Place hands under shoulders and align the knees under the hips.
2. Draw the abdominals in toward your spine to activate TA.
3. Extend the right arm and left leg until they create a straight line with your torso. Keep the abdominals drawn in and contract the glutes at full extension.
4. Lower arm and leg back down and repeat for 10 reps on the same side. Switch sides and repeat for 10 more reps

Tips:

  • Avoid allowing the spine to arch and the abdominals to move toward the floor as the hip extends.
  • Extend the leg straight back, keeping it in line with the hip. Do not allow the working leg to move outward, away from the stationary leg.
  • If it is difficult to move the arm and leg simultaneously, switch to just the arm, then just the leg, then try for both as you progress.

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Deadbug

1. Lie face-up with feet on the floor. Roll the hips up to align the pubic bone with the pelvis and draw the belly button toward the spine.
2. Place both arms up with fingertips toward the ceiling and both legs up with bent knees.
3. Move the right leg and left arm out to full extension so that the elbow is by the ear and the leg hovers above the floor. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side for a total of 10 repetitions on each side.

 

Tips:

  • As the arm and leg extend, do not allow the chest to rise and arch the back. Maintain a neutral spine and keep the core engaged.
  • If this is not possible, stop the movement at the point before the chest begins to rise and the back begins to arch. Over time, work to increase this range of motion to full extension.

 

Plank From Elbows With Hip Extension

1. Lie on a mat face down, rising up onto your forearms and toes.
2. Maintain abdominal draw-in and contract the glutes so that the pelvis aligns with the ribs and pubic bone.
3. Extend the right leg upward toward the ceiling, keeping a contraction in the glutes. Hold for two seconds and repeat for a total of 10 times.
4. Perform the same movement on the left side.

 

Tips:

  • Maintain the abdominal draw-in and glutes contraction throughout the duration of the exercise. If form breaks, reset before continuing.
  • If hip extension is too difficult, perform front planks only.

 

Source: http://www.fix.com/blog/build-more-than-great-abs/

Photo by AJ JAWA Photo

 

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