CORE EXERCISES
LYING HYPER (L/C/R)
Lying Hypers.wmv
Movement:
Lying flat on your stomach hold your hands behind your head or a light medicine ball for
resistance. Lift the shoulders back towards the feet and lift the head off the ground.
Next lift the right shoulder towards the left hip leaving the left shoulder on the ground.
Repeat with the left shoulder which completes one full rep.
Key Points:
Squeeze your lower back at the top of the repetition, using your full range of motion.
Hips and feet should remain on the ground during each repetition.
DUMBBELL OBLIQUE
DB Oblique.wmv
Equipment:
A dumbbell or weight plate can be used to provide resistance for this exercise.
Movement:
Hold a dumbbell in one hand, at the side of the body. Face straight ahead and bend
slowly to the side. The weight should travel along the side of the leg through your full
range of motion. You should feel a stretch in the side opposite the one holding the
dumbbell. Straighten back up to the top past starting position. Do this exercise slowly,
do not twist, jerk or heave the weight. Repeat with the dumbbell held in the other hand.
RVHP
Rvhp.wmv
Equipment:
A reverse hyperextension machine is needed for this exercise.
Starting Position:
Lie face down with the torso on the padding and the hips and legs should be hanging off
the back end. Adjust and grab the handle bars in front of the machine. Place the feet in
front of the pads resting them on the lower leg below the calves.
Movement:
Keeping the legs straight, lift the legs up towards the roof as far as possible and squeeze
the glutes at the top of the lift. Slowly lower the legs back down to starting position.
Key Points:
Be sure to stay under control while performing this lift, do not use your momentum to
throw your legs up towards the body.
HANGING KNEE RAISE
Hanging Knee Raise.wmv
Movement:
Begin hanging from any type of pull up bar or ab straps using an overhand grip. Bring
the knees up toward the chest as far as possible and return the legs to starting position.
You can also bring the knees up in the direction of either elbow to add variation to this
exercise and work the outer abdominal muscles as well. Keeping the legs straight
throughout the entire lift will add resistance.
HANGING STRAIGHT LEG RAISE
Hanging Straight Leg Raise.wmv
DOUBLE HANGING EAGLES
Double Eagles.wmv
Starting Position:
Hang from a pull-up bar or use ab straps.
Movement:
Keeping the legs as straight as possible, bring your feet up in front of the body using the
core muscles and touch the bar outside of the left hand. Return slowly to starting position
and repeat to the outside of the right hand. This completes one rep.
HYPEREXTENSION
Hyper.wmv
Equipment:
Horizontal back extension rack is all that is needed for this exercise. Light plates or
dumbbells may be used to increase resistance.
Starting Position:
Place the feet between the foot pads and lay flat on the stomach placing the thighs on the
horizontal pads. Hold the arms across the chest on the shoulders, or place them behind
the head.
Movement:
Lower the torso down towards the floor just near perpendicular to the ground. In a slow
and controlled manner bring the upper body back up just past parallel leading with the
shoulders. Squeeze in the hamstring, glutes, and lower back at the top of the exercise and
return back down towards the floor.
45 DEGREE MB TWIST
45 Degree MB Twist.wmv
Equipment:
One medicine ball is all you need for this exercise.
Starting Position:
Lie in sit-up position with the knees up and feet flat on the floor. Pick the torso off the
ground at a 45 degree angle holding the medicine ball at chest level in front of the body.
To add difficulty to this exercise you may also hold your feet off the ground
Movement:
Rotate the shoulders and torso from side to side through the full range of motion keeping
the feet flat on the ground and the hips square with the floor.
MED BALL DROP
Medicine Ball Drop.wmv
Equipment:
A medicine ball and a partner or something to secure your feet on.
Starting Position:
Secure your feet under an object or have a partner hold your feet. You should be in
regular sit up position holding the medicine ball at chest level.
Movement:
Sit up towards the knees and throw the medicine ball in the air straight above your body.
Slowly lower yourself back towards the ground as you catch the medicine ball at the
point of release. Throw the ball as high as possible while doing this exercise.
RUSSIAN TWIST LUNGE
Russian Twist Lunge.wmv
Movement:
Perform a lunge holding a medicine ball in front of the body. As you drop into lunge
position twist your torso and medicine ball towards the front leg while keeping the hips
square in the direction you are lunging. Avoid leaning forward or to the sides. Keep
your chest out and back straight while you lunge. Stand upright and lunge forward using
the opposite leg and repeat.
HEEL LOCK
Heel Lock.wmv
Starting Position:
You will need a partner and a medicine ball to complete this exercise. You will begin by
locking ankles with your partner, if you don’t have a partner available look your feet
underneath an object that will help you refrain from sliding. You will both be in regular
sit up position with your knees up and feet flat on the floor.
Movement:
One partner will sit up with the medicine ball and toss the ball to their partner. The
second partner will lye back with the medicine ball overhead to the floor and perform the
same as the first partner. You should remain in “up” sit up position while you wait for
your partner to return the medicine ball.
PILATES HAMSTRING
Pilates Hamstring.wmv
Movement:
First lye on your back keeping your legs extended. Alternate lifting each leg up towards
your torso keeping the leg as straight as possible. As your leg reaches the extent of its
range of motion, reach towards the calf and pull the leg towards your body causing a
good stretch in the hamstrings. Lift your shoulders off the ground as you crunch up and
reach to pull your calf towards your upper body.
STANDING RUSSIAN TWIST
Standing Russian.wmv
Starting Position:
Assume an athletic stance with feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a
medicine ball right in front of your chest.
Movement:
Rotate your torso with the medicine ball back and forth as far as possible without turning
your hips. This should be a slow controlled movement feeling a good stretch in the core
muscles. Your whole upper body should move with the shoulders including your head.
STANDING CABLE CRUNCH
Standing Cable Crunch.wmv
Equipment:
A high cable pulley with the rope attachment.
Starting Position:
Hold the side of the rope attachment on each side of your neck facing away from the
pulley. Step out a few steps and assume an athletic stance with the back slightly bent
forward to maintain balance.
Movement:
Lean forward and pull using your core as low as possible without losing your form or
balance. Slowly return to starting position and repeat.
WIPER RUSSIAN TWIST
Wiper Russian.wmv
Starting Position:
Stand upright in an athletic stance, holding a medicine ball in front of the body with the
arms extended. The feet should be shoulder width apart with the knees slightly bent.
Movement:
Keeping the hips square, rotate the trunk from side to side as far as the possible without
moving the hips. Hold the medicine ball in front of the chest with locked arms. This
should be a slow controlled movement rather than a hard swing.
PLATE CRUNCH
Plate Crunch.wmv
Movement:
Lye on a bench in sit up position holding a plate of desirable weight above the head with
the arms extended. Raise your feet up off the bench bringing the knees above the hips.
Raise your shoulders up off the bench pushing the weight straight up above the head as
high as possible slowly lower the shoulders back to the bench and repeat.
LEG LIFT (ROCKY’S)
Leg Lifts (Rocky-s).wmv
Movement:
Lying on a bench secure yourself by gripping the sides of the bench at or above the head.
Keeping the legs straight lift them up above the hips and pike up lifting the hips off the
bench leaving only the shoulders and head remaining on the bench. As slowly as
possible, lower the body down to the bench leading with the toes.
SEATED TWIST
Seated Twist.wmv
Equipment:
One weight plate is needed for this exercise.
Starting Position:
Begin with the weight plate being held at chest level. Sit on any flat bench or elevated
surface, feet should be just wider than shoulder width, chest out, chin parallel to the floor,
back flat.
Movement:
Keeping the back straight, slowly twist in one direction. Attempt to twist the torso all the
way around, as far as possible. Pause and twist in the opposite direction. Keep knees
bent throughout the twist, the back must remain flat.
Key Points:
This exercise must be executed slowly. Fast twisting motions can injure the low back.
This exercise could also be done by holding on to surgical tubing, which is anchored at
chest height.
WHEEL INCHWORM
Walking Inchworm.wmv
Starting Position:
Strap your feet into a core wheel and begin in push up position.
Movement:
Pike up, pulling your feet as close to your hands as possible keeping your legs straight.
Slowly walk your hands forward returning to push up position while keeping the wheel
stationary. Begin another rep once you return to starting push up position.
STATIONARY INCHWORM
Stationary Inchworm.wmv
WHEEL TUCK
Wheel Tuck.wmv
Starting Position:
Strap your feet into a core wheel and begin in push up position.
Movement:
Pull your knees in towards your chest bending at the waist and knees. Slowly return to
push up position without letting the hips sag towards the ground. You can also do this
exercise using a physio ball. Your shins will begin on the ball and as you tuck under you
legs will slide down the ball leaving only the top of your feet making contact with the
ball.
SIDE WHEEL TUCK
Wheel Side Tuck.wmv
PHYSIO BALL TUCK
PB Tuck.wmv
PHYSIO BALL SIDE TUCK
PB Side Tuck.wmv
PHYSIO BALL PIKE
PB Pike.wmv
Equipment:
One physio ball
Starting Position:
Begin in push up position with both shins resting on top of a physio ball.
Movement:
Pike up with the hips keeping the knees locked creating a straight line from your hands to
your hips and from your hips to your feet. As you pike up, your legs will roll up and off
the physio ball leaving only the top of your feet touching the ball. Slowly lower yourself
down back to starting position and begin another repetition.