Core Stability I

This is one of my favorite simple, foundational core stability exercises. It is great for initial rehab purposes because it can be gentle but is also great for higher performance and prevention as it can be very challenging too. It is a great addition into your prehab routine, helping prevent injury and allowing you to push performance.

Core stability is really self-explanatory. We want your core, and particularly your spine, to be stable as your big moving joints like your hips and shoulders create motion and develop power. Your spine is really not meant to repetitively create movement and definitely not to create power and will be a limiting factor if it is trained to do so.

The simple quadruped exercise in the video is a great way to train neutral spine and develop stability while getting some hip and shoulder girdle motion at the same time. Because it is not fully-weight bearing, it is an excellent way to develop this movement pattern before progressing to a more challenging standing position. This also makes is a good, safe warm up to get the muscles and pathways needed to do this active before performing more demanding exercises.

Because it doesn’t load your spine in flexion like a sit up, but trains you to stabilize in a safe, neutral spine position it is also good exercise to counteract our modern existence that places a ton of flexion load on your spine (sitting, driving, cycling, etc.)

For an easier starting point, try the Single Leg Quadruped or very foundational Hip Rocking exercises. Once you have this pattern down, you can try to implement those patterns in a more challenging standing position with a Squat or even a Standing Clam Shell.

Be Well

Tyler Fix DC, CCWP