Reasons To Develop Your Core
1.Stay Healthy
From protecting your vital organs to protecting your spine during everyday activities developing a healthy core is essential if you just want to be proactive and prevent injury. Your core’s ability to brace and activate when necessary is essential to not only sports performance improvements, but overall fitness.
2. Confident Posture
A well developed core will allow you to exude strength and confidence by the way you carry yourself. First impressions go a long way and someone that carries themselves with great posture tells the world that you are “Fearless and Ready to Take on the World!’
3. Look Good
Not only are you going to experience the health benefits of developing your core, but you are also going to reap the benefits aesthetically of developing your core. If you have always wanted a well defined six pack This Is How You Start To Accomplish It!
Included in this manual are comprehensive core stability exercises, with coaching cues and exercise prescription. This will definitely be a resource that will help you jump start or maintain your fitness goals
PRONE ELBOW BRIDGE PROGRESSION
EASY TO HARD PROGRESSION:
1. ELBOW BRIDGE
2. 3 LIMB ELBOW BRIDGE
3. STABILITY BALL ELBOW BRIDGE
4. STABILITY BALL ELBOW 3 LIMB BRIDGE(STRAIGHT LEG)
5. STABILITY BALL ELBOW 3 LIMB BRIDGE(BENT LEG)
6. FEET ON BALL ELBOW BRIDGE
7. FEET ON BALL 3 LIMB ELBOW BRIDGE(LEG STRAIGHT)
8. ELBOW BRIDGE SHOULDER TOUCH
9. ELBOW BRIDGE ALT SUPERMAN
COACHING CUES (All exercises above)
1. Squeeze glutes as tight as you can for every exercise
2. Draw in belly button and tighten stomach like someone is punching your core.
3. Body should be in line (don’t raise butt in the air or let sag, keep eyes to the ground to keep spine neutral)
EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION:
Start with the ELBOW BRIDGE once you can accomplish 3 sets of 45 seconds(45s in rest between sets) move on to the next exercise. 3 sets of 30s-60s if both feet are on the ground. 3 sets of 20s-30s if one foot is in the ground. Once you master one exercise progress to the next.
PRONE PUSH UP BRIDGE PROGRESSION
Once you perform you ELBOW BRIDGE PROGRESSION PROFICIENT then you move on to PUSH UP BRIDGE PROGRESSION.
EASY TO HARD PROGRESSION:
- PUSH UP BRIDGE
- 3 LIMB PUSH UP BRIDGE
- STABILITY BALL PUSH UP BRIDGE
- STABILITY BALL 3 LIMB PUSH UP BRIDGE(STRAIGHT LEG)
- STABILITY BALL 3 LIMB PUSH UP BRIDGE(BENT LEG)
- FEET ON BALL PUSH UP BRIDGE
- FEET ON BALL 3 LIMB PUSH UP BRIDGE(LEG STRAIGHT)
- PUSH UP BRIDGE SHOULDER TOUCH
- PUSH UP BRIDGE ALT SUPERMAN
COACHING CUES (All exercises above)
1. Squeeze glutes as tight as you can for every exercise
2. Draw in belly button and tighten stomach like someone is punching your core.
3. Body should be in line (don’t raise butt in the air or let sag, keep eyes to the ground to keep spine neutral)
EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION:
Start with the PUSH UP BRIDGE once you can accomplish 3 sets of 45 seconds(45 rest between sets) move on to the next exercise. 3 sets of 30s-60s if both feet are on the ground. 3 sets of 15s-45s if one foot is in the ground. Once you master one exercise progress to the next.
SIDE ELBOW AND SIDE BRIDGE PROGRESSION
Side bridges are very beneficial when trying to develop you side oblique. Teaching your body to not rotate also protects your spine when your limbs are moving.
EASY TO HARD PROGRESSION:
- SIDE ELBOW BRIDGE
- SIDE ELBOW HIP LIFT(10-15 EACH WAY)
- SIDE ELBOW BRIDGE WITH ABDUCTION LEG STRAIGHT
- SIDE ELBOW BRIDGE WITH ABDUCTION LEG BENT
- SIDE BRIDGE
- SIDE HIP LIFT(10-15 EACH WAY)
- SIDE BRIDGE WITH ABDUCTION LEG STRAIGHT
- 8. SIDE BRIDGE WITH ABDUCTION LEG BENT
COACHING CUES (All exercises above)
- Start on your side on an elbow or hand and stack your feet one on top of the other and draw your toes in toward your shin.
- Keep head in shoulders in line with spine
- In the up position squeeze your glutes and keep stomach tight.
EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION:
Start with the Side Elbow Bridge or Side Bridge once you can perform 2 sets of 30s each way proficient then you can move on to next exercise in the progression
GLUTE BRIDGE PROGRESSION
Glute Bridges are great core exercises to do on your lower body days. This exercise gets your glutes and hamstrings activated before you back squats, front squat or deadlift.
EASY TO HARD PROGRESSION:
- GLUTE BRIDGE
- SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGE
- FEET ON BENCH GLUTE BRIDGE
- FEET ON BENCH SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGE
- SHOULDERS ON BENCH GLUTE BRIDGE
- SHOULDERS ON BENCH SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGE
- SHOULDERS ON BALL GLUTE BRIDGE
- SHOULDERS ON BALL SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGE
- FEET ON BALL GLUTE BRIDGE
- FEET ON BALL SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGE
COACHING CUES (All exercises above)
- Start on your back
- Get your hips tall or fully extended.
- In the up position squeeze your glutes and keep your stomach tight.
- Keep knees in line, don’t let them go in or out keep them in line.
EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION:
Start with the Glute Bridge and when you can proficiently perform 2 sets of 45s then progress to the next exercise. On the single leg variation once you can perform 2 sets of 20s each leg then progress to the next exercise.
I hope you find this useful and it helps you in your fitness journey!