Six Core Exercises

Core Exercises

A strong core—abdominal and back muscles—helps to prevent back pain, balance problems in older age, and the chance of falling and breaking bones, as well as in the ability to simply move well. We all want to be able to bend and pick something up, reach for items on shelves, go up and down stairs and curbs, and just walk without aid as long as we can. You can do the following in any order, building up to the full time. Rest thirty seconds and repeat sequence a second time. Do these three days a week.

http://bonniearnot.blogspot.com/2014/08/exercise-made-easy.html

1. The held squat: get into the squat position (see previous post above) with arms held out parallel to the floor. Hold as long as you can up to sixty seconds. Again, something sturdy to grab hold of if you become wobbly is a good idea.

2. For core and balance: keep the right knee slightly bent and raise left leg behind you as you reach arms out, chest as close to parallel to the floor as you can. Build up to holding for forty-five seconds and repeat on other leg.

3. Modified sit-up: sit on the floor, feet flat on the floor, knees bent in front of you. Pull your belly button toward your spine, breathe out, and lean back until you feel your abdominal muscles working. Raise legs and arms in front of you so calves and forearms are parallel with the floor. If this is too hard, you can start with one foot left on the floor and work up to both legs lifted. Hold for one minute.

4. Front kicks: stand with feet shoulder-width apart and alternate kicking legs out in front of you, keeping the knees slightly bent. Do as many as you can within one minute. (I can’t do this one with my knees.)

5. Core, chest, arm, and shoulder strength: get into the push-up position on either knees or toes. Lift right hand to left shoulder, return to floor, and lower into a regular push-up (elbows as close as possible to ninety degrees). Return to starting position and repeat, touching left hand to right shoulder. Do as many as you can in thirty seconds.

6. This one is mostly for balance: stand on right leg, knee slightly bent, and raise left leg straight out to the side, holding arms in inverted V in front of you, hands in loose fists like a fighting stance. Hold thirty seconds and repeat on other side.

   

Wednesday—a push-up you can do without getting on the floor and arm strengthening exercises.