I sometimes make the mistake of believing I have to workout for a long time to get any results. However, a lot can come from just a few exercises. If you want to burn to the core, but only have a little bit of time, here are a few killer core exercises that you can do. They only require your body, a Swiss ball (large exercise ball) and a few styrofoam plates! My friend and physical therapist, Alan Tyson, founder of Architech Sports in Charlotte, NC showed me these…so I have him to hate!
Set a timer and do each of these exercises for just one minute. Since they are intense, a rest of two minutes between each one is helpful. If you have more time, add some lower body exercises between each of these core ones. For example, walking lunges or wall squats. By adding some lower body exercises to the core exercises, you can create a complete workout. Go thru each exercise three times.
Push-ups on Swiss Ball – Put your hands on the Swiss ball and get yourself in the plank position on the ball. Then put your hands on the ball, making sure your hips are lined up with your back (in other words, don’t sag). Do push-ups slowly for one minute…concentrating on your form.
Body-Saw – Get in plank position (if you have something to put under your forearms, like a yoga block or some books, that’s great). Place your toes on the styrofoam plates. Make sure your shoulders and back are flat and your hips are up so that you are not sagging. Push forward on your forearms, keeping back flat, for about six inches and then roll back. Slowly roll forward again, and then back. Do this for one minute. WOW! That’s all I can say…
Swiss Ball Roll-outs – Get in the same position as the push-ups on the Swiss ball. Instead of doing push ups, roll out the Swiss ball a few inches and bring it back to former position. You only need to roll ball out a little bit to feel this in your core. If your back really hurts, make sure your hips have not dropped. Take a small break and start again. Of course, one minute here…
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