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Core Strength

The Ideal Way To Do Push-Ups

To be optimally mobile and agile, it's helpful to treat every exercise as an opportunity to strengthen your core - doing so will improve movement and balance in all planes and decrease risk of injury. Read more

 

A Fun Way to Work on Front and Back Levers

This is a look at how to use a simple resistance band to provide enough support for most people to have fun with gymnastics holds like the front and back lever.

Both levers are excellent for developing core, scapular, and grip strength.

When doing the back lever, the goal is to keep your abs and glutes engaged while your scapulae are protracted and depressed. Read more

 

Negative Body Levers to Develop Core Strength

If you feel comfortable with basic plank poses, side twists, arches, and crunches, to further develop functional core strength, you can add negative body levers to your training routine.

You'll need a comfortable surface to lie back on - a yoga mat or gym mats work well - as well as a strong anchor point that you can secure your hands on behind your head. Read more

 

Basic Plank Core Exercises Using an Exercise Ball

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Making All Exercises Core-Centric For More Functional Strength

These days, I’m loving the focus of making all exercises core-centric.

Generally, working with weights unilaterally while striving to keep the core in a strong and neutral position with abs and glutes contracted is a rewarding approach. Read more

 

Gentle Rolling To Condition Your Core & Improve Spinal and Shoulder Mobility

This is a simple routine that can be done on a large mattress or gym or yoga mat. Though it doesn't look like much, this type of rolling is effective in improving general spinal mobility, shoulder mobility, core strength, and overall proprioception. Read more

 

Archer Push-Ups Using Gym Rings to Develop Upper Body and Core Strength

These are called Archer push-ups whereby you lower your upper body beside one arm while straightening your other arm out to the side.

You can begin on your knees, and once you’ve built up strength and confidence with this exercise, you can try it in a full push-up position.

Archer push-ups can also be done with your hands on the floor and without the use of gym rings. Read more

 

Integrating Lower Body, Core, and Upper Body Strength

To integrate lower body, core, and upper body strength, I like doing various jerks and presses with a kettlebell. If you don't have a kettlebell or dumbbell, you can use anything that you can comfortably hold in one hand like a can of soup. Read more

 

Protect Your Lower Back By Strengthening Your Obliques

One key to avoiding back pain and injury is to keep your obliques strong - these are the muscles that line the sides of your abdominal wall. Read more

 

Try This For Chronic Back Pain and Stiffness

If you have chronic or recurrent back pain and stiffness, it may be that shortened hamstrings are creating a constant downward pull on your pelvis which could be causing compensatory biomechanics within your lumber and thoracic spinal regions, manifesting as pain and/or stiffness. Read more

 

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