Abdominals/Core Conditioning Articles

Footbar position #4, pulleys cover #1, 1 spring STARTING POSITION Standing at one side of Reformer facing footbar, one knee resting on carriage, with foot against shoulder rest and hip extended. Other foot on floor slightly in front of pelvis, knee flexed slightly. Arms reaching overhead to hold same-side strap, elbows soft. Spine extended slightly with gaze upward.

How do you transition students quickly from the main part of class to the core-conditioning exercises? With larger classes and limited space and equipment, you may want to add creative partner-based moves. Both single and partner-based core-training exercises should target specific muscle groups. The core consists of many different muscles that stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder and provides a solid foundation for total-body movement. A strong core distributes weight-bearing loads and helps protect the low back.

footbar position #4, 1 or 2 springs, gearbar and carriage stopper position #1 STARTING POSITION Stand on Reformer, facing side. One foot on footboard, one foot on edge of carriage. Spine and pelvis neutral. Legs long and parallel. Arms long, reaching out to sides, palms down or forward.

STARTING POSITION Supine, pelvis and spine neutral. Knees flexed, feet on mat, shoulder distance apart. Fitness Circle® resistance ring between thighs. Arms long by sides, palms down, scapulae stabilized.

One of the major obstacles that personal trainers face when conducting in-home training sessions is lack of space. Often you are expected to provide a client with a comprehensive, gym-quality strength and conditioning session within an area that’s only slightly bigger than a closet. As a result, you must be able to adapt and modify many traditional training exercises and drills to accommodate the space limitations and meet your client’s training goals. The following are just a few suggestions on how to take a client through a full training session in a small area.

One in three women has some form of pelvic-floor dysfunction—for example, incontinence, pelvic pain or pelvic organ prolapse (Christie & Colosi 2008). The start of pelvic core muscle weakness is commonly associated with pregnancy. Many pregnant women also have low-back pain and diastasis recti (splitting of the abdominal muscles at the linea alba), which can lead to the lower abdominal protrusion or “pooch” that so many women develop after childbirth or significant weight loss.

This versatile circuit class can be applied to groups of almost any size and fitness level and is limited only by your ability to organize, instruct and train. Abdominal/Core Circuit Details Format: a circuit that focuses on the abdominals and core Total Time: approximately 30–40 minutes

Unstable equipment designed to enhance core activation has steadily made its way into fitness and therapy settings across the globe. So far, evidence for the effectiveness of such items as the BOSU® Balance Trainer or stability ball has largely been anecdotal, but an article published in the May issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2007; 21 [2], 343–47) lends sup...

The stability ball has been used by physical therapists for years, and the fitness industry has fully embraced this tool for group exercise and private training. The stability ball creates an unstable surface and can be used for strength, balance, coordination, agility, core work and flexibility. Some of my favorite exercises challenge both balance and core strength. For review purposes,...