Stability Discs - How to Improve Balance & Core

So you've seen those little pillows of air in the gym.  You may have seen someone standing on them.  But what are they and what are they for?  Those pillows of air are stability (or balance) discs and you can do a variety of exercises on them to improve your balance and strengthen your core.  Just for some background information, refer back to our blog entries on balance and core.

Remember, balance exercises aren't just for the elderly.  Everyone should take some time to perform balance exercises to improve core strength and to increase strength in the ligaments of the ankles.  If you are a runner and do any trail running or compete in cross country or mud runs, balance exercises are extremely helpful since you participate/compete on uneven surfaces.  Once you master simple balance exercises you can increase the difficulty by performing the same exercises on stability discs.  Here are a few examples of stability disc exercises you can do to improve your balance and core strength.

1. Bird Dog:

• Get down on all fours with hands directly under your shoulders and knees under hips.
• Place a stability disc under your right hand and left knee.
• Lift and extend your left arm and right leg.
• Repeat 10-15 times then switch the discs and repeat on the other side.
2. Squat

• Stand on 2 stability discs with feet shoulder-width apart.
• While balancing on the discs perform a squat as low as you can go.
• Press feet into discs and stand back up.
• Repeat 10-15 times.
3. Half-Kneel Run

• In a half-kneeling position on your left knee, place a stability disc under your right foot.
• Be sure your left knee is under your hip and right foot is under your right knee.
• Grasp 5-pound dumbbells in each hand.
• Sitting up tall, swing arms as fast as you can without twisting your torso.
• "Run" for 30-60 seconds and repeat on other side.
• Can be performed with no dumbbells in hands.
4. Plank/Mountain Climber

• Place a stability disc under each hand and extend legs back until you are balancing on your hands and toes.
• Lower hips slightly so you body is in a straight line from shoulders to toes.
• Be sure your hands are directly under your shoulders.
• Hold this plank position for 30-60 seconds.
• To perform the mountain climber, bring one knee into your chest then quickly switch legs.
• Repeat for 30-60 seconds. 
5. Curtsy Squat

• Start with feet shoulder-width apart and hands on hips.
• Place stability discs in front of you at a diagonal from each leg.
• Lift right leg off the ground and step in front of left leg at a diagonal so your right foot steps on the disc.
• Push off with right foot and return to starting position.
• Repeat with left leg.
• Repeat both sides 10-15 times.

As a reminder, you should be able to correctly perform each of these exercises WITHOUT the discs BEFORE adding a stability disc to your routine.  Once you've mastered the exercise then add the disc(s) and perform the same move.  A little more difficult, huh?  When balancing on the discs with your hands or your feet, try to keep the pillow of air stable.  In other words, when standing on the disc, try not to allow the toes to go to the ground or the heels...balance yourself on the disc.  You may wobble around a little bit until you become proficient with these exercises.  That's OK...just keep working at it!!

So the next time you are in the gym, try your hand (or foot) at stability disc exercises.  You'll find out just how proficient you are with your balance.  Don't worry if you fall off the discs.  Stand close to a wall or machine so you can hold on in the beginning.  Gradually work your way further from the wall/machine and let your body take over with improving balance.  Good luck!!  Don't forget...if you need assistance with these or any exercises, be sure to talk with a fitness professional.  We are here for you!!

Targeting Your Posterior Core Muscles

Did you just raise an eyebrow when reading the title of today's blog?  Remember, your "core" is not just abdominal muscles.  The core is a group of muscles that encompass the trunk/torso front to back, shoulders to hips.  While it includes the abdominal muscles, the core is a fundamental muscle group to stabilize the body, assist with arm and leg movements, and assists with proper posture.  For more information, refer back to our previous blog on strengthening the core.

Now let's focus on the backside of your core, including your backside (i.e., glutes)!!  One very effective exercise is the "reverse plank" or for all of you yoginis and yogis, "upward plank".  This exercise will target the glutes and hamstrings and, when done correctly, it will engage the abs and lower back muscles.  Here's how to perform the reverse plank.  Start by sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you, hands on the floor next to your hips.  Turn your hands so the fingers are facing your feet.  Take a deep breath in and lift your hips up off of the floor, pressing your palms in to the floor.  Point your toes so the only points of contact with the floor are your heels and palms.  Lift your head and look at the ceiling, keeping your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your toes.  While in this position engage your abdominal muscles and draw your belly button in towards your spine.  Try to hold this position for 20-30 seconds.  If you cannot maintain a straight body, lower your hips back to the floor and take a brief 2-3 second rest.  Lift your hips and try again.

 






Not only will this exercise strengthen the posterior core muscles, it will also help strengthen the wrists, arms and shoulders and provide you with a deep stretch of the chest, shoulders, and tops of the feet.  If you have wrist problems or a previous wrist injury, proceed with caution on this exercise.  You can try to keep the wrist in a neutral position by placing your hands on dumbbells or handles instead of placing the palms on the floor. 

Add this exercise to your workout routine and start improving your core strength.  Remember, start slow and work your way up to holding the reverse plank for longer times.  If you need assistance with this exercise, check with one of our fitness professionals at PROMATx Health Club to ensure you are performing the reverse plank safely.

Balance Training...It's Not Just for the Elderly

How is your balance?  Do you find yourself tripping or slipping a little more than usual?  Balance training should be a key component to everyone's workout routine...regardless of age!!  Are you a weekend warrior or do you compete in adult sport leagues?  Balance training can help improve your game....give you a stronger swing or make you more agile on the field.

How can you test your balance?  Ideally, you should be able to stand on one leg, unsupported, for at least 20 seconds.  Try it out...how long can you stand there without having to put your other foot down?  Try it on both legs as you may have a difference in balance from one side to another.  Balance training can start with simple exercises such as shifting your weight side to side, forward and back, and at different angles forward and back.  From there progress to standing on one leg.  If your balance isn't very good in the beginning, hold onto something stable.  Progression on this exercise should be from holding on with both hands, to one hand, to just fingers, then to not holding on at all.  Do this with both legs so you can improve your balance on both sides.

Once you have mastered single leg stance for at least 20 seconds, it's time to add movement while you are balancing on one leg.  Start with small movements such as reaching forward, sideways, and backwards with your opposite foot while you do a small, single-leg squat.  As your balance improves, increase the movements by reaching further with your foot or add upper body movements.  Improving your balance also improves your core strength.  Once your core is stronger, all movements (single-leg and double-leg) become easier and more fluid.  Finally, after you have mastered single leg balance with movement, you can add an instability component by standing on a DynaDisc, wobble board, or BOSU.  This unstable "ground" will help to further improve your balance.  Remember, our brain uses visual cues to keep us upright and stable.  If you close your eyes during any of these exercises, the brain has to work that much harder to tell your muscles what to do.

Remember, balance training isn't just for the elderly.  Everyone can benefit from adding in balance exercises into their weekly routine.  PROMATx Health Club has lots of tools for you to work with when improving your balance so come in today and try your hand (or leg) at a little balance training.

Performing The Plank - A Fundamental Core Exercise

In a previous blog, we talked about strengthening your "core".  To refresh your memory, the core muscle group stabilize the spine, pelvis, and shoulders and provides a foundation for movement in the extremities.  This muscle group essentially makes it possible to stand upright and move on two feet.  Your core includes abdominal muscles but also other muscles from the lower part of the chest down through the hips on both the front and back of the body.  Click here to refer back to our previous blog entry on strengthening your core.

If you've been hanging around the gym for a while, you probably have heard of an exercise called the "plank".  This exercise is a fundamental core exercise that can be performed anywhere and without any equipment.  The plank can be modified until the core muscle group is strengthened.  Also, there are many progressions as your core strength improves.

Now that you know the basis for performing the plank, let's take a look at how it is performed.  First lie on your belly on the floor or exercise mat.  Keep your elbows tucked into your sides and directly under your shoulders.  Place your palms flat on the ground and keep your gaze on the floor between your hands.  Tighten your abdominal muscles and contract your thighs, lifting your torso and legs off the floor/mat.  Balance yourself on your elbows and toes.  It is important to keep your abdominal muscles contracted (tight) and keep the back straight, preventing any "sagging" in the low back.  Pretend you are balancing a board on your back that runs between your shoulder blades down through your feet.  If your hips rise too much, the board will slide off towards your head; if your low back sags, the board will fall towards your feet. 

This is the basic plank exercise.  Maintain tight abdominal muscles, breathe normally, and hold the plank as long as you can.  In the beginning, it may be difficult to hold this position very long but as improve your core strength, you should be able to maintain this position for more than one minute.  Once you've mastered this basic plank you can progress to make this exercise more challenging by lifting one foot off the floor while maintaining the plank position.  Other progressions include lifting one arm at a time, balancing on the hands (instead of the elbows) and toes, alternating arm and leg lifts while in the plank position, and moving to a side plank.

Start simple with the basic plank on the elbows.  It's an effective exercise to perform anywhere and every day.  A strong core improves your performance in daily activities such as lifting, bending, and sitting; it also will improve performance in sporting activities such as running, golf, and tennis.  Need help performing this (and other) core exercises?  Stop in PROMATx Health Club and meet with one of our trainers.

Be healthy...be strong...prevent injuries.

Strengthening Your Core...Where Is It???

You hear the term "core" a lot when you are in the gym or when watching a fitness-related show, but do you really know what your core is?  Most people think your core is your abdominal muscles.  That is partially correct but there are more muscles involved in the core than just abdominals.

At a minimum, your core includes Transverse Abdominis (deep lying abdominal muscle group), Internal and External Obliques (side abdominal muscle groups), Rectus Abdominis (a.k.a. "6-pack), and Erector Spinae (muscle group running along the spine.  Core muscles actually extend lower in the hip/pelvis region to include Multifidus (deeper under the Erector Spinae group), Hip Flexors, Gluteal (buttocks) muscles and Hip Adductors.

The "core" muscles stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulders and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities.  Core conditioning exercise programs need to target all these muscle groups to be effective.  The muscles of the core make it possible to stand upright and move on two feet.  These muscles help to control movements, transfer energy, shift body weight, and move in any direction.  A strong core distributes the stresses of weight-bearing and protects the back.

So now you know where/what your core is...where do you go from here?  There are plenty of exercises that will work your core.  No longer will you have to get on the floor and do crunches.  Basic exercises such as squats and lunges will work the core.  Other exercises include planks, v-sits, push-ups (yes, push-ups!), hip bridges, hip lifts (reverse crunches), supermans, bird dogs...the list is long!

Need more guidance?  Check with a trainer at PROMATx Health Club to ensure you are performing sufficient exercises to strengthen your core muslces.  Once you build strength in your core, everyday activities (and sports) become much easier to perform!

Stand tall, work your core, improve your balance. 

What's Causing Your Back Pain?

More than 80% of Americans suffer from back pain.  Are you one of them?  Back pain can stem from any number of sources and people are experiencing chronic back pain more than ever.  Is your pain acute (less than 6 weeks in duration), sub-acute (6-12 weeks duration) or chronic (more than 12 weeks duration)?  What do you do to alleviate pain?

Let's first look at some causes of back pain:

1. Belly fat - excess weight on the stomach causes the low back to curve excessively thus placing a lot of stress on the lower spine.
2. Posture - sway back (increased lower spine curve) or flat back places the spine in awkward positions and requires more effort from the spine to do normal, everyday activities.
3. Improper lifting - bending from the low back to pick up objects from the floor can cause back pain.  Lift from your legs and bend at the hips instead.
4. Constipation/Irregular bowel movements - yes I went there!  Blockage in the lower intestines puts pressure on the low back.
5. Bad mood/stress - poor outlook on life or stress exacerbates pain levels.
6. Vitamin D - studies have shown that people with chronic back pain have lower levels of vitamin D.  (check out our previous blog on the importance of vitamin D.)
7. Sitting for long periods of time - sitting actually puts more pressure on the spine than standing because you are sitting directly on your tailbone.
8. Weak abdominal muscles - strong core muscles, including abdominal muscles, can act as a "brace" to protect the low back during movements.

These are just a few causes of back pain.  Take a look at your back pain and try to determine the cause(s).  Is it one listed above?  These are all "controllable" causes of back pain.  If you are one who battles with chronic pain due to arthritis, previous back injury, herniated disks, etc., then you probably know the cause of your pain.

What can you do to alleviate back pain?  Ice is always a good tool.  Get yourself a nice big ice pack and ice your back 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off.  Stretching is another easy tool.  Stretch your hamstrings, piriformis (butt muscle), quadriceps (thigh), and hip flexors on a daily basis.  Tight muscles will pull on the pelvis which can put excess strain on back muscles.  Surprisingly enough, movement is a good cure for back pain.  Talk to anyone who has had a major back surgery recently and they'll tell you their physician advised them to "keep moving".  Movement allows blood flow to the muscles delivering much needed oxygen.  Finally, chiropractic care can be helpful for both acute and chronic back pain.

Want more info?  Talk to a trainer at PROMATx Health Club to find out how you can prevent back pain, or if you are one of the 80% with back pain, how you can alleviate pain.

Stand up straight, take a deep breath, and use proper form when performing any task.  Your back will appreciate it!!