Core Exercises #1

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D3 Core #1 exercises



This core exercise sequence will comprise of the following exercises.  These exercises are meant to be done sequentially, so after exercise one, move to exercise two, etc.  You can give yourself 60 seconds after each exercise before moving to the next.


The Beginnertriathlete.com training plans use these Core Sequences, though you can surely use them even if you are not on a BT training plan.


See instructions on putting together core exercises for a perfect ab routine


Exercise 1: Crunches with the FitBall [FB]


Repetitions: 15-25 
Movement: Place feet on the floor and stabilize your body with your hips off the ball. Come up for a ‘crunch sit up’. You can alternate opposite elbow to opposite knee if you wish.



 



Exercise 2: Back extensions on the FB


Repetitions: 12-15
Movement: Start with feet firmly on the floor, and the stomach on the FB. Using your trunk, lift your upper body to parallel on the ball (watch for over extension).



 


Exercise 3: Superman on Elbows 


Repetitions: 45 seconds (s) – 2 minutes (m)
Movement: This is a tough one. You start out in a push up position with your elbows under you. Keep the elbows about 6” apart. Try to keep the shoulder blades together with no curve. Really flex your stomach region, you will feel this. Keep your back straight and your hips up. To make this even more challenging, try to keep moving your elbows out 2” every 15 seconds or so. You body should be shaking on this one. If not, then move your hips up a bit.



Exercise 4: V-ups with FB


Repetitions: 10-15
Movement: Start out lying down with your arms extended over you head. Place the ball in between your arms. Slowly bring your arms (fully extended still) and your legs up and together creating a ‘V’ with your body. Transfer the ball to between your legs (this takes a little coordination) and slowly bring your legs and arms back to the original starting position. Don’t get lazy and bring your arms up and not your legs or vice versa. Work on these! They will get easier.



Exercise 5: Push-ups with FB 


Repetitions: 10-15
Movement: Start out with your shins on the FB and your arms in the push up position. Try to do a few push-ups. Slowly walk your arms out (your feet should be fully extended on the FB ). Now try a few more. An advanced version would be performing the push-ups with your toes fully on the FB holding up your entire body. Even more advanced would be doing these with one leg.




Exercise 6: Medicine ball twists


Repetitions: 25-30
Movement: Start out with butt on the floor, and your knees bent in front of you (picture 1). Start with the ball on one side and using your torso, twist to the other side and put the ball on the ground (picture 2), and then return to the other side. This is one repetition. I like to break up the set by passing the ball under my legs in the middle of the set (not shown). Pass the ball quickly and from hand-to-hand under your legs and over the top of your knees. Your feet remain off the floor at all times.





Exercise 7: Supine Hip Extension on FB 


Repetitions: 12-15 
Movement: Start in the prone position, with your knees and hips at 90 degrees. Fully extend your hip, then return to the starting position.




Exercise 8: Crunches with the FitBall [FB]. (See Exercise #1)


Repetitions: 15-25 
Movement: Place feet on the floor and stabilize your body with your hips off the ball. Come up for a ‘crunch sit up’. You can alternate opposite elbow to opposite knee if you wish.


*All 6 Core programs can be used for a set interchangeably as new ones have been added after the first three.  One set is about 7-10 minutes – and I would say a couple of weeks of one set is ok, but at all levels the athlete should try to add 2-3 sets per week by the end of a 12 week period. I would say core 2x a week minimum, but in reality it should be done 4x per week. 


# of core sets: 1 set for the first 2 weeks, then 2 for the next 3-5, then 2-3 for weeks 6 through the end of program.


For example, as you progress to 2 core sets per session 4x per week, you can setup your core workouts like this:


Monday: Core1/2
Tuesday: Core 2/3
Thursday: Core 3 /4
Saturday: Core 4/5


*Core workout days are not set in stone, move them around as needed. 


NOTE, all core exercises can be specifically logged in your training log through the 'core' muscle category.


*These exercises are part of Beginnertriathlete.com's Silver level training plans developed by D3 Multisport.com

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date: January 14, 2014