1. Pelvic Tilts: lay on your back knees bent, without tensing your butt muscles, pull your belly button down in towards the floor and flatten the lower back down, hold for 5-10 seconds. This is a very basic exercise but requires focus, it works on the deep deep layer of abdominals. Do this 20 reps or more. This is a GREAT one to do if your lower back is bothering you.
2. Cat and Camel: on hands and knees, pull your navel to spine and round the back looking in between your knees (try not to move your arms or legs, this movement should come from the belly pulling in), try not to squeeze your butt, slowly lower the back down to create a small arch as you look up to the ceiling (if the arch bothers you just stop when you are in a flat back position). Do this 15-25 times.
3. Pointer: still on hands and knees, pull your abs very tight and start to lift your right leg up in a straight line, after you have your balance start to raise your left arm out and hold. You should feel like the right leg and left arm are reaching as far and long as you can, your body should look like a straight line. Hold for 5-10 seconds and switch. Do this 10-20 times each side.
4. Superman: on your belly, hold your abs tight. Start to raise both legs up from the floor keeping them straight, then raise arms up along with head and chest, it should look like you are "flying". Hold for 5-10 seconds and do this 15-25 times. When you are strong enough you can move your arms from side to side like superman flying while you are holding as more of a challenge.
5. Y's and T's: on your belly hold your arms over your head like a Y with your thumbs up. Keep your forehead on the floor and the abs tight, lift the arms up as high as you can (this is harder than it sounds) use your shoulder blades to lift the arms. Do 15-30 of these depending on your level. Then bring the arms out like a T. Forehead down and abs tight, lift the arms directly up squeezing your shoulder blades together. Do this 15-30 times. To challenge you can hold some water bottles, soup cans or small weights. Note: Try to feel your UPPER BACK NOT your arms. Again this one sounds easy but requires focus.
6. Row: Hold a dumbbell or one handle of a tube with the left hand (other handle can be under your foot or under a couch)stagger your stance with right leg in front of left and lunge down slightly, keep your back STRAIGHT! and lean over the right thigh. Pull the left arm back as far as you can squeezing your back muscles and pulling the left shoulder blade in towards the spine, hold 2-5 seconds and repeat. Keep your movements SLOW and CONTROLLED. If you want to advance, do a body row (seen in video).
NOT shown in video: if you are ready you can try a plank: start on your forearms and toes with abs very VERY tight and lift the body in a straight line, hold up as long as you can (see below). DO NOT let the lower back sag and do not sag into your shoulders, your whole body should be strong and lifted. Hold as long as possible and keep practicing! Start with 10-20 seconds and make your way to a minute! This will strengthen up your entire core as a whole!!
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