If a stronger, more toned core is at the top of your New Year’s resolutions, there are plenty of steps you can take to reach your fitness goals. But it’s important to be careful; for many, the fear of back pain or injury can make traditional ab exercises feel like a no-go. Luckily, there’s no shortage of effective, low-impact moves that strengthen your core without putting strain on your back.
To uncover some of the best choices, we spoke to Fitness expert Brett Durney, co-Founder, Personal Trainer and Running Coach at Fitness Lab, who shared three game-changing exercises you can do right at home to sculpt a lean, defined midsection while keeping your spine safe. Learn how to execute his top recommendations—8-point plank, 4-point kneeling superman, and dead bugs—below.
1. 8-Point Plank
You’ve heard of a plank, but do you know how an 8-point plank is done? This special version of the most infamous core exercise will allow you to work your abs even more than usual. Durney tells us how it’s done:
1. Start lying on the floor. Place your elbows directly under your shoulders. Keep your knees and feet on the floor.
2. Create a slight ‘c-shape’ in your spine so you are in slight flexion, activating the abdominals.
3. Move your elbows forward so that they are no longer directly under the shoulder (this creates length and tension across the abdominals and causes them to work harder)
2. 4-Point Kneeling Superman
A 4-Point kneeling superman is another great ab exercise you can do without having to worry about a back injury. You’ll see how it got its name once you get into it–and you’ll be feeling like Superman in no time. Durney’s instructions are below:
1. Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your belly.
2. Extend your left arm and right leg away from you in a straight line until both are completely in line with your torso. Do not allow the back to arch when extending arm and leg as this will place unwanted stress on the lower back region.
3. Complete the same on the other side, ensuring your head stays in line with your spine and hips, i.e. nice straight and long neck.
3. Dead Bugs
Durney says that dead bugs are a great, safe core exercise because they primarily work your rectus and transverse abdominals. Here’s how he says they’re done:
1. Lying flat on your back, keep your lower back pressed gently to the floor (this is called an imprint) with your knees bent.
2. Keep your head and hips on the floor and hold the imprint. Lift one leg off the floor at a 90 degree angle.
3. Lower your leg back to the floor.
4. Complete with your opposite leg.
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Mistakes to avoid
No matter what sort of core exercise you’re doing, there are a few steps you should take in order to prevent injury in your back. Durney warns that one of the biggest, most common mistakes that typically results in back pain is lacking control while you extend your spine.
“Extension of the spine can be best understood if you are in a standing position and then bending backwards,” he explains. “In this movement, if not done in control, the vertebrae become compressed, and it’s in this movement that slipped discs can occur.” A slipped disc occurs when soft tissue pushes out between the bones in your spine, and nerves are pressed. If it sounds painful, that’s because it is! To prevent this sort of injury, it’s important to practice control and correct core activation. Durney explains that spine extension is “safe and completely natural” when completed correctly.
Luckily, with Durney’s safe exercises, you shouldn’t have to worry about back pain at all as you slay your workout routine–your core will be in great shape, and you’ll be feeling good as ever!
