Objective: 

We are going back to basics of core integration. Think of the core as any of the muscles that help stabilize and support the spine, hip joint and pelvis.  This exercise reinforces spinal alignment and core control of the hips and pelvis.  

Exercise:

Lie lengthwise on a 36-inch foam roller, with your pelvis and head resting on the roller. (These rollers are common at most gyms and training facilities. A solid pool noodle will do as a makeshift, but is much softer and not nearly as challenging.) Knees are at a 90-degree bend with feet on the floor.  

• Find your balance with arms resting on your chest.  
• Engage your torso (think of gently drawing the belly button toward the spine to feel the transverse abdominals engage*) and shift your weight to one hip so that the opposite foot can lift without rolling your pelvis or arching your back. Alternate lifting the legs and gently placing the foot back on the ground.  
• Once you are comfortable with lifting your leg, coordinate raising the opposite arm over your head as you alternate lifting one leg.
• Alternate legs 10-15 times on each side. Perform two to three sets. Do these slowly and mindfully, paying attention to the engagement of the deepest of your core muscles to support and stabilize the spine on each repetition.

*Transverse abdominals (TVA) are a deep set of abdominal muscles in which the fibers run horizontally to provide thoracic and pelvic stability. The TVA acts as a girdle or corset by creating hoop tension around the midsection. They act in conjunction with the rectus abdominus and internal and external obliques to provide a basis of our core. We will review over the next few months what muscles we think of as the core musculature and why. 

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Elizabeth Towe is a runner and a cyclist and the owner of Balanced Movement Studio in Carrboro. She graduated from East Carolina with a degree in exercise and sports science and has been personal training for over 20 years. Her ultimate goal for all of her clients is to help them realize and achieve the optimal quality in their life – and to remember to have fun doing it.