Leg lifts can strengthen core muscles of the lower abs. Try these exercises and stretches for your workout routine in this fitness video.
Keep shoulder blades off floor
Nose-to-knee movement
Chin slightly off collar bone
Amy McCauley has been a certified personal fitness trainer since 1995. She specializes in pilates, combat cardio, core conditioning and overall strength training. She works with clients ranging in age from 16 - 69. She has worked at Gold's Gym in Wilmington, NC since 2006. She loves her job because it gives her the opportunity to change peoples' lives in a positive way.
AMY MCCAULEY: Hi, I'm going to show you a great way to strengthen your core muscles. Lay down on your back. We're going to lift one knee up, one leg extended. What you're going to do next is hands are going to go comfortably behind the back of your head. Fingertips spread nice and wide, thumbs behind the ears. You want to avoid lacing your fingertips because this tends to put pressure on your neck. Think about lifting up off the floor. The shoulder blades are lifted. Here's your first variation. Think nose to knee and lengthen. You're exhaling as your knee comes in. You're inhaling as you push out, switching as you alternate inhale to exhale. Your goal is to keep the shoulder blades up off the floor, neck relaxed into the palm of the hands. Full version is to take the hand down the leg, the knee then comes in then the hand goes down the leg, nose to knee. Exhale on one and inhale on the other. You want to perform what's called a seeker. So the back shouldn't be flat. So if you're looking up at the ceiling, you're putting a lot of strain on your cervical spine. You want to hollow up the stomach, let the cervical spine slightly curve, inhale and exhale. You want to think nose-to-knee movement, long legs, reach and breathe, repeating this as many times as you comfortably can. Beginners, you're going to start with 8 to 12 repetitions. For those of you have been working out for a while, you're going to go up to failure. In breath and exhale. You can do this several times and then take a break. Release the back and the shoulders on the neck and then try again. So key things to remember on how to strengthen the core: hollow at the stomach, you're rounding the spine, the chin is slightly off the collarbone, inhale and exhale as you switch. You want the shoulders relaxed. If you need support in the neck, the hands go behind the head. Another option is to take the hands relaxing down by your sides. The neck is lengthened, and this is your beginner move. So we got a beginner move, an intermediate move and an advanced move, and this how we strengthen your core muscles.
Member Comments