The Foundational Four are the key exercises to your core stability training program and will deliver the results you want for your Thriving Health. Be sure to check out the how to’s on each. Once again they include:
- The Prone Plank (alternated with the V-Sit for assessment and training)
- The Right and Left Side Bridge (Oblique Bridge or Plank)
- The Low Back Extension
Done with correct technique and in achieving the proper balance between them they will deliver:
- A Rock Solid Core
- The foundation for building your 6 Pack Abs
- A toned and lean mid section (when combined with an effective program of overall body fat loss)
- An end to nagging low back pain
- A low risk of future back pain
- Your ability to functionally lift and bend allowing you to do your work and day to day tasks comfortably and confidently.
- Your ability to play with your kids or grandkids, play those recreational activities you love like golf or tennis, and just enjoy daily life looking good and feeling great without that nagging pain that limited you in the past
- Your ability to progress to advanced core training programs safely and effectively ramping up your results even further.
In order to make sure you realize all the benefits you desire you must progress with these exercises to achieve the right proportional balance between them.
Periodically, perhaps every couple of weeks or so, test yourself to see how proportional things are.
The low back extension is the anchor from which the others are compared for results. When you know you maximum time for holding the low back extension you can compare it with the other 3 as follows:
Core Proportions
Low Back Extension (time in seconds)
– for example a good score would be 90 seconds
V-Sit – use this for testing
– The desired proportional score is to achieve 70% of the Low Back Extension time
– in this example a good proportional score would be 63 seconds
Right Oblique (Side Bridge)
– proportional score is to be 60% of the Low Back Extension time
– in this example a good proportional score would be 54 seconds
Left Oblique (Side Bridge)
– proportional score is to be 60% of the Low Back Extension time
– in this example a good proportional score would be 54 seconds
*** Balance is also desired between the right and left side Oblique Side Bridge. They are to be equal to one another. Surprisingly they are often out of balance due to unconscious one sidedness in daily or work tasks.
So whatever your current low back extension time is you can check to see if the others are in balance. Based on your results you can emphasize one exercise or another to bring them into the proportional balance you need as you are working to increase your overall time, strength, and endurance.
Good luck!
Beginning with a degree in exercise science and kinesiology, Brent Haydey has evolved over thirty years as an entrepreneur; building four businesses, and as a health, executive, and life coach.