CORE STRENGTH WITHOUT BACK PAIN : TRY FUNCTIONAL TRAINING

I have many a people asking me how they can develop core strength if they are having issues with their back. After a certain age, long hours of a desk job or even excess weight can trigger a back pain. It’s easiest for everyone to look at me and say… “You don’t have any of these problems so it is easy for you to tell us to develop core strength.” But that’s not so. Either you can make back pain your excuse or work around it.

The easiest wrong advice given to lose tummy flab is crunches. People tend to overdo it or do it using the neck and shoulder muscles to kick start the motion or worst still, curve the back without engaging the core, causing extreme stress on the back. The BIRD DOG is a functional training exercise which helps in building core strength without engaging the back in any activity to cause it pain.

It looked so easy to me when my trainer, Swapneel initially showed the BIRD DOG exercise, that I felt he was kidding when he challenged me to complete 10 reps in a perfect stance. “Take your time and do each movement very slowly. Be aware of holding your navel tight towards your spine. Your back shouldn’t have any movement when you lift your leg. Use the strength of your core, it’s quite ok even if you can’t lift your leg parallel to the floor.” he said. It’s only when I did it did I understand the intricacies of this super cool workout that improves your core control and hip alignment. I could actually feel the changes in my core stability and movement co-ordination.

In our daily routine we rarely pay attention to the way we stand. Very often we shift our body weight onto one foot over long periods of time, or sit with one leg folded under our buttock, the other hanging loose. This creates a shift in our hip alignment gradually and if not corrected can create back pain, sciatica, and even varicose veins. The bird dog exercise serves to correct this tilt by strengthening of the core muscles which thereby restrict the shift in hip alignment.

For many people doing the plank might be an effort. To hold the core tight for 30secs in the plank position could become a herculean task because of weight issues. The bird dog serves a similar purpose with a flexible time because it is done in motion, the stress on the core muscles can be altered. Strength can be gained gradually to attain the perfect posture and movement synchronization.

To initiate the exercise your palms must be placed on the floor in alignment with your shoulders and your knees with the hip. The back has to be in a neutral position and core engaged. Any laxity in this position can cause you to rotate your hip when you raise your hand and leg, he explained. A well-coordinated movement will help in stabilizing your core and spine and hip alignment. It strengthens the lower back as well as engages the glute and hamstring muscles. This exercise regularizes most contralateral (opposite hand and leg) movements which are a part of our daily lives.

From a set of 8 reps each side I now manage an easy routine of 3 sets with 15 reps each side. This was a PNF (Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) movement, used in functional training. This is an easy exercise that could prove very beneficial for women used to wearing heels, people standing for long periods of time, most people over 45yrs, anyone having sciatica, varicose veins and/or lower back pain. So do make this a part of your everyday workout and let me know how you feel.

Read The Times of India article – click here

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