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Core Exercises for Everyone, Especially Athletes!
Core exercises are very important for anyone's fitness routine. Your core is where all of your strength and power originates from, so the stronger your core, the stronger and more efficient all of your other muscles and muscle groups will become.
This aspect of training is often overlooked, though, especially for younger basketball players and other athletes trying to increase their vertical or speed. But once again, core strength is essential to being fast and jumping higher! It also improves your balance, agility, and endurance. In other words, your core strength is extremely important!
I have been answering a few questions on yahoo answers here and there, and realized that nearly all of the answers I gave involved recommending improving core strength with core exercises, but I didn't really have a page with core exercises on it.
I have a number of core exercises to add to this page, but wanted to get a few out here to get you started.
The following core exercises can be performed anywhere.
Better yet, they require no equipment!
- The Mountain Climber - *NEW!*
- Transverse Abdominal Cross Extensions
- Plank (aka Bridge)
- Reverse Plank (aka Reverse Bridge)
- Side Planks (aka Side Bridges)
- Back Raises
***NEW!*** Mountain Climber ***NEW!***
I just discovered this great core exercise this week. It is a great exercise for core strength because it combines numerous aspects of strength, stabilization and movement. It helps to strengthen your core and to target both your lower abs and obliques.
- Begin in the Push Up position (the up position). Your hands (palms flat) and toes should be the only thing touching the floor. Your arms should be fully extended, and your body straight from your head to your toes.
- Brace your core, to help you maintain the "up" position and straight line of your body
- Lift your right knee as close to your chest as possible.
- Lower your right knee/leg back to it's starting position.
- Now lift your left knee as close to your chest as possible and then back to the starting position
- Make sure to keep your back straight through the entire core exercise. Also do not rest in between while alternating between each leg.
- Repeat for a set amount of time or a set amount of reps
Transverse Abdominal Cross Extensions
This is one of the most important exercises that any athlete can perform, as the transverse abdominal muscles are the muscles mostly responsible for stabilizing your spine, and, therefore, your core.
- Begin in the 4-point stance (on your hands and knees)
- "Hollow Out" your stomach: basically, you are sucking in your stomach so that your belly button is getting closer to your spine.
- Hold your stomach sucked in and continue to breath
- Still holding your stomach sucked in and breathing, straighten out one arm and one leg that are opposite each other so that they are parallel to the floor (i.e. if you straighten out your right arm, then also straighten out your left leg)
Plank (aka Bridge)
The plank (or bridge) doesn't involve a lot of movement, rather holding and stabilizing yourself for an extended period of time. It works both your back and your abs, so is a great overall exercise for core strength.
- Start out lying face down, palms flat on the floor
- Push yourself off the floor so that you are on your toes and using your forearms and elbows to support your weight. (note that your palms are not flat on the floor any more)
- Now tilt your pelvis and contract your abs so that your body remains in a straight line. This means keeping your back flat and keeping your pelvic bone tilted the whole time that you are holding this position. Be careful to keep your pelvis tilted and your abs contracted the whole time.
- Hold this for a minimum of 30 seconds and continue to breath (if you cannot hold it this long, hold it as long as you can). Always time yourself (or have someone time you) and continue to add time to how often you hold the plank/bridge.
Reverse Plank (aka Reverse Bridge)
You guessed it, it's just like the plank, except for reversed.
- Start out laying on your butt with your legs extended straight in front of you and your forearms alongside your body on the ground
- Lift yourself up so that your forearms and heels are supporting your weight
- Remember to breath and tilt your pelvic bone up and in so that your body is in a straight line
- Hold this position for a minimum of 30 seconds (or as long as you can) and continue to progress your way up by holding it longer
Added difficulty:
Instead of using your forearms to support your weight, keep your palms facing down on the ground and completely extend your arms so that you're also using your triceps to support yourself.
Even more added difficulty:
Using the extended arm pose, also lift one leg up at a time at different angles and hold that position
Side Planks (aka Side Bridges)
The side plank is a variation of the plank that works your obliques and mid-back muscles. It is slightly more advanced than the normal plank core exercise because it uses muscles that are typically weaker in individuals.
- Lay on your side with your elbow and forearm under you and one foot on top of the other
- Lift yourself up with your forearm squarely under you (your forarm and hand will be pointing out, away from your body, as you support your weight) and your bottom foot also supporting you.
- Remember to keep breathing and keep your body in a straight line: your hips should not be sagging.
- Hold this position for a minimum of 30 seconds (or as long as you can if you can't hold it for 30 seconds). Remember to keep breathing, keep your hips from sagging, and support yourself with your forearm and one foot. Your obliques and, to a lesser extent, your back muscles will also help to support you and keep your body aligned.
Back Raises
Back raises work both your back and your abs, so they are another one of the great exercises for core strength.
- Start out by lying face down with your legs extended out and feet crossed one over the other
- Now lock your hands/fingers behind your head so that your elbows are bowed out
- Contract your back muscles (and somewhat your abdominal muscles) to raise your upper body off of the ground. Your legs should remain out and on the ground.
- Repeat this for at least a set of 10 repetitions
Next: -->
Core Exercises with a Swiss Ball
Lose Belly Fat
Core strength helps to strengthen your core, but not necessarily lose belly fat. Check out this page to flatten that stomach even more.
Athlete Nutrition
Make your core exercises even more effective by getting the proper nutrition.
Basketball Conditioning
Help flatten your abs with basketball conditioning.
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