Get on the Ball: Back and Abdominal Exercises

By Carlos Alberto Rivas, M.S., C.S.C.S.

Finding effective and functional exercises for the abdominal and back muscles is a popular topic of discussion for people wanting to "tone" up the midsection and to rehabilitate their lower back problems. Ninety percent of the adult population will suffer from back injury at some point in their lives and over 50 percent will not exercise because of pain associated with the injury. Now you can see why losing weight, toning the midsection, improving quality of life and increasing energy is a problem for most people. No wonder we fail to keep our New Year's resolution to lose weight! We join a fitness club; buy exercise clothing and the latest fitness gadgets to help us achieve our goals. However, there is one major problem; your body is not ready to exercise so you go out and injure yourself further and you quit for a very legitimate reason - pain. The pain is often due to areas of hypermobility (lack of stability) alternating with areas of hypomobility (lack of mobility) and the use of poor body mechanics.

To effectively train all muscle groups, with the aim of increasing lumbar stabilization, as well as abdominal tone, it is important to consider the following:

1. The abdominals are required to stabilize our spine in various positions, so we should train them in various positions, such as sitting, standing, prone and supine.
2. The spinal stabilizers should be trained at a level appropriate for the individual's strength and awareness.
3. "Poor posture, postural awareness and ability to contract deep abdominals are commonly associated with weakness and injury, hence education and awareness should be included in the abdominal program" says, Joanna Daniel, a Baptist East Wellness Center personal trainer.

The use of stability balls allows alterations of lever length to increase or decrease difficulty, as well as enabling additional movements for a more challenging progression to exercise. Here are just a few of the many abdominal training options provided by a resist-a-ball.

1. RECLINED CRUNCH

Starting position: Sitting, walk feet one step forward and recline spine slightly back.

Action: Raise body slowly up and back down (use the crunch technique). Do 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions.

1. THE ROLL AWAY

Starting position: Kneel behind the ball, fists together resting on the ball, with ball rolled in close, so hands are near chest.

Action: Roll ball out allowing body to follow. Hold the spine hips and thighs in a straight line. Do 1-2 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

3 . SUPINE BRIDGE HIP EXTENSION

Starting position: For proper alignment in supine bridge, it is important that the head is resting comfortably on the ball with the neck in neutral and the chest should be lifted.

Action: Perform hip extension without allowing the legs to move in and out; keep the knees stacked over the ankles. Hold position for 60-90 seconds.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Back pain is one of the most common problems afflicting people today, and it is often the result of poor posture, improper lifting techniques and weak spinal stabilizers. But more importantly, the reason most people quit an exercise program. The purpose of a personal trainer is to help an individual assess his or her needs, determine appropriate goals and develop an exercise program tailored for the client to succeed in the quest for health and fitness. Remember, you must get yourself ready to train before you start a high-intensity program that you are unaccustomed to doing. A personal trainer can and will get you ready to train at a higher level.

Carlos Alberto Rivas, M.S., C.S.C.S., is the fitness/personal training director at the Baptist East/Milestone Wellness Center. Carlos has a master's degree in exercise physiology and has over 10,000 hours of personal training experience. He is also a member of Kentuckiana HealthFitness magazine's editorial advisory board. Carlos can be reached at 502-896-3900, ext.142.