john marstan
3 min readNov 23, 2023

--

The three best core exercises recommended by a spine specialist accomplished more for me than merely build stronger abs.

Worldwide, millions of people experience back discomfort. You can prevent, ease, or remedy this by engaging in core stability training, which doesn’t require any special equipment to begin.

I made the decision to look for additional core strengthening exercises to incorporate into my regimen because I spend hours every day sitting in front of a computer screen with poor posture.

My search turned up the “McGill Big Three,” which are three of the greatest core stability exercises for strengthening and back protection that spine expert and BackFitpro chief scientific officer Professor Stuart McGill has compiled.

The curl-up exercise targets the muscles on the front of the stomach, while the side plank exercise works the muscles on

Dick’s Sporting Goods is selling the Gaiam premium 5mm printed yoga mat for $19.99, down from $29.99.

Save ten dollars. There is no equipment required for this workout, so you can perform it without any. However, if you’re working on hard flooring, a yoga mat can help protect your knees. This one is 5mm thick and on sale during the Black Friday fitness specials.See Offer

Roll up six times.
Each side has six side planks.
Six birds on each side.

Each exercise should be done six times. Hold the highest position for ten seconds with each repetition while using power breathing, as shown in the aforementioned .

Perform six reps on each side if you are performing the side plank and bird dog exercises alone.

You can add a second set of four repetitions for each exercise and a third set of two repetitions for each exercise if you feel like you need more work on your core muscles or if you want extra points.

  1. Curl up

Sets: 3 Reps: 6

In order to place your right foot flat on the floor, elevate your right knee toward the ceiling while lying flat on your back. You can help yourself to a neutral spine posture by placing your left hand beneath your lower back.

Take a breath that causes your fingers to move laterally, or sideways, and press your right hand against the side of your abdomen. Then, brace your core.

Raise your head slightly off the floor while maintaining a straight back, and then perform power breathing for ten seconds. Unwind and go back to where you were.
My conclusions
I believe that because I already incorporate a lot of core stability exercises into my normal CrossFit training, I’ve been able to prevent back proems and injuries.

Sets: 1 Reps: 6

Assume a lateral position by lying on your right side and elevate your body to distribute your weight evenly between your forearm and right foot. Try to maintain a straight body line from your feet to your head, and keep your hips square. Feel free to lower your knee to the floor if this is difficult.

After ten seconds of holding this posture, return to the starting position and repeat.

My conclusions

The side plank, ah. For decades, this exercise has been known to bruise egos because of its deceptively easy nature and surprisingly difficult performance, which leaves even seasoned exercisers shivering after just a few seconds.
Fortunately, scaling options exist (you can rest your non-supporting hand on the floor or lower your knees to the

--

--