Before the Ball

Introducing an unstable exercising surface should occur after one has mastered exercises on a stable surface. Core stability exercises can be learned without a stability ball. Core stability training begins with learning to co-contract the transversus abdominus and multifidus muscles effectively, as this is key to the lumbar-support mechanism. To do this you must perform the 'abdominal hollowing' technique with the spine in the neutral position. Use your fingers for 'biofeedback' on either side of your lower abdomen to feel the tension in the transversus abdominus muscle.

• It is essential that this is mastered before progressing any further
• For all core stability exercises a transversus abdominus contraction should be maintained

Several errors are often made when attempting to activate these muscles:

1. Your pelvis is tilted posteriorly (ie your back gets pushed against the floor
2. You overuse the large lumbar extensor muscles arching your lower back further off the floor.
3. You activate the more superficial abdominal muscles causing your abdomen to bulge.

Core stabilization should be a low-grade, mild contraction of tonic muscles which can be held for a long time (20 seconds to several minutes), not just a sudden contraction. You need to learn to do this  in different positions (lying, kneeling, standing, sitting, etc) and eventually incorporate this muscle activity during activities of daily living.

Try to master the following exercises while maintaining neutral position before introducing the exercise ball:

	Floor Superman
	Floor Bridging
	Floor Side Bridging
	Floor Plank
	Single Leg Raise
	Abdominal Hollowing
	Seated Russian Crunch

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