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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:
- Your pelvis is tilted posteriorly (ie your back gets pushed
against the floor
- You overuse the large lumbar extensor muscles arching your
lower back further off the floor.
- 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:
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