Steorra
Well-Known Member
For anyone who would like to know where their core muscles are and how to strengthen them! Anyone who can do number 3 at the first attempt has my everlasting admiration 
. Thelwell_Girl seems to have cracked it (there is another thread in the depths of NL).
These are from the circuit training I used to do when I was rowing at university. With all these exercises stop before you get too tired and start overcompensating with your back muscles.
Here goes
1. Lie on the floor (pref. on a mat), and raise your legs from the hips. Keep your hands by your sides, legs straight, and your shoulders, hips and back on the floor. Try to relax the muscles of your back. The muscles that tense in your abdomen to hold you in this position are the ones you engage when riding. Got them?
Try holding this position for 30 seconds, longer if you can.
2. Lie on your front this time, clasp your hands in front of you and place your forearms on the floor, centrally beneath your chest (lengthwise not across). Raise yourself slightly, with your weight on your toes (like in a press up) and arms. Keep your back straight and hold for 30 seconds (or no more than a minute on this one as it stops you breathing properly).
3. This one is for people who are good at interpreting instructions! And who don't mind looking a bit daft.
Sit on the floor with your weight on your seatbones. Raise your legs and tilt your torso back so all your weight is on your seatbones and, without any other part of you touching the floor, sit up to almost vertical, bend your knees and pull your legs in, and reach with your hands forwards past the outsides of your legs for balance.
Got that? Then go back to your original position (extend your legs, bring your shoulders back, pull your hands in to your chest). Repeat (30 reps would be an impressive start). Essentially you are rowing a non-existent boat.
4). If you didn't get the last one...sit ups.
5). This requires a certain amount of upper body strength but it's also a good core exercise. Lie on your left side and prop yourself up on your left arm, with the arm straight from the shoulder to the floor. Raising your other arm in the air will help with balance.
Keep your back straight and your body and legs in alignment. Your weight should be resting on your hand and the ankle / foot of the same side. This is harder than it looks. Then switch sides.
If you are fairly fit then you can run through these exercises perhaps 4 times, at 1 minute each. I used to do an hour of these (with a few others thrown in) once a week, but although I'd say I'm still fairly fit and active I couldn't do it now!
If your back or neck hurts at any point then please stop! It means that 1. you haven't quite got it right and won't get the benefits and 2. you might injure your back!
Hope these help. Please feel free to share your own
. Thelwell_Girl seems to have cracked it (there is another thread in the depths of NL).These are from the circuit training I used to do when I was rowing at university. With all these exercises stop before you get too tired and start overcompensating with your back muscles.
Here goes
1. Lie on the floor (pref. on a mat), and raise your legs from the hips. Keep your hands by your sides, legs straight, and your shoulders, hips and back on the floor. Try to relax the muscles of your back. The muscles that tense in your abdomen to hold you in this position are the ones you engage when riding. Got them?
Try holding this position for 30 seconds, longer if you can.
2. Lie on your front this time, clasp your hands in front of you and place your forearms on the floor, centrally beneath your chest (lengthwise not across). Raise yourself slightly, with your weight on your toes (like in a press up) and arms. Keep your back straight and hold for 30 seconds (or no more than a minute on this one as it stops you breathing properly).
3. This one is for people who are good at interpreting instructions! And who don't mind looking a bit daft.
Sit on the floor with your weight on your seatbones. Raise your legs and tilt your torso back so all your weight is on your seatbones and, without any other part of you touching the floor, sit up to almost vertical, bend your knees and pull your legs in, and reach with your hands forwards past the outsides of your legs for balance.
Got that? Then go back to your original position (extend your legs, bring your shoulders back, pull your hands in to your chest). Repeat (30 reps would be an impressive start). Essentially you are rowing a non-existent boat.
4). If you didn't get the last one...sit ups.
5). This requires a certain amount of upper body strength but it's also a good core exercise. Lie on your left side and prop yourself up on your left arm, with the arm straight from the shoulder to the floor. Raising your other arm in the air will help with balance.
Keep your back straight and your body and legs in alignment. Your weight should be resting on your hand and the ankle / foot of the same side. This is harder than it looks. Then switch sides.
If you are fairly fit then you can run through these exercises perhaps 4 times, at 1 minute each. I used to do an hour of these (with a few others thrown in) once a week, but although I'd say I'm still fairly fit and active I couldn't do it now!
If your back or neck hurts at any point then please stop! It means that 1. you haven't quite got it right and won't get the benefits and 2. you might injure your back!
Hope these help. Please feel free to share your own
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. And a minute is pretty impressive.
