Tag: core strength

Core Exercises for Lower Back Pain Sufferers
Articles, Guest Articles, Strength Training

Core Exercises for Lower Back Pain Sufferers

Core Exercises for Lower Back Pain Sufferers

Lower back pain can occur due to age, injury, acute stress, or other severe diseases. And in some cases, it can worsen over time, so try these core exercises for lower back pain sufferers.

Lower back pain is unbearable for most patients as it prevents them from following the daily routine. Core exercise, such as dead bug, glute bridge, and forearm planks, have shown significant results towards lower back pain relief. These exercises target the lower back to release blood flow while strengthening the muscles and tissues. However, light therapy has also shown magnificent results on severe lower back pain as it can circulate the blood flow and reduce pain effortlessly.

Here are the best lower back core exercises that are easy to perform at home without help. Keep reading till the end.

Core Exercises for Lower Back Pain Sufferers

There are ample exercises that can treat low back pain, but it requires time and patience. Ensure you are following the instruction and take your time during stretching. If you are suffering from unbearable pain, you should take baby steps and avoid improper body posture. Or it might lead to tissue injury or muscle cramping. Here are the best exercise to help cure lower back pain.

Dead Bug

Suffering from back pain and inability to use your feet might indicate jammed muscles or a blockage of blood flow. So, to clear the blockage from your veins and muscle, you must target the lower back and core. The dead bug is simple as all you need to do is lie on the ground to stretch the legs from your hands. 

It can accordingly provide muscular core contraction on the transverse abdominis, hip flexors, and rectus abdomen. But it might be painful for the first few times as it’s targeting the lower back. However, eventually the pain will subside.

  • Lie on your backside and stretch your legs and hand toward the ceiling.
  • Your legs should be in a tabletop position, and your knees must be bent around 90 degrees.
  • Raise your right thigh and left arm in slow motion towards the ceiling while another side must be straight.
  • Repeat the process to the other side and continue doing it for two minutes. 

Glute Bridge

The Glute bridge is vital to energize and release blood flow from your lower back as it engages the glutes and your core. It’s simple and effective, as you can lift your hips without hassle.

  • You must lie on your back so you can lift your back easily. 
  • Keep your hands to your side, as they will help you maintain the balance.
  • Bent your knees and keep your feet flat on the ground.
  • You must squeeze your abs and glutes while lifting your hip using the feet. 
  • Hold the position for a few moments when your body posture forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.

Forearm Planks

Bodyweight forearm planks can eliminate lower back pain by balancing your body on your toes and forearms. This makes your back strong, and keeping it straight stimulates blood flow.

When doing planks, squeeze your glutes to help relieve any lower back pain. You must keep your balance and maintain balance from thighs to shoulders. This is a great core exercise to treat lower back pain.

  • Your body should be straight from your shoulders to the heel, so you must place your forearms on the yoga mat to support your shoulders.
  • To put pressure on your core, you must extend your legs and keep your body straight by using your toes. 
  • You must understand that your body draws a straight line from shoulders to heels. 
  • Keep your back straight, and you should tuck your butt and suck your core and quads. If your butt is upwards to the ceiling, you aren’t doing it correctly.
  • The neck should be neutral, so you must focus on your hands to maintain balance.

How Light Therapy Helps With Back Pain Issues

Light therapy stimulates low lesser through your skin to treat back pain effortlessly. This therapy can increase the bloodstream to open the blocked vein to cure lower back pain. However, you must consult your doctor as some back injuries are too severe and cannot be treated with light therapy. 

Cellular Energy

To reduce chronic lower back pain, you must energize your mitochondrial system. And light therapy can help you regulate these cells as it has electromagnetic energy that absorbs in these cells. 

Moreover, this photonic energy turns cells into adenosine triphosphate. Providing power to multiple cellular processes to perform vital functions correctly. Also, healthy cells work swiftly to heal infected or injured areas, which means recovering from pain in no time. 

Reduce Inflammation

Reducing inflammation is an immune system that reacts to heal an injury or other infections. If your body isn’t capable of creating an immune system or inflammation, your wounds won’t heal. Additionally, your body has an acute inflammation system, which can heal tiny injuries such as swelling, ankle twists, sore throat, and many more. 

Light therapy can reduce chronic and acute inflammation as it can circulate the repairing cells in your body. And this process can support soothe the immune system to recover from injury swiftly. However, it is best to consult the doctor because sometimes, in this inflammation immune system gets extra protein and turns into cytokines, damaging the tissues. 

Stem Cell Activation

Your body requires stem cells to heal from any minor to severe damage. These cells are inactive yet still present in your body. However, they start to work when your body needs particular nutrients and energy to heal swiftly from damage. 

Indeed, light therapy has a low laser activation system that wakeup these stem cells and support the process. These cells travel through blood flow to reach the injured area and treat accordingly. 

Increased Collagen Production

This component is vital as it is present in muscles and connects our body’s tissues. Collagen production is the fundamental substance that requires by your skin is healing and nourishing. 

So, if any tissue gets damaged, your body needs collagen to heal the injury. Also, light therapy helps to stimulate blood cells that create a latticework of cells to heal the harmed tissues.  

Increase Blood Flow

Back pain or chronic pain occurs due to blockage from waste and vein shrinking problems. So it’s best to increase the blood flow that can open the blocked areas easily. Red light therapy circulates the blood flow and capillaries to treat the damaged area. Also, healthy flow can provide better oxygen and nutrients to cells. 

Bottom Line

These core exercises for lower back pain sufferers are vital to rest and follow the doctor’s instructions. Suppose your doctor has prescribed bed rest and prevented you from moving, then you must avoid the mentioned exercises. However, you can approach light therapy as it doesn’t require much physical movement. 

Also, painkillers don’t treats low back pain, and it only infuses it for a short time. So, it is best to consult your doctor if non of these therapies work.

Strength Programs >>

More Articles >>

Central Core Stabilization for Athletes
Articles, Guest Articles, Strength Training

Core Stabilization is Key to Success in Sports Athletes

Central Core Stabilization is Key to Success in Sports

Every professional athlete understands the importance of central core stabilization. And while some still underestimate its impact on one’s exercise effectiveness, more and more people start to implement core training into their workout routine. Ask any famous professional coach like Lucas James, and they will tell you that you will not get anywhere if you do not take care of your central stabilization.

Why is that? We will discuss it in a minute. Below, you will find all the information regarding central core stabilization, how it is essential to success in sport, and the best core exercises to add to your training routine. Read on and see for yourself how to take your workouts to the next level.

Definition of Core Stabilization

Core stability can be defined as an ability to control your body position and motion of the trunk over the pelvis and leg. That allows optimum power generation, distribution, and control of force and motion along the kinetic chain.

Central stability comes in handy, especially during the rotational movements, which are
required in almost any sport. In other words, every time you swing a tennis racket, shoot a football, throw a handball, or turn when skiing, it is your core stability that allows you to do it effectively.

That is not all, though. Strong central stability also allows athletes to hold their body
positions for an extended time. For instance, if you are a swimmer, your core is vital for you to maintain your hydrodynamic line in the pool. The same goes for runners, who require a strong core to maximize their power output.

Central Stabilization & Injury Prevention

Athletic performance is one thing. However, as mentioned in the title, there is much more to central stability than meets the eye. Whether you are an athlete or not, core stability plays a significant role in injury prevention.

Focusing on central core strength will help you stabilize injury-prone body areas and
rehabilitate lower limb injuries. That is because when the core is weak, an athlete starts
overusing other muscle groups in order to generate the force and movement they want. That puts more strain on muscles and joints, increasing the risk of injuring them.

For example, various researches have discovered that knee injuries are usually associated with weak hip muscles. Those force athletes to shift weight from their trunks to their knees, making them more prone to tearing. Because of that, a majority of conditioning and rehabilitation programs have started to emphasize hip strengthening and central stabilization.

Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Core Stability

Now that we have discussed how central core stabilization works and why it is the key to success in sport, it is time to show you what you can do to strengthen your core and improve its stability. Let’s take a look at some of the best exercises you can incorporate into your training routine:

1 – Marching Hip Bridge

This exercise focuses on lumbo-pelvic stability. To perform it, lay on your back with hands placed by your side. Then, lift your hips to the bridge position. Next, lift the right foot off the floor to 90 degrees at the hip and knee. Return the foot to the floor and do the same thing using your left foot. Repeat it 20 times while keeping the hips lifted and maintaining a neutral pelvis.

2 – Supine Toe Taps

Supine toe taps is a perfect exercise for core stability. Lie on your back on the floor with your arms by the side. Engage the abdominal muscles and draw the navel toward the spine.

Then, lift your knees to 90 degrees, and on a two-count, lower your right foot to touch the floor. Perform the same thing with your left foot, and repeat it 10 times.

3 – Plank With Torso Rotation

This one focuses mostly on core strength and shoulder stability. Position yourself into the traditional forearm plank. Then, lift the top arm over your chest and use your rib cage to rotate your body and draw your hand underneath the ribs. Repeat it 10 times and change sides.

Final Thoughts on Core Stabilization in Athletes

As you can see for yourself, central core stabilization is vital for improving your athletic performance. Moreover, even if you are not a professional athlete, maintaining a strong core will spare you a lot of trouble with potential injuries. With that in mind, make sure to implement the exercises provided above into your training. Also, remember that there are many more core stabilization exercises. We have merely scratched the surface.

For more information, we recommend contacting a professional physical therapist. They will tell you everything you need to know about strengthening your core. Then, contact a coach who will ensure you do all the exercises correctly. Central stabilization is not something you should underestimate, so it is vital to make sure you do everything the right way. Otherwise, you risk severe injuries.

Get a Program >>

More Articles >>

Sandbag Training | Using Sandbags for Strength Training
Articles, Guest Articles, Strength Training

Sandbag Training | Using Sandbags For Strength Training

Sandbag Training

Using Sandbags For Strength Training

Using sandbags for strength training has been around for quite some time. But not everyone has jumped on the bandwagon and traded their dumbbells for a burlap sandbag.

Besides being cheap to purchase (or making one yourself), sandbags offer several strength benefits that make it worthwhile in adding to your workout routine.

Here are a few examples…

Sandbag Training

Builds Core Strength

It’s always a good idea to strengthen your core muscles as much as you can. Core exercises strengthen your underlying muscle tissue and can help to prevent injuries.

When doing a sandbag strength training routine, you’re engaging your core muscles with almost every movement. Even if the exercise itself is not entirely focused on core strengthening.

A sandbag shifts it’s center of gravity constantly. Which feels different and often more difficult when compared to traditional weights. Also, by switching between different types of sandbag fillers, you can add diversity to your workout.

Sandbag Training Doesn’t Require Much Space

Barbells, plates, machines, and squat racks can all take up a lot of space. If you want to improve your strength, using sandbags for weight training is not only affordable, but they also require very little space. This makes them perfect for home gyms and home workouts where you can have a flexible way of working on your strength whenever you feel like it.

You can also take them anywhere. So if you ever find yourself somewhere lacking exercise equipment, for example when traveling, then getting a sandbag could be the answer!

Versatile Exercises

Sandbag workouts are not only effective but also versatile. You can use them for almost any type of exercise.

They can be used for traditional compound exercises such as squats, bench press, power cleans, deadlifts, and more. And because sandbags are soft, they have a low impact on your joints and you can perform less rigid movements.

There are exercises that are unique to sandbags such as the bear crawl; which are good for building stamina and working the core. There are also bear hug squats which are a good alternative to the front squat.

When it comes to cardio-related exercises, there are sandbag sprints and carries. These are not only high-intensity but they also heavily work the legs.

In a similar way you might use a wobble board for stability and balance, this sort of training can also be developed with a sandbag. You can even combine the two for a crazy stability building session. This work with unstable objects can be useful for many sports.

As you can see, sandbags can replace a lot of the equipment needed for most exercises.

Sandbags Come In Different Types

No matter which level you are in your fitness or strength training, you’ll find that there is a sandbag to accommodate your needs. Some bags can weigh up to 400 pounds; which are perfect for those wanting to gain serious strength.

You can also choose from different material qualities, the number of handles, and sizes.

As mentioned earlier, it’s possible to use different filler weights; you can add or remove them accordingly to suit different workouts. This makes them perfect for CrossFit routines where different exercises are performed in a single session.

Pricier sandbags can be water-resistant and withstand heavy-duty usage. With all the different sandbags available on the market, you shouldn’t have a problem finding one that can suit your level of fitness and your exact requirements.

Various Strength Training Variables

When compared to weight training, using a sandbag offers an excellent range of training variables to enhance your strength. Your body’s position, holding position, and the plane of motion can have a larger scale by using a sandbag when compared to traditional weights.

For example, there are around 11 positions to hold a sandbag versus only four positions when using a barbell. There’s a whole list of possibilities of training variables when you use sandbags.

These ways of lifting sandbags and making changes to your body’s position can alter how an exercise feels and the results that come afterward.

Also, planes of motion with a sandbag, such as shoulder squats, rotational lunges, and lateral drags, can make your strength training more elaborate and progressive.

Conclusion

Sandbag training can be a game-changer for your strength training routine. Depending on your fitness level, there is a lot of gym equipment that a weighted bag can replace.

As we’ve discussed, there are so many exercises that are possible with one training bag.

Progressing your strength training is very achievable using heavy sandbags. And if you want a versatile workout that you can perform almost anywhere, then a sandbag is a fantastic option!

2019 Core Strength Plank Challenge
Articles, Health and Wellness, Strength Training

2019 Core Strength Plank Challenge

2019 Core Strength Plank Challenge

It’s time for the 2019 Core Strength Plank Challenge for men and women! Test your core strength and see how many plate stacking planks you can do without stopping! 

You can even challenge your friends to see who has the stronger core! Build strong abs and earn a 6-pack!

Watch the video to see how it’s done!

2019 Core Strength Plank Challenge | Build Strong Abs and Win a 6-Pack!

Planks are great for building core strength and strong abs! However, adding weight AND movement together create a whole new challenge! And with new challenges comes new strength!

So, now it’s time to see how many you can do! Comment your score below! Make sure to take a video and tag @MathiasMethod on all your social media!

Remember to challenge your friends!

Also, if you liked this plank challenge, check out our Daily 30 Fitness Challenge! Learn how to perfect your bodyweight exercises with the Daily 30 and get our FREE Bodyweight Strength Training Guide!

For more, check out our exercise guide for all of our abs and core exercises to help you lose weight and get stronger!

Plank Challenge Rules

To properly test your core strength and join the plank challenge you must follow these rules:

  • Start in the proper plank position, with your forearms on the ground and feet shoulder-width apart. In this position, only the balls of your feet and both forearms should be touching the ground.
  • Have one stack of plates (10lbs, 5lbs, 2.5lbsx3, 5lbs, and 10lbs) just outside of either forearm and within reach.
  • Use your opposite arm to reach across, pick up one plate at a time, and bring it to the opposite side of your plank making a new stack.
  • Making one new stack on each side, or across and back to the start position, equals one rep.
  • DO NOT raise your hips too high and take your core out of the movement.
  • DO NOT twist your body and turn it into a side plank. Try to keep your hips square.
  • If you drop a plate or it hits the ground before making a new stack, you start the challenge over.
  • If the plate stack falls, you fail and start over.

How Strong Is Your Core Strength?

2019 Core Strength Plank Challenge