Blast Your Core With This Workout!

Written by Marco Cappizzano & Becky Colwell

The past year has seen some major changes in the world that have seriously impacted the health and wellness industry. With many gyms closed and equipment becoming difficult and expensive to find, Becky Colwell, Registered Physiotherapist, and myself, founder of Toronto’s b-Stretched, have put together a three-part series that shows you can still get a great workout at home with a simple set of resistance bands.  

Resistance bands are a great tool and staple piece of equipment to have at home. Not only are they inexpensive, but they take up minimal room – are easy to stash away in your closet or travel with – come in varying resistances, and can be hooked to stationary objects. Their versatility lends to their use in a wide variety of movements that can be used to build an effective, balanced workout.

In the first part of this three-part series, we’re going to take a look at five easy to do exercises that you can do with resistance bands to strengthen your core; more than just getting those “washboard abs”, a strong core is essential to the proper strength and support in so many other movements. Therefore, we want to make sure that we give it the attention that it deserves, which resistance bands allow us to do from any location:

Series 1: Core--

Russian Twist

1. Sit on floor with band between hands, arms outstretched.
2. Engage core into gentle pelvic tilt and lift heels off floor. Put small amount of resistance through band by moving arms apart.
3. Rotate upper body as one unit from side to side, trying to maintain same amount of tension on the band throughout.

 

Plank Taps

1. Get into high plank position with band wrapped around ankles.
2. Wrists should be stacked under shoulders and core engaged-- think of aiming for a straight line along your back from head to heels.
3. Tap alternating toes out away from body, pushing into the band resistance, returning back to centre each time.
4. Repeat.

 

Pallof Press

1. Attach band to something at about waist height, i.e. a doorknob
2. Walk sideways with the band away from the fixed location until it feels like the band is pulling you back into rotation.
3. Gather yourself into an athletic stance with knees slightly bent, shoulders, ribs and pelvis stacked.
4. Slowly push band away from you until arms are straight. Pause. Return back to starting position. Repeat. Switch to opposite side.

 

Dead Bugs

1. Lie on back with arms extended toward the ceiling and knees bent into a 90d position. The band should be wrapped around opposite hand and foot.
2. Engage core into a gentle posterior pelvic tilt, so that your low back is flat on the floor.
3. Push band away until arm and leg are straight.
4. Return to starting position. Repeat. Switch to opposite side.

 

Bird Dog

1. Get into tabletop position with band wrapped around opposite hand and foot.
2. Engage core, moving into gentle posterior pelvic tilt & stabilize through shoulder blades.
3. Lift opposite hand and foot and push band away until arm and leg are straight, making effort to avoid dumping into the low back.
4. Return to starting position. Repeat. Switch to opposite side.