Power Walking: Core exercises for week 2

Here we have the first sequence of 4 exercises for our core training sessions:

1. Toe Touch

Lie on your back, with arms by your side.

Pull your knees up and hold them in the air, making a 90 degrees angle at your hips and knees.

Hold one leg in position, the lower the other foot and touch the toe lightly on the floor before returning to the start position.

Repeat with the other leg.

Toe Touch

Repeat 10 times

2. The Cat

Position yourself on all fours with your weight evenly distributed between hands and knees and the back long and straight.

Contract all of the muscles surrounding your abdomen and breathe normally.

Without collapsing the supporting hand, extend your left leg directly backwards and right arm directly forwards and hold for 5 seconds.

Return to the start position.

Repeat the above with right leg/left arm.

The cat

Repeat 5 times

3. Shoulder Bridge

Lie on your back, hands by your side and knees bent with feet shoulder-width apart.

Roll your hips to the ceiling until you are resting on your shoulders with a straight line from shoulders to hips to knees and hold for 10 seconds.

Return to start position.

Shoulder Bridge

Repeat 5 times

4. Lower back

Lie face down with arms out on the side and elbows bent at 90 degrees.

Lift right arm and left leg, hold for 5 seconds.

Return to start position.

Lift left arm and right leg and hold for 5 seconds.

Lower Back

Repeat 10 times

This sequence should not take you more than 5-6 minutes, so I suggest repeating it twice for a complete core training session.

Reference:
Greg Whyte (2008)  - Get fit not fat, 150 ways to build fitness into your life