Training for core stability

[etexley]

One of the major obectives/milestones in my attempt to learn to use braces to learn to keep my core stabel for balance. A stabel core will make braces not only an arm exercise, but will make them practical for many activities like cooking, cleaning, etc.

I've talked to many different people, trying to understand the regimen that a recovering spinal injury needs to follow to recover my core muscles. The answers have varied from "give up boy" to "spin a dead cat over your head in the graveyard at midnight by the tail."

For about a year and a half I've been working just about every day on building my core muscles. My abdominal contraction is JUST tracible. My back muscles innervate through L2-L4, but they are not functional yet. Sittups? Crunches? I'm lying to myself if I think that throwing my arms over my head to give myself enough momentum to sit up is the answer.

So I've been lifting dumbells single handed while holding on to a set of home-made parallel bars with the other hand (don't try this at home before consulting with your doctor and a physio therapist.) You need a piece of wood fixed over the bars to put the weight on if you lose your balance...a spotter can't move fast enough.

Results? hardly any to speak of. in fact it was my arms that were tiring, and not my core.

But recently...I've discovered something! For several months, I trained with dumbells SEATED and I've strenghened my arms considerably. A recent pucture to my roho cushion stopped me from doing this routine. So I went back to the parallel bars...and you know what? Using a light weight..VERY light weight...my trained arms now bare the weight, while my core is the first to tire out. Ureka!

So my discovery is that if I "cross train" meaning that I train for a period of time seated...and then I train for a period of time standing...i just MIGHT be able to make progress.

Comments? Suggestions?

My exercises are simple and quite easy to do...a routine of shoulders, biceps, triceps.

I do three exercises for shoulders, including shoulder press, extending my arm in front of my body, and extending my arm to the side.

I do two bicep exercises, including a standard curl and a hammer curl

I do three exercises for triceps, including hammers...kick backs...and another (whose name I dont' remember.)

i do chest and a little back every other day. Now adays I've grown bored with a gym...I do EVERYTHING with rubber coated dumbells. It's much more efficient than a gym, cheaper, and less members of the opposite sex try to talk to me.

[The mom]

With your braces on, try push ups from your toes. Practicing control of your middle section strengthens the core.

If you have parallel bars, try bending over form the waist while in your braces, touch the floor and come up again? Yes, you will be using your arms and shoulders to pull up but you will see changes in your core. Working the top and bottom of the body together produces results in the middle and improved core strength. Be sure to go up and down using both sides to build evenly, even though you will probably have a stronger side.

[JustinB]

Sit on a bench (or other backless chair) with your shoulders 2 inches from the wall. Lean back until your shoulders touch, then pull yourself forward.

After 10-15 of these, instead of leaning back, twist so that one shoulder touches, then twist the other way.

Then, sit with a shoulder towards the wall. Lean in to the wall, stretching your side, then sit up. Repeat for other side.

If these are too difficult, shorten the gap. If they are too easy, lengthen the gap.

During all of these, try to keep your tummy tucked in.

At least, these are the excercises I used trying to trigger core.

-- JB

[abacoian]

Sit on a bench (or other backless chair) with your shoulders 2 inches from the wall. Lean back until your shoulders touch, then pull yourself forward.

After 10-15 of these, instead of leaning back, twist so that one shoulder touches, then twist the other way.

Then, sit with a shoulder towards the wall. Lean in to the wall, stretching your side, then sit up. Repeat for other side.

If these are too difficult, shorten the gap. If they are too easy, lengthen the gap.

During all of these, try to keep your tummy tucked in.

At least, these are the excercises I used trying to trigger core.

-- JB

When you do exercises like these how long do you need to do them before seeing a difference? A week, a month?

[05survivor]

try placing a stability behind your back against the wall. Using your weight to push back against the wall allow your back to use the ball to lower yourself to 90 degress or as close to it as possible. Do 2 sets of 17-22 reps. To easy use one leg bent up and just let one leg bear the weight as you let the ball lower. Same reps. Try doing your curls tris flys on the ball. Curls while sitting on ball with a smaller ball in between your legs. Will help core, inner thighs, and arms all at the same time. If too hard sitting on ball place against the wall and sit on it so the wall helps to give you balance. Tris with feet against the wall while laying(stomach on top of ball) try light weigts doing tei extensions. Flys lay with ball under back and shoulders, small ball in between legs (helps you to stay in bridge positions) Squeeze gluts(butt) while doing flys with balll in between legs.Will increase core strenght took me about 5 months to see strength increase and a smidgen of tone.

[abacoian]

what do you mean by a smidgen of tone?

[05survivor]

Meaning when I contract the abdominal I can feel the contraction and see it (if I'm pulling up my shirt and looking down at my belly

[JustinB]

When you do exercises like these how long do you need to do them before seeing a difference? A week, a month?

As with all SCI info, I think this varies from injury to injury.

These are the easiest out of pool core exercises that I was introduced to, and they are easily customized for individuals because you can simply change the distance between your shoulders and the wall, though small changes can make a huge difference in how difficult it is to complete the exercise.

I've viewed all exercises as "I'll do them regularly as long as they are both difficult and I can tell that I am doing them".

I'd like to do the ones that I can't tell I'm doing them more regularly, but I've found that very difficult to motivate myself for those (but am now trying biofeedback. At least it beeps, even though there is no feeling or visual result of trying to activate the muscle)

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-- JB