HOW: Get set up in a tall plank position with your hands on an elevated surface. Perform an incline push up with optimal form and arms roughly at a 45° angle from your body. Lower yourself down until your upper arms are parallel to the ground or chest touches the elevated surface, return to starting position and repeat.

 

FEEL: This should feel like an upper body workout working your chest, shoulder, and tricep muscles.

 

COMPENSATION: Keep a good plank form the entire time, don’t let your low back sag/arch. Listen to cues for arm and shoulder blade position.

HOW: Perform a jumping jack by jumping up and landing with your legs and arms spread wide. Next, jump into a narrow squat by bringing your legs in together lowering your body weight. Repeat. Stay light by remaining on your toes the entire time.

 

FEEL: You will feel the entire leg work with this exercise, primarily the quadriceps and the calves.

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid pausing in between each position, the transition is meant to be quick.

HOW: Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Keep the both feet entirely on the ground throughout the movement. Place your hands in front of you about shoulder height to help counterbalance your weight. Sink your hips down and backwards, and then stand back up.  FEEL: You should feel all of the thigh muscles and butt muscles working.

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the knees cave in or bow out. Keep equal weight distribution in both feet, and try not to let your hips shift left or right. Keep a neutral spine by keeping your core engaged to avoid having a over-arched or rounded back.

HOW: Perform a jumping jack by jumping up and landing with your legs and arms spread wide. Next, jump into a narrow squat by bringing your legs in together lowering your body weight. Repeat. Stay light by remaining on your toes the entire time.

 

FEEL: You will feel the entire leg work with this exercise, primarily the quadriceps and the calves.

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid pausing in between each position, the transition is meant to be quick.

When it comes to ab exercises, variations of the leg lift exercise are a staple for those in the fitness industry. However, why is it that sometimes you feel this exercise in your low back? I thought we were training abs?

Be sure to pay close attention to the entire video for comments and simple explanations in the bottom left corner. Below are some other explanations in more detail…

In terms of anterior musculature, the rectus abdominus and external obliques are responsible for keeping the pelvis posteriorly rotated. This limits excessive low back arching, associated with anterior pelvic tilt. These muscles have to FIGHT against stiffness from muscles responsible for anterior pelvic tilting. This includes the iliopsoas and erector spinae.

Because the legs are being lifted into the air, the hip flexors are being recruited. Without stabilizing the pelvis in a posteriorly tilted position prior to lifting the legs, the pelvis may anteriorly tilt and your low back may arch. This may be why you’re feeling this exercise in your low back!

SO be sure to watch the full video, watch for the cues and differences in form, and be sure to follow the tips to perform this exercise! It is important to understand when our muscles fatigue – we lose form. Focus on quality here!! If you’re eventually feeling it in your low back, those abs and external obliques may be fatigued.

HOW: Perform a jumping jack by jumping up and landing with your legs and arms spread wide. Next, jump into a narrow squat by bringing your legs in together lowering your body weight. Repeat. Stay light by remaining on your toes the entire time.

 

FEEL: You will feel the entire leg work with this exercise, primarily the quadriceps and the calves.

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid pausing in between each position, the transition is meant to be quick.