This 8-minute core workout builds strength and can reduce back pain
If you've ever been to a Pilates class you'll know that there's a huge emphasis on building a strong core. From protecting against injury, to reducing back pain, sculpting muscle and improving posture, strengthening your core muscles – abdominals, lower back and pelvic floor – has a multitude of benefits.
"In Pilates we believe that everything radiates from the core, so functional core strength is key," explains Pilates instructor, author, and founder of 'Pilates PT', Hollie Grant. And, luckily for us – and our cores – Grant has designed a workout that takes less than eight minutes and builds core endurance and strength.
Meet your PT: Hollie Grant
What's your favourite exercise?
The Dead Bug. In Pilates we talk a lot about the mind-body connection, body awareness and technique, and I feel all of these are covered in a Dead Bug. You're recruiting numerous muscles to maintain a neutral pelvis, you're moving slowly with purpose – it highlights how muscle fascia works to stabilise the body as you move.
And what's the most overrated exercise in your opinion?
Burpees with too much added to them. To do a good Burpee requires control, concentration and technique.
The reason so many people hate them is because their body is telling them it doesn’t feel right, so to add in extra challenges will make them even more uncomfortable. Instead take the time to perfect them – done properly they need no extra bells and whistles to get you working hard.
What's your best training tip?
It's better to do the easier option of an exercise well than to do the harder version poorly.
Hollie's 8-minute core strengthener
Do: Perform each exercise for 30 seconds – or as long as you're able to maintain good technique – back to back with 20-seconds rest between each exercise. Do the circuit once through. No need to repeat.
Dead Bug
a) Lie on your back with your legs in tabletop and your arms extended up into the air above your shoulders. Ensure you have a neutral pelvis throughout this exercise.
b) Exhale and extend your left leg towards the end of the mat and reach your right arm overhead, all whilst maintaining a neutral pelvis.
c) Inhale to return. Repeat with the other arm and leg. Make sure you don’t arch your back away from the floor or pop your ribs.
Crunch
a) Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor, a neutral pelvis and fingers to temples with the elbows wide.
b) Inhale to nod the head towards the chest and exhale to lift the head and shoulders away from the floor, bringing the ribs towards the pelvis.
c) Inhale to stay here, ensuring you have a neutral pelvis and aren’t pushing the lower back in to the floor.
d) Exhale to lower back down to the start position with control.
Bicycle Crunch
a) Lie on your back with your legs in tabletop, your fingers to your temples with your elbows wide.
b) Lift the head and shoulders away from the floor.
c) Exhale and extend your left leg towards the end of your mat whilst rotating the upper body towards the right bent knee.
d) Inhale to return back to the centre before exhaling to extend the right leg and rotating the upper body towards the left bent knee. Repeat.
Bird Dog – Left
a) Start in four-point kneeling (hands and knees) with a neutral spine. Imagine there is a tray of champagne on your back that you are trying to keep steady and still.
b) Breathe in and engage the pelvic floor and transverse abdominal (your corset abdominal).
c) As you exhale extend the left arm out in front of you, and reach the right leg out behind you aiming to bring the hand and foot in line with the spine (not higher).
d) It’s important you maintain a nice neutral spine and don’t spill the champagne. Inhale to return. Exhale to repeat.
Bird Dog – Right
a) Start in four-point kneeling (hands and knees) with a neutral spine. Imagine there is a tray of champagne on your back that you are trying to keep steady and still.
b) Breathe in and engage the pelvic floor and transverse abdominal (your corset abdominal).
c) As you exhale extend the right arm out in front of you, and reach the left leg out behind you aiming to bring the hand and foot in line with the spine (not higher).
d) It’s important you maintain a nice neutral spine and don’t spill the champagne. Inhale to return. Exhale to repeat.
Forearm Plank
a) Start with your knees on the floor, resting on your forearms, with your hands clasped together to help engage your shoulder stabilisers.
b) Inhale to engage the pelvic floor and core, and as you exhale lift the knees off the floor to come into a long low line.
c) Continue to breathe throughout. Remember that a plank is a full body exercise so ensure your glutes are engaged, the quads drawn up, the belly button pulled in and the pelvis neutral.
Back Extensors
a) Lie on your front, hands stacked one on top of the other underneath your forehead like a little pillow, legs straight and hip width apart.
b) Inhale and draw your belly button away from the floor to engage the core.
c) Exhale to lift the head, arms and forehead away from the floor, bringing the body into a long low line (don’t come up too high)
d) Inhale to stay, and exhale to lower yourself back to the start with control.
Thread the Needle – Left
a) Start in a side plank position on your left side – left hand on the floor, arm straight, legs straight, body in a diagonal line, right arm extended up towards the ceiling.
b) Inhale to reach the right arm underneath the left armpit, rotating the body to the left.
c) Exhale to uncurl and reach the right arm back up towards the ceiling to come back to your start position.
d) Ensure your glutes remain engaged and don’t sink into the left shoulder.
Thread the Needle – Right
a) Start in a side plank position – right hand on the floor, arm straight, legs straight, body in a diagonal line, left arm extended up towards the ceiling.
b) Inhale to reach the left arm underneath the right armpit, rotating the body to the right.
c) Exhale to uncurl and reach the left arm back up towards the ceiling to come back to your start position.
d) Ensure your glutes remain engaged and don’t sink into the right shoulder.
How to make this workout easier
Increase rest time between exercises to 30 seconds and reduce the 'working time' (how long you're performing each exercise) to 20 seconds.
How to make this workout more challenging
Reduce your rest time to 10 seconds, aim for 45 seconds for each exercise and perform two rounds of the circuit.
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