It is important to remember that your core consists of the muscles that stabilize the spine and hips, and includes all the muscles of the abdomen, back, glutes and upper legs. Your core isn’t just your belly as many people think it is.
A strong core helps protect your entire midsection and enhances both mobility and stability. improves movement and keeps the muscles functioning in coordination with one another. This, of course, helps improve balance, posture and strength.
Many believe that performing exercises while lying supine increases core strength. While these exercises can help improve abdominal strength, the entire core must be challenged to help improve total-body function. The better approach is to use a variety of stances, such as single-leg, supine and prone to incorporate a wide range of movements.
Our 4th core exercise, as the ones before it, does just that – incorporates a wide range of movements while challenging your entire core. This month your exercise is a Single-Leg Medicine Ball Ax Chop. We have listed various versions to pick the one appropriate to your fitness level and gradually build to the advanced version.
Single-Leg Medicine Ball Ax Chop:
- Beginner: Stand on both feet and take your arms overhead, slightly over the left shoulder. Swing them down (with control) towards your right hip. Slowly bring your arms back to starting position. Repeat 8-10 times each side.
- Stand on your right leg and raise your arms overhead, slightly over the left shoulder. Swing your arms down towards the outside of your right hip. Try to keep your torso upright, with a slight constant bend in your right leg. Slowly bring arms back up to starting position and repeat 8-10 times on each leg.
- Intermediate – Stand on your right leg and raise your arms overhead, slightly over the left shoulder. Swing your arms down towards the outside of your right knee. Try to keep your torso upright, with a slight constant bend in the right leg. Slowly bring arms back up to starting position and repeat 8-10 times on each leg.
- Advanced – Grab a 5- to 10-pound medicine ball and stand on the right leg. Raise the medicine ball overhead, slightly over the left shoulder. Swing it down quickly, but with control, to the outside of the right leg. Try to keep the torso upright, with a slight constant bend in the right leg. Slowly bring it back up to starting position and repeat eight to 10 times on each leg.
As with all our previous exercises remember that an effective workout program for the mid-section consists of a targeted approach for all of the muscles surrounding the trunk and not just the belly.
Remember, if you don’t understand the description or have questions about the exercise – PLEASE ask us before attempting it. We are here to help you.