After training for and running the London Marathon two years ago, Jess Pritchard There remains a nagging feeling that is difficult to change.
“What started out as a small back problem turned into a daily, ongoing problem.” says certified trainer and group exercise instructor. Fit & Well.
The imbalance between her left glute, lower back and core worsened as she trained and taught spin classes until the only option was to stop.
“Over time, I realized I needed to rebuild my strength and control around my spine, pelvis, and core,” she says. And plank exercises won’t work.
“Planks are great for building basic strength,” she continues. “This exercise is really safe for the spine, so it’s a great beginner core exercise that you can work on getting harder as you progress.”
But they are static. As Pritchard points out, the core is used during all kinds of movements, including running, lifting objects, climbing stairs, and getting up from a sitting position. Properly training your core must reflect these multifunctional properties.
Going back to the beginning, Pritchard came up with a five-core movement routine that is now recognized for restoring balance to the core and pelvis.
Instead of simply isolating your muscles in static positions like a plank, these combinations teach your body to move as a unit.
“These exercises train dynamic control and teach your body to resist unwanted movements,” she says.
“They bridge the gap between abdominal training and actual movement. They’ve been key to reducing my pain and helping me feel strong, capable, and confident when I move.”
Strengthen your core with 5 movement routines
Pritchard admits that these exercises are “fairly intermediate to advanced” but could be made more beginner-friendly by using lighter weights or your own body weight.
“Go slow and aim for accuracy,” she says. “The goal is to build a solid core foundation that doesn’t rush things and actually supports you over the long term.”
This five-move core workout can be performed as a standalone exercise, or you can use the moves as a finishing move at the end of a regular session.
Pritchard recommends performing three sets of each exercise, working for 40 seconds, then resting for 20 seconds.
“Spray this throughout the week and repeat for six weeks,” advises Pritchard.
1. Aggravated Deadbug
set: 3 hour: 40 seconds remain: 20 seconds
- Lie on your back and hold a light dumbbell with both hands on your stomach.
- Lift your legs and bend your knees so your calves are parallel to the floor.
- Press your lower back into the floor while simultaneously lifting your upper back and contracting your abdominal muscles.
- While maintaining this position, alternately lower and straighten both legs.
“Dead bugs help build pelvic and core stability,” says Pritchard.
“To make this move easier, put the dumbbells away and perform a bodyweight deadbug. Extend one arm and the opposite leg away from your body, then return to center, then switch sides.”
If this is too tricky for you, take a look at the following, which are suitable for beginners. Dead bug fix.
2. Side Plank Hip Lift
set: 3 hour: 40 seconds each remain: 20 seconds
- Lie on your right side with your torso resting on your forearms, your elbows directly under your shoulders, and your left foot on top of your right.
- Raise your body so that it is in a straight line from head to toe.
- Keep your other arm at your side or extend it toward the ceiling.
- Slowly raise and lower your hips.
“This exercise helps build lateral core stability by targeting the oblique muscles that run down the sides of your abs,” says Pritchard.
“It gets easier if you hold the side plank for 40 seconds instead of moving your hips up and down.”
3. Weighted sit-ups that can reach overhead.
set: 3 hour: 40 seconds remain: 20 seconds
- Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you.
- Hold a dumbbell in both hands above your head.
- Brace your core and slowly lower your torso to the floor, keeping your arms vertical.
- Use your core to lift your torso back to the starting position.
“Adding a weighted overhead element to these sit-ups allows your core and shoulders to work together to maintain strong posture,” says Pritchard.
“To make it more beginner-friendly, lower the weight and extend your arms to learn the technique.”
4. Kneeling Firewood
set: 3 hour: 40 seconds each remain: 20 seconds
- Get into a half-kneeling position with your left knee on the floor and your right foot on the floor in front of you, holding a dumbbell in both hands next to your left hip.
- Keeping your core tight and your arms straight, lift the dumbbells diagonally across your body, rotating your torso.
- Keep your eyes on the dumbbells throughout the exercise.
- Lower the weight slowly at first.
“Performing this movement while on your knees increases the demand on all your core muscles, front and back, to stabilize your spine,” says Pritchard.
You can make this easier by replacing the dumbbells with a resistance band, attaching it to a sturdy anchor point, and pulling it across your body in the same motion.
5. Marching overhead
set: 3 hour: 40 seconds remain: 20 seconds
- Stand holding a light dumbbell in your right hand overhead and extend your left arm to the side to help with balance.
- Slowly march from that position, raising one knee to hip height and the other knee to hip height.
- Switch arms after 20 seconds.
“I love this product for training good posture, especially for runners and people who have to sit a lot to maintain a slouched posture,” says Pritchard.
“To reverse, hold light dumbbells against your shoulders rather than pressing them overhead.”
