Core Muscles: It's Not as Difficult as You Think

Core stability - important for every sport

Exercises to build core muscles: Injury prevention begins with good movement control. The tilting of the pelvis is very important here. This article explains why.

Core stability: strengthening the middle

When it comes to rehabilitation of sports injuries, there is always talk of rehabilitation of the lower back (lumbar spine) and pelvis begins with a “neutral spine”. Good posture naturally means standing with a “neutral backbone”, ie with a slight lordosis in the spinal area (the lumbar area is slightly bent forward), with the front hips at the same height and forming a line.

The neutral backbone is the basis for good posture control, and not only during sports. However, in order to maintain a neutral spine even with exercise and exertion, you need to know how to tilt and hold your pelvis. Showing athletes how to tilt their pelvis correctly is certainly not an exercise that is “in” right now. On the other hand, stability of the center of the body and strengthening of the upper body can only be achieved if you have mastered this special art of body movement.

Certainly also interesting: No more back pain - Stuart McGill's back code

What is a pelvic tilt?

Fig. 1: Pelvis tilting backwards -
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A distinction is made between tilting the pelvis forwards and backwards. The movement is quite simple, but the execution can create confusion as the pelvis has to be moved back and forth.

When tilting forward, the front of the pelvis moves down and the back of the pelvis moves up. When tilting backwards, it is exactly the opposite: the back of the pelvis goes down and the front of the pelvis up (see Fig. 1).

The extensor muscles of the lower back are mainly involved in tilting the pelvis forward, but with the support of the hip flexors. When the pelvis is tilted backwards, the lower abdominal muscles contract and the gluteal muscles are tense. Ideally, you should tilt the pelvis backwards over the building muscles and without tensing the gluteal muscles. The forward and backward pelvic tilts take place at the opposite ends of the neutral spine - or, in other words, the neutral spine is located exactly in the middle between the forward and backward pelvic tilt.

As long as you cannot tilt the pelvis in a controlled manner while standing, you will not be able to complete the exercises in the context of injury rehabilitation technically flawlessly.

Important: core training - how much is necessary?

Exercises to build the core muscles: Instructions for tilting the pelvis

Exercises to build the core muscles:
Instructions for tilting the pelvis -
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While the movement is basically quite simple, it can prove difficult in practice. Reasons for this are, for example, that the brain has problems with the implementation, the joints may be stiff and not used to such a movement, and the muscles are weak and / or work incorrectly.

If you've never done this exercise before, don't expect everything to work out right the first time. Just try different things and decide what is best for you. Here are some suggestions:

Core Muscle Building Exercises: General Tips

To practice, stand sideways in front of a mirror so that you have a clear view of your lower back, buttocks and pelvis.
Watch a person who has mastered pelvic tilt perform the exercise.
Make sure your knees are straight and your chest is raised (chest out).

Exercises to build the core muscles: Tips for tilting the pelvis backwards

Try to push your pelvis down (push your buttocks forward).
Make the buttocks completely flat.
Lift the pubic bone towards the ceiling.

Exercises to build the core muscles: Tips for tilting the pelvis forwards

Arch only the lower part of the spine.
Stretch your buttocks out backwards.
The pubic bone goes towards the floor.

You can also do the pelvic tilt exercise: lying on your stomach, back, or sitting. The movement works in any of these positions. Find out for yourself which one is best for you.

Stable posture

Once the pelvic tilt works fine forwards and backwards, you can try the following exercises. The aim of each exercise is to tilt it slightly in the direction indicated. While doing the exercise, hold this position using the muscles to help - they are designed to "destabilize" your pelvic tilt.

Exercises to build up the core muscles: Leg extension while lying down

Fig. 2: Leg extension while lying down -
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Almost everyone who goes to the gym does this strengthening exercise with the pelvis tilted back - but mostly wrong.

Lie on your back with your hips and knees at 90 degrees with your arms at your sides.
Tilt your pelvis back so your lumbar region is flat on the floor. Now stretch out one leg.
Stop immediately if you notice your lumbar region bulging and lifting off the floor. Bring your knees back to the starting position.
Repeat this exercise with the other leg.
At first you can stretch your leg diagonally. As your lower abs become stronger, straighten your leg in a horizontal line so that it is parallel to the floor. If you can do this with ease, increase the exercise by straightening both legs at the same time.
Do up to 10 repetitions alternating with each side, but only for as long as you can hold the pelvic tilt. Stop when you feel like you are losing control of the movement.

If you can effortlessly tilt your pelvis backwards with your legs outstretched and heels above the floor, then you have achieved very good strengthening of your lower abdominal muscles.

Exercises to build up the core muscles: hip extension in the prone position

This exercise strengthens the pelvis by tilting it backwards:

Lie on your prone position, rest your forehead on your hands, and begin tilting your pelvis back slightly.
Then tense the gluteal muscles on one side and lift the thigh a few centimeters above the floor with the leg extended (lifting movement from the hip).
Hold briefly, then put the leg down again and repeat the exercise with the other leg.
Make sure that you do not tilt to the side when changing legs: the hips must always be at the same height.
If the lower abdominal muscles do not sufficiently stabilize the position of the pelvis, the pelvis tilts forward when the leg is lifted (this results in an overstretching of the lower back area).
Do up to 10 repetitions alternating with each side, but only if you can hold the pelvic tilt for that long. Stop when you feel like you are losing control of the movement.

Core Building Exercises: Romanian Deadlift

Fig. 3: Core Builder Exercises - Romanian Deadlift
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There is no better exercise to train holding your pelvis tilted forward:

Stand on your side in front of a mirror and hold a light barbell (or broomstick) in front of you with your arms straight.
Lower the barbell and perform this movement from your hips, knees only slightly bent.
Lower the barbell just enough to feel a stretch in the hamstrings. If you go beyond this point, you automatically give up pelvic and lower back posture.
Hold this position for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position. Then do the exercise again.
Try to keep your pelvis tilted forward during this movement so that the slight curve in the lumbar vertebrae is retained.
Do up to 10 repetitions, but only if you can hold the pelvic tilt for that long.

With this exercise, you train to keep the pelvis tilted forwards while straining the hamstrings and to tilt it backwards at the lowest point of the movement against your own body weight with the spine bent.

You can find out more about the topic here:

The Best Exercise For Your Back - The Deadlift!

Exercises to build the core muscles: additional strengthening

Once you can properly hold the pelvic tilt, you can try holding that position and lower abdominal muscles and further and back muscles.

Probably the best exercise for keeping the pelvis tilted backwards is the "plank," in which you prop your body on your elbows and toes and hold it just above the floor. Another good example is lifting dumbbells on the exercise ball.

Core training: lifting dumbbells on the exercise ball

Lie on your back on an exercise ball with your torso. The feet are flat on the floor, knees and feet are hip-width apart.
Tense your glutes and tilt your pelvis back slightly so your buttocks are completely flat.
Grasp a dumbbell with both hands and straighten your arms straight up at chest level.
Lower the dumbbell back over your head and bring it back in a controlled motion.
During this exercise, keep your pelvis tilted backwards; there must be no bulge in the lumbar vertebra area.

If you want to increase the load on the pelvic tilt a little, you can put extra weight on the barbell with the Romanian deadlift. Then at the lowest point of the deadlift, you can also do additional rowing movements, leaning forward, by pulling the barbell towards your chest and lowering it again. Do the number of repetitions you want, always making sure your pelvis and lower back are in the correct position.

My favorite exercise, the one-legged squat, is also intensive strength training for tilting the pelvis forward.

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A practical, no-nonsense approach to building core strength, Core Strength Training will help beginners and fitness fanatics improve mobility, correct poor posture, relieve pain, and add to overall fitness. Core Strength Training features more than 150 core exercises accompanied by step-by-step instructions and art, as well as hints and tips for perfecting technique and avoiding injury and illustrations illuminating various muscle groups.

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