Exactly what is the job of your core? The duty of your core is to keep your spine stable while your legs and arms move. You’re capable performing 50 crunches every day—congratulations—but that crunch is flexing your spine, not stabilizing it. Fitness exercises like crunches don’t inform you of just how strong your core really is. If you’d like to find out how powerful your core genuinely is, then take this next fitness test to find out how fit you actually are.
Testing Your Core Stability – Walk Outs
For this test you’ll need to get down on the floor on your hands and knees. Keep your back straight, palms flat on the floor aligned under your shoulders and your knees should be bent at a 90˚ angle. Tighten your butt and your abs; then, while maintaining straight arms, gradually walk both arms away from you—as far away as possible—and hold this position for 20 seconds. Then, keeping control and good form, slowly return to the starting position by walking your hands backward. You must redo the test if your hips sag, you lose proper form or you fall.
The Core Results
Your test “score” is in! If your thighs were…
- Greater than a 45˚ angle to the floor and/or you weren’t able to maintain the position for 20 seconds, you’re below average.
- Under a 45˚ angle to the floor, you’re average.
- Almost parallel with the floor, you’re above average.
Is your core strong or do you still have some work to do?
The Middle Make-Over
If you scored a “below average” in this test, you might consider concentrating on performing a plank exercise until you can sustain it for 30 seconds. To start the plank, go into a modified push-up; your legs need to be stretched out straight behind you and your forearms should be on the floor under your chest. Squeeze your rear end and your abs and prop yourself up onto your toes to create a bridge and support this pose for as long as possible. Your body should always be in a straight line from your head to your feet—never let your hips or back drop toward the floor. A variation of this is to balance yourself on an unsteady item such as a BOSU trainer, a stability ball or a Valslide. In order to maintain your stability, your core will need to work that much harder.
You’re doing great! There are only four more tests so stay tuned and keep up the wonderful work!
Teri
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