Core Building - No Gym - No time

pawprint_net

Looking for some kind of core strength exercise I can do given the following "conditions"

I have roughly 10 mins to exercise each set usually on a my breaks while my coffee is brewing (currently I fit in between 100-200 push-ups each day during these times by doing 50 each time)

I have no equipment but I do have a good bit of floor space.

I can't do crunches because I have a bad back and really bad neck and when I tried that I basically crippled my neck for several weeks.

Any suggestions?

ukhennin

Front and side planks.

taso42_DELETED

Can you do leg raises?

Do you sit at a desk? If so, you can get one of those exercise balls and use it instead of a chair. It will engage your core.

Witchypoo777

The Plank!! :happy:

http://www.mensfitness.com/fitness/ab-exercises/plank

rileysowner

Crunches are really not that good for core work anyway. I would suggest the Turbulance Training for Abs approach. I believe it can be found for free download, the the beginning program is this (IIRC) You can sign up for the free download of the PDF here http://www.turbulencetrainingforabs.com/

Plank for 20 seconds
Side Plank for 10 seconds each side
Then an exercise I can't remember the name of where you go on hands and knees and holding your core tight extend your Right arm and Left leg hold that for a second or two then alternate to the Left arm and Right leg. I believe it at 8 or 10 per side, then rest for a minute, and repeat the whole thing. I believe you go through it 3 times. I have extended the times a bit for me as well.

The intermediate and advanced workouts us one of those big exercise balls (swiss balls) and use various other exercises. This sequence would be a good place to start.

Enigmatica

How about a slosh pipe? I think they're fun!

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=slosh+pipe+exercises&aq=2&aqi=g5&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=243d362c489fc7c&biw=1056&bih=615

bethvandenberg

planks, side planks, leg raises, etc. Google core exercises and you'll end up with a ton of non crunch exercises.

foreverjade

As everyone else says, the plank - but with ins and outs/knee lifts/oblique knee lifts/pulses

OR

C-sits - with twists/knee lifts/superman

OR

use a resistance band and do v-sit ins and outs with it wrapped around your feet and holding the handles

peteyTwang

Definitely go with the "EXERCISE" ball... see http://www.gofit.net/pro-stability-balls.php
You don't need to use it as a chair either... just get one and grab it for those 10 minutes...
I can't do a crunch on the floor either but I can do several variations of crunches and twists on the ball. Almost everything on a 'Stability Ball' is going to fix your posture and call on you to employ your core and your abs to balance yourself .

GoFit balls come with Core Performance founder Mark Verstegen's workout DVD.
There are loads of other great books and resources out there...check your library or google up a million
here "swiss ball" is another name for it:
http://www.sixpacknow.com/swiss_ball.html

bmontgomery87

planks and excercise balls.

pawprint_net

Thanks everyone - This is a bunch of GREAT ideas!!!

I tried the plank already (as I sit here sipping a coffee) managed to hold it for 1:20 so I have some work to do there - but man did I feel it - this is near in perfect for what I was looking for.

I should have mentioned the exercise ball - I may try that again but I can't just sit on one - I did and my back really got upset with me - I currently have a special ergo chair and it's been the only thing that lets me survive my work schedule (= 10-18hours at the computer each day)

I'm going to Google up some of these others but the plank (and I'll try side planks next) so far is totally what I was looking for!

rileysowner

Here are a bunch of videos for core work, many using the ball.

http://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=turbulance+training+abs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=turbulence+training+abs&hl=en&safe=off&client=ubuntu&hs=MbQ&channel=fs&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbm=vid&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=lee2TdTcK5CJ0QGd4eXlDw&ved=0CDcQqwQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=cd1460aae309a635

peteyTwang

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-do-the-Scorpions-28029134

just discovered these "Scorpions" -- another excellent core exercise that don't require a ball
look for Mark's book CORE PERFORMANCE:The Revolutionary Workout Program to Transform Your Body and Your Life