A Question of Technique – Level 3 30 Day Shred

Treadmillmom1st

Advice re my technique would be greatly appreciated.

30 Day Shred, Level 3 Abs workout. The girls lie on their backs, hands flat under their hips, lift straight legs off the grounds and scissor their legs.

I’m doing something wrong as the small of my back really arches and I can feel allot of pull on my lower back. I can feel the exercise in my lower abs, which is great, but I am fearful of injuring myself.

I tried rolling a cushion into the small of my back but that did not help at all.

Your thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

DouMc

Hi, I haven't reached level 3 yet (should be there at the weekend) but I think for moves like that you should have the small of your back pressed against the floor so you but your hands under your bum to make your back go down. Does that make any sense? And also I could be completely wrong but I remember something like that from doing pilates.

gxm17

I'm not familiar with the workout. If it's the exercise that has both legs off the floor and then scissoring your ankles (side to side) then to modify you should lift your legs high enough that your back stays on the ground. If it's Pilates scissors where you lift your legs off the floor and alternate bringing them toward your head (scissoring up and back) then the modification would be to bend your knees or do Pilates toe taps. Work with the exercise, modify it, so that you can do it comfortably.

Treadmillmom1st

Hi, I haven't reached level 3 yet (should be there at the weekend) but I think for moves like that you should have the small of your back pressed against the floor so you but your hands under your bum to make your back go down. Does that make any sense? And also I could be completely wrong but I remember something like that from doing pilates.

Okay, I understand, I'll try that.

Mokey41

Part of it is that you aren't strong enough yet to support your legs being up like that so you're calling on muscles you don't normally use to hold yourself up. Your body is compensating by arching your back. A yoga trick is to put a folded blanket under you butt to force the arch of your back to lay down. You can do that as suggested by shoving your hands under your butt cheeks too and forcing your back flat to the floor. That exercise is to work your lower abs but when you let your back arch you're pulling your upper body into it to try to compensate.

Treadmillmom1st

Thank you ladies, your advice was spot, popped a cushion under my bum so my lower back was forced to the ground and it worked a treat.