Core/Ab Exercises

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mandy031383
mandy031383 Posts: 94 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey, I was wondering if anyone knows of any good exercises for the core/abdomen that can be done standing etc. Preferably not on the floor. I have a bad lower back and some of the exercises I am doing now are putting me in pain during and after even with a mat under me so I have had to stop doing them. Especially lower leg lifts and things like this. I do planks which I know are great but I need other things also. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance :flowerforyou:

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  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    Hmm, my typical suggestions would be deadlifts and barbell squats, but I bet both might be an issue with your bad lower back - not knowing the nature of the problem.

    You can hang from a pull up bar and bring your knees into your chest. I forget the actual name of the exercise.

    Maybe Good Mornings.
  • Abells
    Abells Posts: 756 Member
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    much agreed on the compound lifts but if you can't lift weights due to your back I would invest in a BOSU ball. Anything that causes you to balance yourself will involve your core. Or a medicine ball -- big inflatable ones :)
  • TheRUBENone
    TheRUBENone Posts: 20 Member
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    jump on bodybuilding.com. they have a tone of different things you can do there. just type in core & a 100 things should pop up. good luck.
  • sunshine_gem
    sunshine_gem Posts: 390 Member
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    Have you tried using a gym ball? There are a lot of things you can do with it that shouldn't hurt your lower back. Even just using it to sit on instead of sitting on a chair or a sofa has an effect because you're constantly using your core to stabilise yourself. Other than that, I don't know. Hope it helped!
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    You can hang from a pull up bar and bring your knees into your chest. I forget the actual name of the exercise.
    I'm working on getting awesome at chin ups. Since I'm doing this on a Smith machine (and I'm tall) I have to hold my knees up while I do them. Nothing has ever made my stomach so sore in my entire life. Seriously, never. If you can't do those then do negatives. That's what I do after the first set anyway.

    You can probably just hang there and pull your knees up and just get the core body benefit too.
  • lmbigsby
    lmbigsby Posts: 36
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    Steam engines (elbow to opposite knee), started doing them as part of P90X, great core/ab exercise standing.
  • mandy031383
    mandy031383 Posts: 94 Member
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    Weights are fine atleast at a lighter weight I use 5-8 lb with no problem haven't gone heavier yet. I fractured the center of my pelvis where the spine and it meets when I was younger and diconnected my tailbone so it's very sore and hurts when I put pressure on it. It bothers me even when I sit in an uncomfterable bend or chair for to long. So the pressure of doing some ground exercises is just to much and causes serious pain and aches for a few days after.

    Thanks for all the suggestions so far!!!
  • cPT_Helice
    cPT_Helice Posts: 403
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    There are lots of standing abs routines. Just google search Standing Abs.
  • pinthin87
    pinthin87 Posts: 296 Member
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    Mountain climbers...no laying down on your back and they stimulate the hell out of the abs.
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    If you have access to a cable machine you can kneel, hold the handle close to your chest, and then use the weight resistance to do crunches just as effectively as you would laying on your back with gravity.
  • pobski
    pobski Posts: 42 Member
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    exercise ball situps worked for me when my back hurt. hanging leg raises as well.
  • Brim__
    Brim__ Posts: 14
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    steam engine . . . . .

    I did those last night . . the cardio X CD. . on my porch in 99 degree whether . . . wowzer !

    Those are great, though . . . you can definitely feel those muscles tightening up !
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I've been doing hanging knee raises, but you can also do them on dip station/bar or chairs. Also stomach vacuum. You can make planks harder by elevating your legs on a chair or coffee table. Not sure if you are doing various planks, but there are plank twists, plank tucks, etc.
  • arock1000
    arock1000 Posts: 61 Member
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    exercise ball situps worked for me when my back hurt. hanging leg raises as well.

    I thought you were going to say "One word...squats" :D
  • Jigglebewie
    Jigglebewie Posts: 344 Member
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    Hey,

    Zumba Fitness Boxset I have, has a Flat Abs workout and it's pretty good. I used this dvd for the first time today and I could defo feel my core

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