Core muscles are muscles of the center of your body (trunk and hips) that help to support and stabilize your body when you move.
A strong core can help to improve posture, prevent or reduce back pain and improve athletic performance.
Many core exercises can be done without any equipment.
For most of theses exercises, you will be doing repetitions as you have done for the exercises with free weights or bands. However, since the resistance for these exercises is your body weight, you will have to adjust how far you go into the movement to make it easier or harder.
For some exercises, you can hold the position to make the exercise more difficult. Start with just a few seconds then increase the duration.
Make sure that you do not hold your breath while your are holding a position.
You may not be able to do all of these exercises. If you have been told by your cardiac surgeon, cardiologist or any other health care provider to avoid certain movements, please continue to follow these recommendations and verify with us if you remain uncertain. You typically have to wait 2-3 months after open heart surgery before you can go on your hands and knees.
PELVIC TILT
Lie on your back, feet flat, knees bent, arms relaxed at side with palms down
For many people, you will notice a slight hollow in your low back (a gap between your low back and the floor or bed)
Tighten your lower abdominal (belly) muscles to flatten your back against the bed or floor
Hold this position without holding your breath
Relax and return to the starting position, you may feel your low back lift off the supporting surface
Once you have mastered this exercise in lying, you can use it in other positions to protect your back, especially during lifting
You can make this exercise more difficult by moving your legs while keeping your back flat. Please ask us how to progress the exercise.
ABDOMINAL CRUNCH
Lay on you back, knees bent, feet flat
Arms forward with hands on your thighs
Tighten your abdominal (belly) muscles to lift your shoulder blades and upper back off the floor or bed, sliding your hands along your thighs
Slowly return your shoulders and upper back to the floor
You can also support the weight of your head with your hands but make sure not to pull your head forward and strain your neck
SITTING ABDOMINAL CRUNCH (EASIER OPTION)
You can do this exercise if the abdominal crunch on your back is too difficult
Sit straight with your hips near the front of a sturdy chair
Tighten your abdominal (belly) muscles and slowly lean back, letting your pelvis tip back and your spine curl
Lean back as far as you can without losing control and falling back towards the backrest
Return to a tall, straight position with your shoulders aligned directly over the hips
BRIDGE
Lie flat on your back with your arms at your side
Bend knees up so that your feet are flat on the floor or bed
Lift your hips up toward the ceiling to make a bridge
Lower down slowly, with control
If this is easy, you can straighten out one leg once your hips are up
FOUR POINT ARM AND LEG RAISE
Start on your hands and knees, hips and shoulders at 90°
Do a pelvic tilt as shown above to keep your back straight
Lift one arm straight out in front and the opposite leg straight back at the same time
If you keep your abdominal (belly) muscles) tight, you should not be able to lift your leg higher than your hip
Bring the arm and leg down
Repeat with the opposite arm and leg
If you cannot kneel, you can do this same exercise, lying on your stomach with a pillow lengthwise under your chest and your hips
SIDE LEG RAISE, SIDE LYING
Lie on side, keeping the bottom leg bent and the top leg straight
Raise the top leg up, moving from the hip until your foot is just slightly higher than your top shoulder
Make sure your foot stays pointing forward, not towards the ceiling
Lower the leg down slowly
If this exercise is too difficult, try it in standing instead
SIDE LEG RAISE, STANDING (EASIER OPTION)
Stand holding onto the backrest of a chair or counter at your side for support
Lift the opposite leg out to the side, keeping your knee straight and your toes pointing forward
Stop if you start to lean sideways or bend at your trunk
Slowly return to the start position
This exercise can also be done with an elastic band
SQUAT
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing forward
Keep more weight over heels than toes
Squat down by bending at hips and knees
Keep your back flat, your knees over your toes and your head up
Only go down as far as is comfortable for you
Return to a standing position
If needed, you can hold onto the backrest of a chair placed in front of you to help with balance
You can use weights to make this exercise more difficult
LUNGE FORWARD
Stand tall with your back straight
Take a big step forward with one leg
Bend both knees to bring the back knee towards the floor
Only go down as far as is comfortable for you
Keep most of the weight in the heel of the front foot
It will be easier to do all the repetitions on one side by just going up and down without switching leg positions between repetitions
You can progress by bringing the front foot back beside the other foot between each repetition and alternating sides
If needed, you can hold onto the backrest of a chair placed beside you to help with balance
You can use weights to make this exercise more difficult
FRONT PLANK
Lie on your stomach with your arms at your sides, elbows bent
Push yourself up onto your forearms and your toes, making your body flat as a plank from head to feet
Keep the trunk muscles tight and do not let your lower back arch
Remember to keep breathing as you hold this position
As your endurance increases, you will be able to hold longer
If this position is too hard, you can start on your knees instead of your toes
You can also do the plank on your hands with your elbows straight instead of on your forearms
PUSH UPS ON FLOOR
Lie on your stomach with your hands beside your shoulders
Push yourself up onto your hands and
toes, making your body flat as a plank from head to feet
Lower your body down slowly, with control
If this position is too hard, you can start on your knees instead of your toes
If this is still too hard or you are just recovering from open heart surgery, start with the push-ups on the wall
PUSH UPS ON WALL (EASIER OPTION)
Wear shoes that will not slide on the floor or stay barefoot
Stand arm-length in front of a wall with your palms on the wall at shoulder height
Tighten your back, abdominal (belly) and buttock muscles
Keep your body flat as a plank from head to feet
Lean forward toward the wall, using your arms to control the movement
Touch your nose to the wall
Push away from the wall to slowly return to the start position
