Stir the Pot Exercise for Core Strength, Spinal Stability and Athletic Control Basic planks can be useful, but eventually many active adults need a greater challenge. The stir-the-pot exercise is an advanced core-stability drill performed with the forearms on a stability ball. Instead of holding completely still, you make controlled circles with the arms while the trunk resists movement. That combination increases the demand on the abdominal muscles, shoulders, hips, and spin

Banded Monster Walks for Stronger Hips, Better Knee Control and Improved Athletic Stability Do your knees collapse inward when you squat, run, land, climb stairs, or ski? Do your hips feel weak or unstable when you balance on one leg? Banded monster walks are a simple strengthening exercise that can help train the muscles responsible for controlling the pelvis, hips, knees, and feet during movement. They are commonly used in warm-ups and rehabilitation programs, but they shou

Many people with chronic low-back pain are told that they need a stronger core. That advice sounds simple—but what should you actually do? Traditional sit-ups and crunches repeatedly bend the lower back. For some people, especially those recovering from certain disc injuries or flexion-sensitive back pain, repeatedly moving through that position may feel uncomfortable or aggravating. The McGill Modified Curl-Up takes a different approach. Instead of repeatedly rounding the lo

You may be able to hold a regular plank—but can your core keep you stable when your body is loaded from one side? That is where the side plank becomes especially valuable. Running, golfing, skiing, cycling, lifting, and field sports rarely challenge your body in a perfectly symmetrical position. One leg accepts your weight. Your torso rotates. Your arms and legs generate force in different directions. Your core must keep your spine and pelvis controlled through all of it. Sid