This is a great starting exercise to get in touch with your deep core muscles, and practice feeling that activation. It incorporates breath work, pelvic floor contraction, and dynamic control. If you are looking to strengthen your core, decrease low back pain, or rehab your body after birth this is a great place to start. Once you master this movement you can progress to the dead bug level 1 exercise.
- Start by lying down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
- Take a big breath into your stomach, and as you exhale focus on pressing your low back down into the floor
- You should feel your core engage, and you should be able to feel that muscle activation if you feel on the sides of your core as well
- Relax that contraction
- Repeat those steps, and this time as you’re exhaling, think about squeezing your pelvic floor muscles as well (as if you are stopping peeing midstream)
- Once you are set with good muscle activation, slowly slide one heel out straight and then slide it back up
- Take a moment to relax, then repeat the set up and slide on the other side
- If you feel like you are losing your muscle tension as you are sliding your heel don’t go as far and make sure you stop when you feel your form slipping
- Repeat 5-10 times per side, 2-3 repetitions
