5 Advanced Core Exercises You Might Not Have Tried

This week I am sharing 5 advanced core exercises you might not have tried before.

#1) Isometric Pull-Up + Band Resisted Psoas Marches (from more advanced diagonal body position)

This awesome exercise strengthens the hip flexors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, grip strength, upper body strength, and shoulder/scapular stability.

I am in an isometric pull-up, and am more diagonal instead of vertical as this makes the exercise significantly tougher for lumbo-pelvic stability. Start out so you are in a vertical position (like during a pull-up).

Coaching Tips:

Put a resistance band around your forefeet. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Adopt your preferred hand width and grip. I’m using a neutral grip here.

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Set your body so it’s in a straight line from your head to feet.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Get to the top position by performing a pull-up. Your elbows should form roughly a 45-90% angle. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise. ⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

While maintaining this elbow angle and body position use your hip flexors and perform a psoas march.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, on the non-moving side keep your knee fully extended, and contract your quads and glutes.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

Perform all reps on one side (what I’m doing), or alternate sides.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, maintain the pull-up specific body positioning I described above. ⁣ ⁣

⁣For the duration of the exercise, keep your shoulder blades in and down (retracted, depressed, and downwardly rotated). Don’t let your shoulders shrug or shoulder blades elevate.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine). ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#2) Dragon Flag (plus modification)

This advanced core exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder/scapular controlled mobility.

Coaching Tips:

Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, fully extend your knees, point your feet away from you (plantarflex).⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣Bend your elbows, and hold onto a very stable object that is behind you. Don’t let your elbows flare, or shoulders shrug/shoulder blades elevate. ⁣⁣

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), contract your glutes and quads. ⁣⁣

⁣⁣While keeping your body in a straight line from your head to feet, and will keeping just your upper back and head on the floor, use your core muscles and glutes and lift the rest of your body off the floor.⁣

⁣⁣Pause for a count. Now while maintaining the same body positioning, slowly lower your body towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Stop before your mid/lower back, hips and legs touch the floor. ⁣⁣

⁣⁣Pause for a count, and return your body to the top position. ⁣⁣

⁣⁣The entire time you are doing this your body should remain in a straight line from your head to feet. ⁣⁣

⁣⁣Now while maintaining the same body position, bend one knee, tuck it into your body, and perform the same sequence.⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. ⁣⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace), and contract your quads and glutes. ⁣

In terms ⁣of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

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#3) Band Resisted Reverse Hypers

This exercise strengthens the posterior core muscles. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Make sure you can do this exercise proficiently with bodyweight only before you add band resistance.

⁣Coaching Tips: ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ ⁣

Anchor a band under a secure surface, and place the band around the back of your ankles.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

Get in a prone position on your couch (or another surface). Your hip crease should be towards the edge of the surface, and your legs in a vertical position (and in my case, resting against the couch).

In terms of my hands, I am lightly grabbing onto the edge of my couch. ⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣

Fully extend your knees, contract your quads, and keep your legs and feet together.⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes. ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣Now with complete control, and while keeping your legs and feet in a fixed position, use your posterior core muscles and lift your hips and legs so your legs are at least parallel to the floor. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣In the top position, pause for a count and contract your posterior core muscles. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

During the lockout, I used a combination of lower back and glutes, but most of the lifting/extending was done with my posterior core musculature.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to excessively extend (a slight extension is ok), ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

#4) Lateral Pike Pulses

This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.

Start off using a much lower surface and work your way up as your hip flexors get stronger. Also, if your quads cramp up, this can be a telltale sign that you need to strengthen your hip flexors. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

Coaching Tips:

⁣⁣⁣Sit on the floor. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

Fully extend both of your knees, and plantarflex your feet (point them away from you). ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Place an object in front of you, and to one side of your lower legs. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your legs and feet completely together. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

While keeping your knees fully extended and feet plantarflexed, lift your legs over the object in a lateral direction, and then back to the starting position. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your legs or feet to strike the object, or for your legs or feet to touch the floor. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from hip to hip.⁣ ⁣Some minor spinal flexion is ok. ⁣

⁣⁣⁣For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).⁣⁣

In terms of breathing, do what works best for you.⁣⁣

#5) Elbow Lever

This advanced ‘’plank’’ improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability. ⁣

If being flat on the floor bothers your wrists, you may place your hands on dumbbells, paralletes, etc. For most people I recommend doing this.

Coaching Tips:

Adopt your preferred hand position. Spread your hands and pretend you are suctioning them to the floor. ⁣ ⁣

Bend your elbows, and rest them inside your hip bones. You may use one or two elbows. I’m using one, and am using my other side for support.

Your elbows/upper arms should form a ‘’shelf’’ for your body to rest on. ⁣ ⁣

Lean forward a slight amount. This is necessary to prevent your body from tipping backwards.

Contract your glutes and quads, and lift your feet and legs off the floor so your body forms a straight line from your head to heels. Keep your feet plantarflexed (point them away from you). Hold this position. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣