Fitness tips from Fitness 2J2: Working your core
- Joel Pedersen | July 24, 2018
Tansi, and Edlanet’e, hoping this column is finding you in a great place this summer, and you are staying active to the best of your ability. I started writing this article back at the end of May just after the Sask Marathon, now July find myself finishing it on the beach in Fond du Lac, looking out onto lake Athabasca. Grateful for the opportunity to visit, and share Fitness and Sport throughout Saskatchewan.
June started with a location move to the Saskatoon Tribal Council Gym with Functional Fitness and Learn to run Programming through the summer. We had eighteen youth ages six to fourteen years, complete in 2J2 youth learn to do Triathlon with St.Marys School Wolfpack, the kids went on to compete in the Kids of Steel triathlon in Saskatoon. SIGA’s 5km fun run with our 2J2 Askiy RunClub. Spent an awesome week again in Cumberland House programming, and finished with a 2km 5km and 10km school run. July the Louis Riel Relay adventure race in Batoche, my friend Felix Merasty asked me to join his team for the race, it was a great race very well organized. Finally my daughter Neave and I made it to Fond du Lac First Nation for a week of programming, and continued with assisting in the design of new fitness center. This will be the fourth community functional fitness center that we have provided consulting with, excited to see the completion of all these Functional Fitness center’s for communities. Along with Functional Fitness programming for all ages and abilities.
I was recently asked about how do you activate your inner core, as my client was told they need to strengthen inner core. A great question as the majority of functional fitness is core to extremities exercises that we program. Other fitness activates such as Yoga and Pilates do a lot of work with inner core also. Your inner core refers to a group of muscles that work together to give stability to lower back and pelvis area. The primary breathing muscle the diaphragm; Pelvic floor which is attached from tailbone to pubicbone, controls bowel and bladder functions; Deep layer in the back called lumbar multifidi connects parts of our vertebrae; Deepest layer of abdominal muscles is the transverse-abdominus, wraps around the sides of trunk connecting lower ribs to the hips.
Here are some exercises that you can try after you have the go ahead from your doctor or community nurse practitioner.
Transverse-Abdominus: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Draw you bellybutton in towards your back and hold for 3-5 seconds, repeat 5-10 times and do 3-4 sets/day. Think of trying to zip up a tight pair of pants.
Pelvic-Floor: Bridge, lie on your back knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip width apart, inhale, engage pelvic floor, lift your hips. Hold up to 10 seconds (keep breathing) lower back down. Repeat 5-10 times 3-4sets/day.
Multifidus: Lie on your back, tilt your tailbone away you’re your body as if to arch your back. This should be a slight tilt hold for 5 seconds. Same as above.
Diaphram: Lie on your back with knees bent, place hands lightly on stomach, concentrate on breathing using diaphragm not the chest, feel stomach rise as you slowly inhale, let your stomach fall naturally relaxing the diaphragm. Repeat 5-10 times and do 3-4 sets/day.
Fitness 2J2 is a socially responsible community based health and wellness company. Contributing to the success and vitality of our communities, promoting healthy and positive lifestyles for Indigenous people of all ages and abilities. STRONG HEALTHY PROUD