Help me build my core

[llareggub]

For a variety of reasons (sepsis being one!) I’ve had a very sedentary year and my core strength has plummeted.

I have put on a load of weight which I am sorting via MyFitnessPal.

I have lower back pain which I think is a combination of inactivity, rapid weight gain and lack of core strength.

Anyway, please can anyone share how they’ve regained core strength? Any exercises you can recommend?

You might benefit from looking at a variety of functional movements and training that way.

Of course there are planks etc, but the core is more complex than just the front and - there’s transverse movement and also your back. Do a search on YouTube for functional training.

But if you want pure hell and control try doing a hollow hold. Lie on your back, push your navel to your backbone by contracting your abs, get your back flat to the floor. Then lift your head and heels about 2-5 cm off the floor and stretch your arms overhead. Try holding it for 10 seconds to start with, and build up to a minute. Keep breathing and pushing your back flat to the floor.

It’s a killer if you do it properly.

Look at any clinical pilates sessions locally.

Reformer Pilates is building my core like nothing else before.

Pilates. It’s really worth doing in person classes for a while, with a good instructor who goes round and corrects you individually. Reformer classes are good but £££, mat pilates is just as good IMO the instructor is good.

Then once you know what the various moves should feel like/corrections to watch out for, you can do youtube pilates instead.

Have you had children? Might you have separated stomach muscles? If so then you will really benefit from a good hands on Pilates instructor as some exercises can make this worse.

This is excellent, only takes 8 minutes and you'll build core strength quickly.

This!

Someone who’s traditionally trained. Not the insta Pilates. Basically someone over 40.

Thanks! I will look for a decent Pilates instructor, that’s a good idea. Yes, I’ve had two children but not sure I can blame them as the youngest is 15.

It’s so bad at the moment that I struggle to sit up when on a weights bench.

Smith squats did it for me and deadlifts , hip thrusts. Barely did any sit ups. Went to Hyrox and planked for 3 mins with no practise whatsoever! Was a surprise.

They’ll be lots of people telling you to spend £££ on Pilates classes. My decade long back pain was finally cured when I started doing 2 x 10 Pilates abs videos a week. It made a difference within a week and had stayed. I combined it with keeping very active (that alone hasn’t helped) and losing weight (also hasn’t solved my back pain). I am now rarely in pain, I can’t believe it took such little effort to solve it.

Wow, clinical Pilates isn’t cheap!

Clinical Pilates? Is that with a physio - if so then yes very pricey as you’re paying physio prices. I don’t think it’s necessary, you just need a good Pilates teacher who will do hands on corrections. You might need to try a few different ones to find them though.

We have physio led Pilates classes near us which are not much above a normal class.

Or you could pay a physio for a few sessions to give you a few sets of exercises at home that you've been taught to do properly and address your individual issues? Might be worth the investment.

Pilates! I do a paid class once a week and also follow along on YouTube. A paid class with a physio will make sure you're doing things right, as positioning is important and using your muscles in the right way. Unfortunately it is pricey as you say but I've just had to accept that. Once you know the basics you can do some yourself.