These 5 exercises are my top picks to strengthen your core muscles, stomach, back, thighs, and buttocks. By strengthening your core muscles, you reduce the chances of having low back pain.
CATS+ 4: on your hands and knees, arch your back up to the ceiling, then sink your stomach down. Do 3 reps of CAT, then raise each limb straight out individually for a count of 10, then raise opposing limbs for a count of 10 – as you improve you can increase the counts.
Back Rock to Bridge: Do 5 back rocks, then go to the Bridge (lying on your back, lift your pelvis off the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles, hold for a count of 20 (make sure your breathe through this), then relax. A more advanced version is to do the bridge, then straighten out one leg and hold it for a count of 20. Do the other leg.
Half Sit ups (Crunches) with leg raise – lying on your back with your knees bent, support your head with your hands. Slightly raise your head and shoulders off the ground. Do 10 lower crunches. Then with your head still up, hold one leg up off the floor for a count of 10 working up to 20.
Standing Leg flexion/extensions – Standing up straight, hold one foot out in front of you (about 6 inches off the floor) for a count of 10, then in back of you (about 6 inches off the floor) for a count of 10, then straight out behind you while you lower your torso horizontal hold for a count of 10.
Kegals – Sitting down or standing, tighten up your pelvic floor (like you are trying to stop urinating), hold for a count of 30. For added difficulty, while tightening your pelvic floor, tighten your abdominals, then your buttocks, then your thighs and hold for a count of 30.