Improve your CORE to better your BALANCE!

The Denver Post recently published an article on the importance of balancing out all core muscles to prevent pain and move more efficiently.  Practicing what I have been preaching over the past 12 years, I am excited to see more press on the topic.  Using the cyclist, for example, from their article, a core specialist that is looking for true muscular balance is going to consider how the neck muscles attach into the spine (just picture the typical position of a cyclists' neck while riding), how the scapular muscles and obliques compliment each other to promote fluid rotation through the throacic spine, how the deep stabilizers of the lumbar spine (multifidii and transverse abdominis, to name a couple) are complimenting each other to provide both dynamic low back control (control during movement) and strength endurance (to maintain good postural alignment over many miles pumped out), and how the glutes and quads/hamstrings all fire correctly to help stabilize the pelvis for movement over the saddle.
If you're local and want to talk to me about your core muscle balance, contact me at Great Moves PT for a free consultation (719 477 6870).  If you are ready to promote that balance continuously, contact me at Shallyn's for private Pilates Reformer training (719 213 1588).  If you're interested in hearing more about the topic, come listen to my next seminar being held at Accolade Fitness South on March 4th (719 473 2222).
Below you will find a few exercises that I use to hit each plane of movement control for the core.

 Saggital Plane (forward backward) control.

 Transverse plane (rotation) control in sitting.

Frontal Plane (side bend control) via a modified side plank position.