I mean movements like planks, superman, etc that strengthen the interior core muscles that support your spine. Here’s a link… http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/core-strength/SM00047 do a Google search and you’ll find plenty more. A simple push-up is a great core exercise.
From my personal experiences with physical therapy and sports, I recommend that you do exercises that directly target your core or back. If you don’t exercise regularly, you really don’t need to use weights at this time as the weight of your body is enough for you to handle. Planks, superman, leg lifts (either prone, on your back, or on a stability ball), crunches, and bridges are all good. If you’re going to do bicep curls or shoulder press or anything for your arms, try doing them while you sit on a stability ball – it’s much harder to do but it will force you to stabilize your core while you work on your arms. Finally, if you’re really serious about improving your core strength, try pilates or swimming. The natural resistance you get in the water can definitely help you strengthen your abs and back very quickly, and also help you get toned in a way that’s a lot more balanced than just doing weights (plus, I’m assuming that your workout form is not necessarily perfect since you don’t go to the gym often, so you might not be making the most of your workouts). Yoga is a way to improve flexibility and it’s definitely helped me out a ton since I started doing it. I only do it once a week, but even so it makes a difference. I used to get occasional back and leg cramps from tennis or even just sitting in my cube all day, but yoga’s helped fix that. If you’re in New York, you should be able to find yoga studios all over the place. Plus, it’s also not a bad way to meet attractive women (or for attractive women to meet you).
thanks for all the help everyone. i will definitely follow some of the suggestions.
lose weight and work out.
If you’re really serious about improving core strength, get a gym membership and get on a full workout program, by which I mean one involving squats and deadlifts instead of bicep curls and crunches. That, plus a few months of healthy eating, should go a long way towards solving your back problems.
While squats and dead lifts are one way to train your core, they should not be done unless you have proper form. Even so, there are so many other ways to build core strength besides squats and dead lifts. They put an unnecessarily excessive amount of stress on your low back and are one of the most common ways that people destroy that part of their body. Just do a simple google search or ask your orthopedist about this – any experienced ortho will tell you that most people injure their backs doing dead lifts or squats either because they have improper technique or don’t allow enough time for recovery between sets, or both. I’m not saying to avoid dead lifts and squats completely – just make sure you get proper instruction on your form before attempting these exercises, (e.g. if you absolutely insist on doing them, go over the technique with a physical therapist or a sports therapist, not the personal trainer at your local gym because everyone knows that with enough exercise and dedication to learning a few basic routines, most of us could be “certified” to become trainers at one gym or another)
ha thanks for the advice seanc, but losing weight isnt an issue for me. i’m 6’0’’, 155 pounds
Sounds like you have a good frame for yoga. If you’re single and in NYC, get thee to some yoga classes with the young, fit crowd. You’ll get some back and neck relief, and you’ll get some eye candy.
the show NY Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ha thanks for the advice seanc, but losing weight > isnt an issue for me. i’m 6’0’’, 155 pounds damn son! maybe you should gain some weight then haha. honestly though yoga is probably the best way to strength your core, you don’t have hardcore heavy lighting to strengthen that part of your body. Light excersizes on a bosu ball will work wonders.
umm i am 5.11 and 144lb good luck all who wants to lose weight!
I nominate numi for AF Head Personal Trainer.
searched online and found: http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice/postures.asp i assume this is what people are talkin about. it seems like regular exercises, but some a little more “creative” than traditional pilates or planks. i can definitely try some of these and see if it helps strengthen my back, and then when i have a little more free time on my hands go take a yoga class if i really like it…wouldnt mind seein some chicks do these exercises.
I had a bad herniated disc a couple of years ago that required back surgery to relieve the sciatica. (Pain radiating down your back/leg from a pinched sciatic nerve.) I’ve always been in decent shape, or a bit on the skinny side. I’m 5’6" and weigh between 120 - 130 lbs. I can speak from experience that the key to a healthy, pain-free back is strong abs…your “core.” Biceps and pecs look great with your shirt off, but doing ab work is what will make your back feel better with time. This is assuming of course, you do the other things folk mentioned like getting a good chair, changing positions, and maintain good posture.
JoeyDVivre Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I nominate numi for AF Head Personal Trainer. i guess i just learned a fair amount from my own injuries and misadventures
numi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > JoeyDVivre Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I nominate numi for AF Head Personal Trainer. > > i guess i just learned a fair amount from my own > injuries and misadventures How are you recovering from that time when you wrestled down four terrorists on an airplane with one hand tied behind your back, carrying an infant, with only your wits an a plastic butter knife as a weapon? I sure don’t know how I would have handled that situation. 
bchadwick Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > numi Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > JoeyDVivre Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > I nominate numi for AF Head Personal Trainer. > > > > i guess i just learned a fair amount from my > own > > injuries and misadventures > > > How are you recovering from that time when you > wrestled down four terrorists on an airplane with > one hand tied behind your back, carrying an > infant, with only your wits an a plastic butter > knife as a weapon? I sure don’t know how I would > have handled that situation. let me tell you, it was pretty rough. as if that wasn’t enough to handle, as soon as i got off that plane i had run to the beach and save a whale. the infant was pretty impressed, though understandably disappointed when i told her that she couldn’t keep the whale as a pet.
… and after that he was able to score a lowly polish girl a six figure PE gig in Dallas. Now THAT’s impressive! LOL
haha, that was the easy part. by the way, she wasn’t that lowly
I set myself up w/ my choice of verbs. haha
