Women's Issues, Posture and Core Conditioning
By David Grisaffi C.H.E.K II,
Corrective Exercise Kinesiologist
Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach

Virtually everyone-young and old, male or female has a deep desire to improve
their lives. Many orthopedic problems occur from a lack of core stabilization and strength. Our bodies were designed to withstand many environmental conditions. The ability to stabilize our core musculature is vital to our existence. Our ancient ancestors could not afford to have back pain. They needed to function on a basic level that involved moving rocks, building shelter, climbing mountains or running after food. If they had a bad back or poor core stabilization and strength, their likelihood of survival would have been deeply diminished.

Our core musculature contributes to vital functions within our bodies and
allows us to perform simple to complex tasks. Without good control or
stabilization and a thorough understanding of what contributes to core
stabilization and strength we can fall prey to many of modern society's
ailments. Low back pain is the number one patient complaint in America.

Many problems and orthopedic injuries are a result of poor core stabilization and strength. Females appear to be at a higher risk of suffering such injuries. Jame Zachazewki shows evidence of this in a study he conducted in 1996. He discovered women have a lack of strength in the lower abdominals and pelvic floor muscles. He explained 47 percent of female's aged 38 and above, suffer from incontinence. However women who participated in a regular weight-training program reduced the incidence of incontinence to only four percent. A weight-training program enables the body to communicate better and increase strength and stabilization. Elderly women can further benefit from a weight training program, which can improve balance, increase muscle mass, influence bone density (osteoporosis) and the manage osteoarthritis. If you would like more information on how weight training and core conditioning aids older, adolescent, and pregnant or postpartum women just e-mail me at david@fit-zone.com

All of us must look at the functional anatomy of our core musculature. We need to understand the benefits a good core-conditioning program can have on our
livelihood. A core-conditioning program will decrease the likelihood of back and neck pain, incontinence, ruptured disks, muscle and ligamentous strains, all while improving posture.

To begin understanding the complexity of our core and how it relates to
overall function we must address the inner an outer unit and how the works in
harmony allowing us to function at a higher level.

A simple and brief anatomy lesson should assist you in understanding how
these units work. The muscles involved are broken down into separate but
intertwined inner and outer units.

The Inner Unit

The inner unit provides the necessary joint stabilization for the spine. If
the inner unit does not activate properly our spine, pelvis and joint
structures are placed under undue stress. This stress creates an atmosphere
that leads to many orthopedic injuries.

I first learned about the inner unit while reading the research by
Richardson, Jull, Hodges and Hides. Upon further reading the Pelvic Girdle by
Diana Lee and articles by Paul Chek, I came to understand that the basic inner unit consists of the transverse abdominis, mulitifus (or multifidus), pelvic floor and diaphragm. This research shows the inner unit operates on a different neurological loop than other core muscles. The actual anatomy where these muscles attach is not the theme of this article, however, you should have a good idea where these muscles exist and what they do.

Transverse abdominis (TV) is the deepest, innermost layer of all abdominal
muscles. Consider the TV as your body's personal weight belt. When the TV
contracts it causes hoop tension around your mid section like a girdle or
corset. Transverse abdominis will, if working properly, contract before the
extremities will move, according to Diana Lee. As you can see, if this muscle
does not tighten up, acting as a girdle around your waist, the stabilization
of your spine and pelvis is at higher risk of injury.

If the spine is unstable the nervous system will not recruit the extremity
muscles efficiently and assist with functional movement correctly. For
example: you bend over to pick up the laundry basket and your transverse
abdominis does not activate properly. This leads to all stabilization
occurring at the segmental level. This stress eventually leads to overload of
the segmental (one-joint) stabilizers and POW! You have massive low back
pain. Again this occurs because the segments of your spine tighten down but
the gross stabilizer (transverse abdominis) does not leaving the segments to
work on their own. They cannot provide enough muscular strength at the
segmental to withstand such a movement. Now can you imagine lifting weights,
a suitcase off the conveyor belt or reaching overhead to get down a box of heavy tapes?

When the TV does not work properly the joints will begin early degeneration
leading to many orthopedic problems. To activate the transverse abdominis
draw your bellybutton up and in toward your spine. This activation should be
done before any bending over or reaching overhead, especially with heavy
loads. A little trick is to get a string and tie it around your waste at the bellybutton level. Draw your abdomen up and in toward your spine has far you can, then let it out about three-quarters of the way and tie the string at that point. It should be tight but really not noticeable. If your transverse abdominis relaxes and extends your abdominal wall the string will tighten up and you will immediately get feedback.

The next muscle we must look at is the mulitifus (or multifidus). This muscle lies deep in the spine spanning three joint segments. The mulitifus (or multifidus) works to provide joint stabilization at each segmental level. Each vertebra needs stiffness and stability to work effectively to reduce degeneration of joint structures.

The pelvic floor is our next set of muscles, which spans the area underneath
the pelvis. It is important for the pelvic floor and the inner unit to work properly. In many cases, due to operations such as hernias, hysterectomies and C-section childbirth, the inner unit muscles have been cut reducing communication to these muscles. By doing simple yet important exercises we can re-establish communication, tighten and tone the muscle group, prevent or diminish incontinence, leakage and pelvic dysfunction.

Each of these three muscles, plus the diaphragm, is the target of inner unit
conditioning. The basic exercises to improve the inner unit activation are:

· Four point transverse abdominis tuck
· Horse stance series
· Heel slides

Four Point Transverse Abdominis Tuck

This exercise is great for isolating the transverse abdominis and re-connecting the musculature with the nervous system and inner unit. To correctly accomplish the goals of the exercise we need to get on all fours as though we're in a crawling position. Have your hands directly underneath your shoulders and your knees directly underneath your hips. With good neutral posture position (using a dowel rod placed on your back aligning the spine can provide good feedback of proper neutral posture) make sure the back of your head, thoracic spine (what part of the spine is this?) and sacrum are in contact with the rod. The lumbar spine should be arched just enough to slide the palm of your hand between your back and the dowel rode. Your primary objective is to inhale and allow the transverse abdominis to hang out towards the floor, on exhalation drawn the bellybutton towards the spine. Avoid any spinal movement during this exercise such as contracting the gluteus, hamstrings or external rotators.

To get the most out of this exercise we want to draw the bellybutton in and
hold for a count of 10, then relax your abdominal region and let it hang
towards the floor for a count of 10. Repeat this 10 seconds in and 10
seconds out for up to two minutes. Repeat this exercise two to four times
per day. To assist you in this exercise use a kitchen timer and set it for
two minutes.

Horse Stance Series

The first part of the horse stance series is Horse Stance Vertical, which will integrate the mulitifus (or multifidus) muscle of your spinal column with the other inner unit musculature. To accomplish this exercise again get on all fours
with your hands directly underneath your shoulders with your elbow slightly
bent. Your knees should be directly underneath your hips at a 90-degree
angle. The exercise is then performed by raising your left hand and right
knee approximately one cm off the ground (about the height of the piece of
paper). Hold this position for 10 seconds and repeat with the right hand
and left knee. Alternate back and forth until you have done the exercise for
a total of two minutes. Make sure to not allow the hamstring to flex the lower
legs toward the ceiling and that the pelvis does not load (shift) into the hip
that is in contact with the ground. To assist you in this exercise use a
kitchen timer and set it for two minutes.

More advanced horse stance exercises are described on the inner unit web page.

Heel slides

Heel slides are a great integration exercise for the inner unit, lower abdominals and lower extremities (outer unit). To perform the exercise correctly lay supine (back down) on the floor with your shoes off. In this position with your hips and knees flexed (about eight inches from the buttocks) with your spine in neutral position. Place a blood pressure cuff under your lumbar spine. Pump the blood pressure cuff up to 40-mm Hg and take deep diaphragmatic breath. Slowly exhale and draw your belly button in toward your spine. After exhalation slowly slide the left leg out away from the start position. No increase in blood pressure cuff is necessary. If the blood pressure cuff begins to increase or decrease stop the movement and slide the leg back to the beginning position. Make a note of the distance. The distance is now you're ending point. The goal is to extend your leg farther out without the blood pressure cuff changing. The farther you can go out, the better integration of the inner unit and outer unit. Repeat for the opposite leg and try to achieve 10 reps at a slow pace for each leg. DO NOT RUSH THIS EXERCISE. Do this exercise daily until you can alternate sliding each leg in and out keeping the blood pressure cuff at 40 mm Hg.

After doing inner unit exercises for a while you may notice your lower
abdominal region feeling tighter and firmer.

The Outer Unit

The outer unit musculature system aids in movement and function. The outer
unit muscles are basically the prime movers of the core and extremities such
as the internal oblique, external oblique, rectus abdominis, back, legs,
shoulder girdle and more. They each have vital function in movement and are
connected through four major sling systems. These slings are the deep
longitudinal system, the lateral system, anterior oblique system and the
posterior oblique system. I brought up the sling systems so you can
understand that the function of our musculature is much more complex then a simple leg extension exercise on a machine. If you wish more details on how the systems effectively contribute to functional movement patterns, email me at
david@fit-zone.com.

An outer unit program consists of exercises that allow for multi-joint/multi-plane activities. This issue has been forgotten or not taught in many gyms and exercise programs. We tend to gravitate toward the new machines in the gym performing isolation exercises that have no carryover to everyday working situations. Our bodies were built as a connective cohesive unit. By isolating muscles we interfere with the basic general motor programs established millions of years ago. For example: when you do leg extension on a machine the amount of neurological impulse through the muscle to the brain is diminished. It also contributes to the lack of neurological communication between isolated muscle (quadriceps) and the other muscle groups. I'm not saying that leg extension on a machine is always wrong, there are times in the rehabilitation setting, bodybuilding and beginning weight training program where this is appropriate. Once a neurological and muscular base has been established, however, we must move on to integration of all the muscles that surround the knee joint, hip joint, pelvis, core and lower extremities. We need to establish a fully functional dynamic muscular system.

Some of the exercises I prescribed for outer unit work are:

· Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press on Swiss Ball
· Multi-directional lunge
· Bent over rows
· Chek press

These are by no means the only exercises for the outer unit.

Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press on Swiss Ball

This exercise challenges the entire muscular system. To perform this exercise grip dumbbells in your hands that will allow eight to 10 repetitions. With the dumbbells in hand sit down on a Swiss ball appropriate for your height. From the seated position gradually walk your feet and lower extremities away from the ball until you reach a supine position with your shoulder girdle and head resting on the Swiss ball and your shinbones perpendicular to the ground. The dumb bells should be positioned straight up from the shoulders; elbow slightly flexed
and rotated out. Position the hands in the dumbbells perpendicular to the body. Gradually extend the right arm at a 90-degree angle from the body towards the ceiling and gradually rotate lower right shoulder and shoulder girdle off the ball while maintaining a good structural position. Gradually returned the dumbbell to its starting position while simultaneously extending your left hand and dumbbell towards the ceiling in the same manner. Alternate right and left arms until you have reached the prescribed
repetitions.

Lunge-Static and Dynamic

The static and dynamic lunges are excellent interactive exercises for the core musculature and lower extremities. I chose these exercises because they
are neurologically challenging to the entire body. To perform the static
lunge (base level) place a dowel rod across your shoulder gripping it at
shoulder width. Keep your elbows under your wrists, this aids in activation
of the thoracic erectors and helps stabilize the core. Make sure your posture
is upright with neutral spinal curves (no bending, shifting or leaning). Draw
your belly button in and upward activating the inner unit. Slowly step
forward with either leg until your shinbone is perpendicular to the floor. Once you have reached the lunge position with your upper body erect, allow
your back leg to descend to the floor until your knee gently touches the
floor making a special note to keep the shin-bone on your lead leg perpendicular
to the floor. Return slowly to the pre-descend position. Repeat lunge for
eight to 10 repetitions with the same leg then repeat for the opposite leg. Slowly work up to three sets per leg.

The dynamic lunge is similar to the static lunge except for you return to the standing position after each repetition. Alternate legs until you have built up enough strength and stabilization to perform eight to 10 repetitions for each leg. After you feel comfortable doing the dynamic lunge alternating, kick it up a notch and do the desired repetitions for one leg at a time. Special note about the lunge exercise DO NOT SHORT STEP. Short stepping the lunge is when the shinbone moves forward and the knee moves past the ankle joint. Short stepping indicates a quad dominant neurological system. For women this can spell disaster! Women have a much higher degree of quad dominance indicating muscular imbalance in the lower extremities. This imbalance could be one reason why women have more orthopedic knee problems.

Bent Over Rows

The bent over row contributes to good strength and postural stabilization.
This exercise also strengthens the shoulder girdle and effectively improves
postural muscles such as hamstrings, glutes and all deep hip muscles, low
back, Latissimus dorsi spinal erectors and core. To perform this exercise,
properly maintain neutral spinal curves. Grip the barbell with a closed
downward grip. Stand with feet wider than shoulder width and knees flexed at 30 degrees, which engages Iliotibial band. Your torso must maintain a 45-degree angle at all times. This starting position resembles a second baseman stance in
baseball. Take deep diaphragmatic breath drawing in the bellybutton. With
the barbell at knee level gradually raise the bar to the bottom of your
sternum. Keep the forearms perpendicular to the ground not allowing them to
travel posteriorly as you raise the weight. Slowly return the weight to the
starting position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. I
recommended a repetition range between eight and 12 and tempo of the three seconds to raise the weight, followed by two seconds holding the weight in the up position and five seconds to lower the weight. This slow tempo aids with
overall muscular integration and neurological conditioning. Work up to three
sets.

Chek Press (modified Arnold press)

The Chek press is one of my favorite exercises for strengthening and
integrating back musculature with the shoulder girdle. To perform the Chek
presses choose dumbbells that will allow for eight to 10 repetitions.
With dumbbells in hand sit on a bench with proper neutral spinal alignment (erect trunk). With the dumbbells shoulder height palms facing each other and
forearms perpendicular to the floor gradually opening your arms as if you are
opening a book. Proceed to push the dumbbells to an overhead position
bringing the dumbbells together in front of you as if you are closing a
book. Lower the dumb bells to the starting position and repeat for the
desired repetitions.

When the inner and outer unit works together as a cohesive unit we greatly
improve our daily lives by reducing the risk of joint injuries, ligamentous
and muscular strain and low back pain.

The next issue we will undertake is posture. Posture is the position by
which movement begins and ends. Having proper postural alignment
enables the body to perform movements quicker with less joint and muscular
strain. A qualified physical therapist or a CHEK practitioner in your area
should evaluate posture. If you're interested in a CHEK practitioner in your
area please email me at mailto:david@fit-zone.com.

The body is designed to work at the most economical level thus saving energy
for future use. We spend more energy maintaining misalign posture thus creating a situation for muscular and joint pain to arise. Think of yourself like a skyscraper, if the skyscraper leaned to the left for 10 floors and then a little to the right 10 floors and so on you would not enter the building. However, we let ourselves become such a building. We compromise our body's integrity by not maintaining proper posture resulting in decreased circulation (leading to varicose veins), muscular pain, joint pain and many other conditions.

Women in general tend to develop poor posture because of many factors. Women tend to have more clerical and computer oriented jobs that demand sitting in a chair eyeing a computer screen for long periods of time. They also wear high heel shoes, which leads to an alteration and compensation of their
posture (if you want to know more about this just e-mail me). The development
of breast tissue or the augmentation of breasts can lead to many postural
changes. Women also have less musculature to maintain proper alignment
leading to rounded shoulders, forward head posture, hyper extended knees and
increased thoracic and lumbar curve. Men do develop all of these postural
problems but at a different degree and rate depending on their situation.

To improve our posture and reduce structural damage we should adhere to a
corrective postural exercise program. This simple yet productive program will
combat the effects of bad posture and help alleviate joint and muscular pain.

Exercises for correcting posture:

· Prone Cobra
· Axial Extension Trainer
· Wall Leans
· Cervical Extension using a blood pressure cuff

Prone Cobra

Prone Cobra is a great postural strengthening and endurance exercise. To
perform this exercise lay face down on a comfortable surface. Maintaining
proper spinal alignment gradually raise your chest off the ground while
simultaneously externally rotating your arms outward in conjunction with
supination of the hands (when you are in the correct position your thumbs are
pointing toward the ceiling like a thumbs up from Fonzi). The shoulder blades
should be gradually drawn together while keeping the head from flexing or
extending. Maintain this position for 10 seconds then return to the starting
position and rest for 10 seconds. Repeat this sequence 10 times, two to three
times per day. To assist you in this exercise use a kitchen timer.

Axial Extension Trainer

The axial extension exercise is performed by standing straight up in perfect
functional posture. The exercise is performed for two minutes at a time and
six to eight times per day. To perform the axial extension trainer stand up as though you have a balloon tied to the top of your head and it's pulling you toward the sky. Another variation is to place a five-pound diver's weight on the top of your head. Placing the diver's weight on the top of your head will excite
all of your postural muscles and encourage proper alignment.

Wall Leans

Wall leans are great exercise for exciting the cervical, thoracic extender
musculature and postural endurance. To perform the exercise stand with your
head shoulders buttocks and heels against a wall. Place a soft towel behind
your head for comfort. Walk your feet out one foot from the wall while
maintaining rigid standing posture. Make sure that your hands are at your
side. Maintain this position 30-45 seconds depending upon your current
situation. Repeat this exercise three to four times per day for 30-45 seconds each time. Work up
to two minutes in the wall lean position.

Cervical Flexors With a blood pressure cuff

Lie comfortably on the floor and place the blood pressure cuff under your
cervical spine (neck area). Pump the of blood pressure cuff up to 40 mm
Hg. Tuck your chin to your chest and gently apply pressure to the blood
pressure cuff with your neck extender's musculature. The blood pressure cuff
should rise up 10 mm Hg to 50 mm Hg. Hold this position for 15 seconds, rest
for 10 seconds and repeat this cycle for two minutes.

All these exercises can be viewed at www.fit-zone.com/posture.htm

BASIC CORE CONDITIONING

After completing the inner unit exercise program and you have corrected
basic postural misalignment you can move on to basic core training. A strong
and stable core will contribute to stabilization of large and small joint
structures. The core exercises should work the outer unit muscles in all
three planes of motion. The transverse plane (rotation), sagittal plane
(backwards/forward) and frontal plane (left and right). Knowing the planes of
motion is not necessary for improving your core strength and coordination,
but I tell you so you understand the madness behind the meaning (do you mean meaning behind the madness?).

Any person can benefit from a good core-conditioning program. Whether you're
a mountain climber, housewife doing daily chores, an athlete at any level or
construction worker. We all need core conditioning to carry out our daily
activities and reduce injury. Women in particular can benefit from inner unit
and postural improvement plus the addition of outer unit and core exercises.
One reason is women have a wider pelvis for child bearing. This sometimes
leads to a knock knee lower body posture. This knock knee position creates
muscle imbalances, sheer force through pelvis and compression in lumbar
spine. A simple squat with a belt around your knees can dramatically
improve your situation. If you or someone you know suffers from knock-knee
alignment e-mail me david@fit-zone.com

The following core exercises contribute to functional integration of body for
both men and women. The core is the bridge between the upper and lower body.
These exercises will provide maximum benefit.

A core-conditioning program should follow the correct order. Always train
your lower abdominals first followed by your oblique musculature and
finishing off with the upper abdominals. This exercise order is determined by
the neurological demand for each region of your core.

Please note:
All inner unit exercises are extremely important before beginning a core-conditioning program. I must caution against doing any of these
exercises without good functioning spine and pelvis. Do not do any of these
exercises if you have any spinal orthopedic problems.

As you know by now we must have good stabilization at the joint level coupled
with proper activation of the transverse abdominis (girdle) to prevent our
joints, big and small, from deterioration. Again, please consult your
physician before starting any exercise program especially if you have any
joint deterioration.

The major muscles of the core consist of the internal oblique, external
oblique, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, quadratus lumbar and the
spinal erectors. A good core program should coordinate all these muscles as
one working unit. Below you'll find some basic core exercises I have used
with great success.

Reverse Trunk Flexion
(lower abdominals)

The reverse trunk flexion is a multi-joint movement designed to target the
abdominal region. The exercise starts out with contraction of the lower
abdominals and progresses to the upper rectus abdominis. The oblique
musculature assists in stabilization of the pelvis during the movement.

Exercise notes: Keep your shoulder blades on the bench though out the
exercise. Avoid any arching of your back at the lumbar region. Keep the tempo
or movements slow and keep the upper body in proper neutral alignment. Make
sure you only go down far enough to touch your sacrum keeping your thighs
perpendicular to the floor.

Lie on a flat bench with your back flat, scapula and sacrum pressed firmly
against the bench. With your legs together, flex them to 90 degrees or
perpendicular to the bench. Hold firmly to the top edge of the bench, a
platform or stationary object to anchor the upper body down. Slowly proceed
to contract the lower abdominal region by pulling the pelvis up towards the
rib cage. Continue to pull the pelvis towards the rib cage until the
abdominals are fully contracted and the hips are rolled up slightly off of the
padded bench. Slowly lower the trunk and pelvis to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise for the desired repetitions. Repetition range should
stay within eight to 12.

Woodchopper
(internal and external obliques)

This is an excellent exercise for integration and strength within the core
musculature. This is an advanced exercise so please be cautious while
learning this technique. The woodchopper exercise is exactly what it sounds
like-a diagonal motion across your body. This exercise can be done with the
cable system or a dumbbell. Take a stance shoulder width apart or slightly
wider with the cable handle hanging outside your right shoulder. Position
your body in an athletic or second base position stance perpendicular to the
handle. Reach up with your left hand and grasp the handle with an over
handgrip. Proceed to grip the handle with your right hand covering your left
hand, basically gripping the handle with both hands. Slowly draw your
bellybutton in and proceed to pull the cable diagonally across your body
until the handle is outside your left pocket. Keep your arms stiff and
straight and do not lean forward flexing the spine. Slowly reverse the
direction to the starting position. Do the exercise to the left and right
sides. This rotational movement effectively integrates core musculature with
the upper and lower extremities. The woodchopper should be performed for
about 10 repetitions on the three seconds down and three seconds up-tempo.
This exercise does not need to the done with huge amount of weight.

Supine Lateral Ball Roll

The supine lateral ball roll is a great exercise for training the core
musculature and contributing stabilizing musculature in all three planes of
motion. This exercise is demanding to the musculature and neurological
systems. The exercise integrates the obliques, gluteus, hamstrings,
quadriceps, neck and all shoulder girdle musculature. It needs to be
performed correctly so please read the description thoroughly. Using a dowel
rod makes this exercise easier. Place a dowel rod across your chest and grip it
with wide arms and palms up. Sit on the Swiss ball appropriate to
your height*, walk your feet out away from the ball until your shoulder
girdle and head is comfortably resting on the apex (top) of the ball. Make
sure your shins are perpendicular to the ground and you stay in good
horizontal alignment throughout the exercise. Maintain neutral head and neck
alignment, and hold the tongue on the roof the mouth to stabilize the
cervical spine. Do not let the pelvis dip. Draw your bellybutton towards the
spine with the initiation of lateral movement. Keep pelvis high, glutes and
hamstrings must remain contracted. While in this position gradually slide
laterally towards the right until your right scapula is off the Swiss ball.
Keep the dowel rod parallel to the floor at all times. Hold this position for
one second. Return to start position and gradually slide laterally towards
the left until the left scapula is off this was ball. This completes one
repetition. Repetition range is from six to eight; tempo is slow to moderate.
Work up to three sets.

Trunk flexion (crunch)

Trunk flexion or "crunch" sit-up is the most popular exercise for
conditioning the abdominal region. However, if the crunch sit-up is not
performed with additional abdominal exercises like the ones mentioned earlier
it could have a detrimental effect on your body over time. When performed
correctly the crunch is a good upper abdominal region strengthening exercise.
The crunch exercise from the floor position leads to a more ridged thoracic
spine. It also contributes to a shortened rectus abdominis, which intern
pulls the rib cage towards the pelvis resulting in poor postural alignment.
Again if the crunch is overused the rectus shortens and the thoracic spine
becomes more rigid. This scenario leads to the inability to extend backward
causing injury and poor posture. If you're a beginner of trunk flexion or
crunch exercise, perform it lying on the floor. To perform the exercise
correctly, maintain proper neutral posture in the cervical spine. Place your
tongue on the roof of your mouth preventing shear forces through your
cervical spine. Keep the lower back pressed firmly against the floor
throughout the exercise. Place arms across your chest. Move slowly
contracting your rectus abdominis moving up one vertebra at a time. Keep
tension in the abdominals at all times. Do not let your chin dropped to your
chest. A good way to maintain neutral posture in the cervical spine is to
pretend your chin is traveling towards the ceiling. Once you have reached
full contraction slowly return to the start position. To increase the
difficulty, place your arms out to the side with your fingertips on your
cheekbones. Once you've worked up to three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions and feel comfortable doing this exercise, move the exercise to a Swiss ball. To find
out how to properly perform the Swiss ball trunk flexion e-mail me at
david@fit-zone.com

Coming June 1 David Grisaffi's Torso Manual: The Truth about Abdominal Conditioning. This manual will disspell many myths about Core/Abdominal Training. It is the best book on the market! To get a copy just e-mail david@fit-zone.com and write core manual in the subject line. The investment in well worth your time..

If you would like a personal program designed especially for you or if you
wish to have more information about anything I've discussed above, email me at
david@fit-zone.com and put "exercises program" in the subject line.

David J. Grisaffi, C.H.E.K.II, Corrective Exercise Kinesiologist,
www.fit-zone.com , david@fit-zone.com