Core Corner – Reverse Curl
By Elizabeth Towe
Objective & Application
This exercise will strengthen the upper and lower abdominal muscles as well as the hip flexors, which are the foundation of support for all endurance athletes. Weaknesses in these muscle groups can lead to overuse injuries and loss of time from training.
Exercise
- Start flat on your back with your arms out in a “T” position, knees bent, and feet 6 inches off the ground.
2. Place a 4- to 6-pound medicine ball between your heels and hamstrings.
3. Brace your lower abdominal muscles.
4. Roll your pelvis off the ground, bringing your knees toward your chest, and hold for 1 second.
5. Slowly lower your pelvis back down to the ground, remaining under control.
6. Each repetition should be done individually. Use the ball to prevent you from allowing the weight of your legs to create momentum thus making the exercise easier.
7. Remember to exhale as you roll up and inhale as you roll down. Keep shoulders relaxed.
Perform two to three sets of the exercise with 10 to 20 repetitions per set.
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Elizabeth Towe is a runner and a cyclist and the owner of Balanced Movement Studio in Carrboro. She graduated from East Carolina with a degree in exercise and sports science and has been personal training for over 20 years. Her ultimate goal for all of her clients is to help them realize and achieve the optimal quality in their life – and to remember to have fun doing it.
