ONE MINUTE A DAY
Just one minute a day can make a difference with one of the most simple yet effective abdominal exercises. The Plank. It works the whole core, not just your abdominals but from the pelvic girdle to the shoulder girdle. Teaching your body to act as a unit and work together.
There are many different versions of the plank: we are going to focus on the forearm plank. Start by placing your forearms about shoulder width apart on a mat keeping your elbows under your shoulders. Have your legs straight out behind you, keeping your legs together and your forefeet on the floor. Now raise your body up by keeping your body in a straight line.
Be careful not to collapse in the back, so keep the feeling of squeezing the belly button into the spine. Start by aiming for 6 times 10 second holds, then 3 times 20 second holds and work your way up to a one full minute hold. Just make sure you do a minute a day, whether that’s in 6 segments, 3, 2 or 1.
TAKE THE FEELING WITH YOU
That feeling you had in the plank, replicate it in class. You want to feel lifted in the core. Your body should be supported through your core, not in the handlebars. So work on keeping your hips back over the saddle, keeping your upper body less stove than the lower body. Try and remove that bounce out of your ride, and use that energy for your core.