Build a strong foundation

cararacicot
Nov 24, 2021
5 min read

Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise - Michael Jordan

Now, this is true for most things in life, but when it comes to the human body, it is especially true and exceptionally important. Why? Well, our bodies are very smart and very memorable. What I mean by this, is that our bodies remember movements that we do repetitively, and program a sequence of muscle actions to make that movement happen. The more you repeat that movement, the stronger and more reinforced that sequence will get. Now if you build on that movement (i.e. make it more complex), your body will create a "new" sequence, however, it will REMEMBER what it's done in the past and use that as a framework moving forward.

See where I am going here?

One of the basics that I see poorly performed in a lot of my patients is stability and control through the lumbopelvic region (aka the connection between your hips and your spine).

This is a major issue because control through the lumbopelvic region is required to properly transfer load through your right and left sides, as well as your upper and lower body...which you pretty much are constantly doing (think sitting to standing, rolling in bed, walking, etc.). If you lack control and stability, your body will continue to do the movement, but every time using the wrong muscles/patterns, which inevitably will lead to pain or mobility issues down the line (a MAJOR contributor to lower back pain)... especially if you are also doing more complex movements like weightlifting, running, and sports!

So, this brings us to the question: How do we train stability at the lumbopelvic region?

Well, first we have to identify the major muscles that play a role here. There are a lot, but for the sake of the "not-so-anatomy-inclined" readers, I will keep it to (3):

1. Transverse Abdominus

This is a deep abdominal muscle that plays a major role in core activation and stability of the lumbopelvic region. It lies deep to all of the other abdominal muscles, which means you cannot see it... so sorry to break it to you, but training this will not give you a 6-pack. You can feel it, however, by placing your fingers on the most prominent bony portion of your hip bones and letting them slide about an inch towards your midline. When you activate (contract) these muscles, you will be able to feel a light pressure push up into your fingers.

2. Multifidus

This muscle runs along the entire span of the spine, but is most developed and plays the biggest role in the lumbar spine (lower back). It is one of the muscles that attaches each vertebrae together, therefore playing a very important role in stabilizing the spine.

3. Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor has three layers of muscle that sit at the base of the pelvis and act essentially as a "sling" to support your bladder, uterus, and rectum. These muscles play an important role in posture and stability, sexual function, as well as bladder and bowel control. The ability to contract and relax the pelvic floor is essential to regulating our intra-abdominal pressure, and dysfunctions can arise when it is too weak, too tight, or lacks coordination/control.

The above 3 muscles along with our diaphragm work together to form the "inner unit" which is the KEY to achieving lumbopelvic stability and building the fundamentals to prevent compensatory injuries.

Now that we know what the heck needs to be strong and stable, here are a few of my favourite exercises for training these muscles without load (i.e. just your body weight and gravity baby). We didn't talk about it much above, but the diaphragm (dome muscle under your ribs that assists with breathing), is also a huge contributor to lumbopelvic stability so remember to BREATHE throughout each movement.

No holding your breath!

1. Plank knee to chest to lateral tap out

Start in a high plank position, drawing your belly button up towards your spine. Keep your shoulders engaged by feeling like you are "pushing away the floor." From this position, bring one knee towards your chest, without letting the hips move. Return back to neutral, and then tap the toe out to the side, again making sure your hips stay still. Take breaks as needed.

2. Bridge with alternating leg lift

Begin on your back with your knees bent and your feet in line with your hips. Engage the core, and lift your pelvis off of the ground, keeping a neutral spine. From here, try and lift one leg off of the ground at a time without letting the opposite hip drop. If this is too difficult, you can try just lifting the heel off of the floor (more of a weight shift). Remember to breathe!

3. 1/2 Side plank hip abduction

Start in a half side plank position, with your hips and knees in line with your torso. From here, engage your rotator cuff by pushing your elbow into the ground. Next, lift your hips off of the ground, while keeping the bottom knee on the ground. Lift the top leg towards the ceiling, making sure to keep your hips level and your leg in line with the hip. You should feel an instant burn in your outer glutes!

4. Bent knee fall out

Begin on your back with your knees bent and your feet in line with your hips. While keeping one leg still, let your opposite knee fall out to the side in a controlled fashion and then return back to neutral. Again, your goal here is to prevent your pelvis from moving while you move your legs. You can do this exercise with or without a resistance band.

5. Bird dog

Begin on all fours with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Keeping your pelvis stable, and your core engaged, raise one arm and the opposite leg, stretching them away from each other. Ensure your back remains flat throughout the entire movement.

6. Bear crawl to plank hold

Begin on all fours with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Tighten your abdominals, and lift your knees an inch off of the floor. From this position, walk your feet out into a high plank and then back to the resting position. Lower your knees and take a break between reps if needed.

Well - that's a wrap!

As always, this blog merely scratches the surface relative to the depth of this topic. With that being said, take these tokens of information as a way to evaluate where your body is or isn't performing for you, and these exercises as general guidelines to get you started. But please, PLEASE, if you have pain, get yourself checked out by a healthcare professional (AKA me).