Exercises You Should Be Doing: Stability Ball Deadbug
It’s been stated that roughly 80% of Americans will experience low(er) back pain at some point in their life. For the mathematically challenged, that’s four out of every five people. Chances are if you’re reading this blog post, you’ve experienced some form of lower back pain, or at the very least, know someone who has.
As such, not a week goes by where we don’t see someone walk into CP for the first time and reveal that they’ve been suffering from a jacked up back for days, months, or in the worst cases, years at a time.
Moreover, trying to uncover the root cause of their pain can be tricky. Was it a one-time, blunt trauma, like falling of a ladder, or, I don’t know, being a bit overzealous and busting out your robot at the company Christmas party? Maybe it’s due to faulty movement patterns? Is it pathological (disk herniation, spondy, etc)? How about poor program design? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s due to the fact that you sit all day in a flexed position and have the mobility of a pregnant pig?
Needless to say, it could be any number of things, and while I can usually speculate as to the root cause, it’s important to remember that I’m not a doctor dammit, I’m a strength coach.
To that end, when it comes with working with people with lower back pain, more often than not, my job is to just get them feeling better. Stuff like working on tissue quality, improving length-tension relationships, as well as improving posture and movement quality will all go a long ways in helping them. Specifically, however, developing their core strength/stability is crucial.
What Is It: Stability Ball Deadbug
Who Did I Steal If From: Personal trainer and coach, John Izzo, from his DVD Shatterproof Spine.
What Does It Do: Admittedly, this is more of a “beginner” exercise, but given that most people think they’re more advanced than what they really are, I’m not scared to recommend this exercise for just about everyone.
In short, it’s a great exercise to train, what Dr. Stuart McGill refers to as the orchestra—-internal/external obliques, rectus abdominus, and transverse abdominus. Too often, we get so focused on isolating ONE muscle, that we fail to recognize that we need to fire EVERYTHING; particularly when it comes to promoting core stability. As such, this is an excellent exercise that teaches the trainee to “engage” his/her core musculature, which in turn, will provide more spinal stability. It’s a win-win.
Key Coaching Cues: Keeping the back flat, lie supine on the floor holding a stability ball between your hands and knees. From there, simply extend contra-lateral limbs (left leg, right arm and vice versa) in a controlled manner. Obvious progressions include taking away the stability ball and/or keeping rhythm with Ludacris in the background.
Of note, there should be no deviation in the lumbar spine or hips. Meaning, don’t move (other than the limbs, of course). You could use this as part of a general warm-up, or for those clients who are really de-conditioned, as part of their actual training session. I’d recommend 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps on each side.
Comments for This Entry
Friday October 24, 2014 | Badass Stick Figure
[…] C1. CGBP Cluster @42×0; 2.2.2.2; Rest 20 seconds/Rest 60 seocnds C2. Prone Row @20×1; 3-4; Rest 90 seconds x3-4 sets 75# easy/ 4@55# easy 85# tough/ 4@65# easy 85# better/ 4@75# tougher 90# (missed last rep)/ 4@75# better + 100 stability ball deadbugs with PERFECT form – not for time, just get it done – http://tonygentilcore.com/blog/exercises-you-should-be-doing-stability-ball-deadbug/ […]October 24, 2014 at 10:59 pm |
Wednesday, 05NOV14 | Adam Poltrock
[…] Stability ball deadbug; 75 quality reps not for time – http://tonygentilcore.com/2010/02/exercises-you-should-be-doing-stability-ball-deadbug/ •These were awesome. I actually attempted to drive my knee a bit more into the ball and squeeze a […]November 5, 2014 at 6:43 pm |
Jan 2nd | macb50
[…] http://tonygentilcore.com/2010/02/exercises-you-should-be-doing-stability-ball-deadbug/ + 15 minute row 60% aerobic effort […]January 5, 2015 at 12:24 pm |
Jan 4th | macb50
[…] http://tonygentilcore.com/2010/02/exercises-you-should-be-doing-stability-ball-deadbug/ + 5k row @ 2:35 pace exactly – record your average 500 meter pace and time when you are finished […]January 5, 2015 at 12:37 pm |
monday « Jenn Harris
[…] 12 reps C. Stability ball Deadbugs; 10-12/side x4; Rest 75 seconds – http://tonygentilcore.com/2010/02/exercises-you-should-be-doing-stability-ball-deadbug/ REALLY try to POP the ball 12 reps D. Reverse Bear crawl; 10 meters VERY slow and controlled x4 […]February 17, 2015 at 9:21 am |
5/14/15 | melissapainter
[…] Stability ball deadbugs; 10 alternating reps x4; Rest 90 seconds –http://tonygentilcore.com/2010/02/exercises-you-should-be-doing-stability-ball-deadbug/: […]May 20, 2015 at 1:29 am |
sarajshannon
[…] D. Stability ball deadbug; 10/side x5; Rest as needed – http://tonygentilcore.com/2010/02/exercises-you-should-be-doing-stability-ball-deadbug/ […]July 5, 2015 at 12:36 pm |
9/24 | oliveg33
[…] 90 seconds put 5’s on the barD. Stability ball deadbug; 5×10; Rest 75 seconds –http://tonygentilcore.com/2010/02/exercises-you-should-be-doing-stability-ball-deadbug/+4 sets15 second assault bike for maximum caloriesRest 3:00– record calories per […]September 24, 2015 at 10:19 pm |
OPEX 9/24/15 | ACE Training
[…] 7 strict ring pull ups 10 stability ball deadbugs – http://tonygentilcore.com/2010/02/exercises-you-should-be-doing-stability-ball-deadbug/ (No stability ball at the gym so used 8#WB) 20 DU 5+41 pull-ups were my slowest esp after wall runs […]September 25, 2015 at 3:01 pm |