Exercise of the Week 3/24 - 3/30

You may have heard this called the "Plank" or "Hover." This is one of the best ab exercises around. It a popular Pilates exercise, which also helps to strengthen back muscles. Since Taekwondo requires good balance, and power for moves, on the floor and off, a strong "core" is a necessary foundation to have.

To perform: Start on a mat, or other padded surface, laying down in "prone" position (that is your back to the ceiling). Place your legs about shoulder width apart and come up onto your toes.
At the same time your elbows should be bent, palms and forearms laying flat on the mat. Lift your abs and legs off the ground, but keep your glutes down (in other words, keep yourself lifted, but don't stick
your butt in the air!) Make sure to breathe in and out normally - don't hold your breath! Try to hold for 30 seconds, then rest, then peform 2-3 times. As you get better, you can try for 60 seconds.

There are some other variations to this exercise. One is stacking the feet, right toe on top of left heel, and moving the right leg laterally (to the side) as far as you can (about 6 or 8 times), then switching the stacked legs, doing the same on the left side. The plank can also be peformed in push-up position, with your feet on a resist-a-ball (if you have one). Whatever you choose, the plank/hover is a quick exercise to add to your daily routine, or even before or after class.