WE’RE BIG PREACHERS of the virtues of core work here at TheScore.ie and this week’s Exercise of the Week is one that targets those muscles deep in your abs, engages your hip flexors, and improves your balance.
The medicine ball pike is not one for the beginner but that doesn’t mean you can’t try it and aim to improve on it.
No one can be expected to be an expert in this from the start. It’s a great exercise too in that it has a number of variations to make it more difficult.
We suggest doing this exercise at least three times a week – ditching the press-ups for the time being.
A few things:
- Try to keep your ankles, knees, hips and shoulders in a straight line at all time.
- Resisting the urge to lower your hips.
- Keep those elbows slightly bent.
- Remember to breathe throughout the exercise.
Starting position: In a press-up position (arms extended but with a slight bend at the elbow), rest the front of your feet on the top of the medicine ball. It’s important to have your body as ‘long’ as it can be and your core tight.
Method: Now, brace your core muscles and lift your hips up towards the ceiling, bringing the ball in towards your hands so that your upper and lower body are roughly at 45 degree angles. Your feet should be on top of the ball. The stronger your core muscles are the smaller this angle will be.
When your hips are at their highest point hold the position for a second and SLOWLY lower them again until they are in a straight line with ankle-knee-hips, ie at the starting position. This is one rep.
Try to do between 8-12 reps for one set, followed by a 30-second rest, and do two more sets.
Variation: To make it harder, hold the position when your hips are at their highest point, lower a few inches, raise again, pause and then lower again. It is like two reps in one, really engaging your core muscles.
This is another variation, adding a press-up to the end of the pike:
It looks like one of those exercises that are made overly complex with no extra benefit so that some personal trainer can justify his €70 an hour fee.
I wouldn’t get anyone to do this
As a p.t. id never give this to a beginner, you need a decent amount of core strenght to try this. Big risk of falling over
Maybe that’s why the article said ‘not one for a beginner’
Maybe i did see that bit….
Did not
Doing your own little panto there truth?!
PT opinions are invalid
Being a PT means nothing more than saying ‘I spent a few hundred quid to get a piece of paper so I can get paid to tell people shit they could google for free’.
Is there a gym in the country that isn’t playing that song? If so, I’d like to join
That’s a nice way to smash your face in.
Ah ask me b…. that exercise.
Just do some planking if you’re starter or try couple burpees if reasonably fit already and you will get same or better results plus you wouldn’t look that stupid.
I like the set, rep,and rest prescription. Great to dictate that with no context! If a fitness pro wrote this they need to go back to school. If a journalist wrote this maybe they could advise on performing surgery next?