30 Minute Core Workout With Spinal Mobility

This is a 30-minute core workout with an emphasis on spinal health, spinal mobility, and shoulder stabilization.

This workout is good for all levels so long as you don't have any injuries or pre-existing conditions. So much of core movement is about stabilizing the spine and for those of us who sit at a desk job, the muscles that connect around the lumbopelvic hip complex get tight and create lower back pain.

One of the ways to be pain-free or reduce lower back pain is to have a strong core and to stretch the muscles that are tight from sitting for long periods of time. The best way to combat this is to not sit for long periods of time, but if you must, then try to stretch periodically throughout the day.

As you go through the workout video, focus on listening to your body while you do the exercises and stretches. If something doesn't feel good or right, it's up to YOU to dial it back and work in a range that is best for you. One of the things that I love about home workouts and online coaching is that the client tends to be more self-aware when working out at home and less ego comes into play.

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For more workouts that include full-body workouts, core workouts, and yoga, all you need to do is sign up for my monthly newsletter. You will also get nutrition tips, recipes, life hacks, and bad dad jokes. But it will be mostly workouts and scheduling announcements.

Have fun! I hope you enjoy the workout and that it helps your core get stronger, your spine more mobile and maybe even put a smile on your face.

Here is the written transcript of the workout -

So lets begin just by stretching out some of

the muscles that connect down into your

hips

so inhale raising both hands up over

your head

and then kind of draw your shoulder

blades down away from your ears

i'm going to drop one hand down to the

floor it doesn't matter which hand

and then that hand is going to kind of

support you so you can maintain length

through your spine

and then bend at the elbow and reach

that top arm over

you're going to roll your shoulder blade

back so your heart looks up towards the

sky

or ceiling taking a deep breath

then on the exhale push yourself back up

both hands come up to the sky

and then switch sides and that arm is

kind of posting so you can maintain that

length along your spine

and then bending at the elbow and

extending that top arm

as far as you can so you get that good

stretch down through your lats all the

way into your hip

and push them back up and then both

hands

come down to your sides cool

so make around your hands and knees to

begin

so with your knees underneath your hips

hands underneath your shoulders

we're going to come into cat and cows

still warming up your spine

so inhale to look up and then exhale

curving your chin to your navel

and just kind of moving through the

whole range of motion as you kind of

feel your

spine wake up and as you push your spine

up towards the ceiling see if you can

actually flex your abs

to make that contraction happen

essentially it's your abs that are

squeezing to bring your chin towards

your belly button

we'll do one or two more passes up and

down

and then we'll meet in a nice neutral

spine

so extending your right arm out in front

of you and your left heel straight back

away from you

and then tucking your belly button into

your spine so you get like really hollow

through the midsection

you're gonna take in a breath and then

on the exhale connect elbow to knee

under your body

and then inhale to extend reaching out

and we do that five times

exhaling to connect for two to extend

and then for three standing out

for four extend out

one more time making the connection and

then one more time reaching out

and then coming back onto all fours just

take a moment to resettle

again drawing your belly button into

your spine reaching your left arm out in

front of you and your right heel

straight back away from you

take in a breath and on the exhale

connect elbow to knee

inhale to extend exhale to connect

there's two you have to extend

to connect three extend

back to four extend

one more time making the connection one

more time reaching out

and coming back down onto all fours

so we're going to do just a little

spinal mobility work so bring your right

hand behind your head

and then pushing your heart away from

the floor so your left shoulder is

really strong and engaged

we're going to bring your right elbow to

your left elbow and then open out to the

side

as far as you can

bring it back in we're going to do that

five times just kind of moving through

the breath

each time you do it you can kind of feel

that stretch happening across the middle

of your back

one more time

and then after you've done your five

we'll come down and do the same thing on

the other side

so bring your left hand behind your head

and pushing your heart away from the

floor so that right shoulder is really

strong

connecting elbow to elbow and then

opening out to the side just about as

far as you can

making movement with breath so you give

a big exhale as you're coming up

oh and then after you finish that five

we'll curl under your toes

and come into a downward facing dog

so from the downward dog just pausing

for a moment kind of pedaling out

through your heels

give a little stretch in your calves or

your hamstrings and kind of shake your

head if you want him

and then we're gonna go for an alternate

toe touch from a downward dog for 20

reps

so reaching touching your opposite toes

and trying to keep your legs and back

just about as straight as you can

so

and once you finish the set of 20 you

can come back down onto hands and knees

it'll make your way all the way onto

your back

we'll get ready for a set of crunches

so we're gonna go for 25 crunches uh

heels can be either on the floor or up

in the air creating a tabletop with your

shins

doesn't really matter but each time you

come up you want to give a big strong

exhale

so your core is empty by the time you

get to the top and getting that good

strong squeeze

and always maintaining space between