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Progressions of Isometric Core Training

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 Progressions of Isometric
Core Training
Natasha Mendrin, MS, Scott K. Lynn, PhD, Halecia K. Griffith-Merritt, MS, and Guillermo J. Noffal, PhD
Center for Sport Performance, Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Fullerton, California
ABSTRACT
WITH THE GROWTH IN POPULAR-
ITY OF CORE TRAINING, IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT THERE IS A
CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
TO BEST TAILOR THESE EXER-
CISES TO SAFELY MEET THE
NEEDS OF DIFFERENT INDIVIDU-
ALS. EXTENSIVE RESEARCH HAS
SHOWN THAT TRAINING THE
CORE MUSCLES ISOMETRICALLY,
THAT IS WITHOUT BENDING THE
SPINE, IS SAFE AND MAY HELP
REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF BACK
INJURY. EXERCISE PROFESSIO-
NALS MUST HAVE THE ABILITY TO
MODIFY ISOMETRIC CORE EXER-
CISES AND ALTER THEIR DIFFI-
CULTY TO ENSURE THAT THEY
PROVIDE A SAFE AND APPROPRI-
ATE CHALLENGE FOR INDIVIDUALS
OF VARYING FITNESS LEVELS AND
TRAINING GOALS. THEREFORE,
THIS ARTICLE SUMMARIZES THE
CURRENT RESEARCH THAT OUT-
LINES THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE
CONSEQUENCES OF CON-
STANTLY BENDING OR MOVING
THROUGH THE SPINE. THIS PRO-
VIDES THE RATIONALE FOR
TRAINING THE CORE ISOMETRI-
CALLY TO AVOID REPLICATING
THESE KNOWN MECHANISMS OF
INJURY DURING EXERCISE. EXAM-
PLES OF ISOMETRIC CORE EXER-
CISES OF VARYING DIFFICULTY
ARE ALSO PROVIDED, AS WELL
AS A MODEL OUTLINING HOW TO
IMPLEMENT THESE PROGRESSIONS
Address correspondence to Dr. Scott K. Lynn,
slynn@exchange.fullerton.edu.
50 VOLUME 38 | NUMBER 4 | AUGUST 2016
Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
TO SAFELY MEET THE NEEDS OF
ANY INDIVIDUAL IN A GENERAL
FITNESS POPULATION.
INTRODUCTION
here is great interest among the
T
general population in core train-
ing exercises. No matter what
the goal of this core training, it must
be ensured that these exercises are
performed as safely as possible. Expos-
ing the general population to poten-
tially harmful exercises should be
avoided at all costs. Since approxi-
mately up to 85% of people will expe-
rience low back pain (LBP) during
their lifetime (1), and it is the leading
cause of limited physical activity in
people 45 years of age and younger
(1), exercise professionals must have
an understanding of the research
examining how to safely and effec-
tively train the core musculature.
Research has suggested that the core
musculature be trained differently than
the muscles of the limbs (20). Limb
muscles (biceps brachii, hamstrings,
etc.) are commonly used to move the
segments to which they are attached,
so training them as prime movers may
be appropriate. However, McGill (20)
suggests that most often during human
movement, the function of the core
musculature is to co-contract, stiffen,
and prevent motion rather than pro-
duce it. Proficient human movement
involves the limb muscles generating
power that must be transferred
through a stiffened core so that the
entire body can be moved efficiently.
It is believed that if proper core stabi-
lization is not maintained, when power
is developed from the ball and socket
Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association
joints (hips and shoulders), the spine
will bend or lose its neutral alignment.
This spinal movement is considered an
energy leak, as the power generated
from the limbs is absorbed proximally
in the soft tissues of the spine and not
transferred distally as efficiently as pos-
sible (20). The detrimental effects of an
energy leak such as a repeated spinal
flexion during hip flexion movements
have been shown to lead to injuries
such as posterior disc herniation (5).
Therefore, to make core training as
safe as possible for any population,
the core muscles should be trained
as stabilizers rather than prime mov-
ers (20). This concept is supported by
research examining low back loads
during different abdominal exercises
(2) as well as by a recent training
study comparing long-term isometric
core training to a more dynamic train-
ing program (15).
Spinal posture has been found to be
a key determinant in the amount of
compressive load that the spine is able
to withstand before injury occurs, as in
a flexed posture, the spine has a much
lower yield point and ultimate com-
pressive strength (9). This means that
when there is flexion of the spine in
addition to the compression, the load
that the spine can withstand decreases
and the risk of injury increases substan-
tially (5,9). Therefore, the safest way to
train the core musculature is to ensure
that the spine remains in a neutral posi-
tion when any load is introduced to
the body.
KEY WORDS:
abdominal exercises; core stability; low
back pain; spinal posture
 PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
LBP can be caused by an acute injury
or can be due to chronically poor
movement patterns that buildup over
time (1). Although core training may
not be able to prevent LBP due to blunt
traumas such as car accidents, certain
types of LBP are preventable by
improving the quality of movement
(12). A fundamental and effective way
to prevent LBP is to maintain a neutral
lordotic curve in the lumbar spine
(12,19,26) as the stresses and strains
on the low back tissues are increased
in nonneutral postures (8). Strain
applied repeatedly or for a prolonged
period of time to a tissue will eventually
result in tissue failure and pain (26);
therefore, continually adopting an
improper posture in any environment
(i.e., workplace, gym, activities of daily
living) may cause injury (19). However,
identifying and correcting spinal pos-
tures both statically and during move-
ment may help relieve the pain and
prevent further damage (19). Exercise
professionals can now quantify and
track the movement of the lumbopel-
vic complex easily in clients using inex-
pensive and readily available
technologies (i.e., smartphone applica-
tion) that have been shown to identify
those at risk of injury (6). Corrective
exercises can then be undertaken with
these individuals to avoid injury.
MOVEMENTS OF THE SPINE
The spine moves in 4 directions: flex-
ion, extension, lateral flexion (right
and left), and axial rotation (right
and left). Research supporting the
injury risk from excessive movement
of the spine in any one direction is
presented below.
FLEXION AND EXTENSION
Lumbar flexion and extension both
have distinct mechanisms of different
injuries. Repeated lumbar flexion and
extension have been shown to cause
a stretching of the passive tissues
(5,12) which can lead to small micro-
traumas that can buildup over time to
cause tissue damage (27). These con-
ditions are worsened when high com-
pressive loads are introduced to many
Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
repetitions of flexions or extensions
(5). Therefore, greater compressive
loads can lead to a greater risk of
injury when combined with nonneu-
tral sagittal plane positions of the lum-
bar spine. Continued exposure to
such movements and postures over
time may lead to the development
of chronic conditions, where visco-
elastic tissues begin to degenerate.
An intervertebral disc (IVD) injury
most commonly occurs posteriorly
due to a spinal flexion mechanism.
This is due to the increased pressure
on the posterior side of the disc as the
spine goes into flexion (5,18). Anterior
disc herniations are not as common
but have been known to occur among
populations such as gymnasts who
experience extreme levels of extension
(25,28). IVD injuries are progressive
conditions with a mechanism of injury
that commonly involves compression
with the spinal flexion (posterior IVD
herniation) or extension (anterior IVD
herniation) (5). Callaghan and McGill
(5) showed that, as the compressive
load increased, there was much greater
incidence of injury to the IVD during
repeated flexion and extension move-
ments. This indicates that the risk of
IVD injury increases during a move-
ment that involves flexing or extending
the spine when external loads are
added to the movement.
Spinal flexion not only creates a pos-
terior shear force on the IVD, but it
also increases the extensor muscle
activity and load (10). The increased
muscle activity has been shown to
cause compressive stresses on the
IVD in the lumbar spine (10). In com-
parison to an upright posture, an
anteriorly positioned thorax resulted
in significant increases in load and
stress on the lumbar spine (10).
McGill et al. (21) also assessed
whether changes in hip flexion angle
or lumbar curvature affected lumbar
extensor muscle fiber direction and
thus its ability to support anterior
shear loads. Muscle angle orientation
was not affected with 308 of hip flex-
ion if a neutral lumbar position was
maintained; however, in a flexed
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lumbar position, these angles were
altered. Full lumbar flexion compro-
mised the ability of lumbar extensors
to support shear force, making
the handling of heavy loads in
a flexed lumbar position much more
dangerous.
There are also spinal pathologies that
are believed to be caused by excessive,
repeated extension of the lumbar
spine. These include the spondylitic
disorders (spondylolisthesis and spon-
dylolysis), which are a common cause
of LBP in young athletes (25,28).
Although this work is focused on a gen-
eral fitness population, many former
athletes may have developed long-
term injuries from these activities (3).
Those who have been gymnasts,
cricket bowlers, divers, weightlifters,
wrestlers, and football linemen may
be at increased risk of developing these
disorders as these activities can fre-
quently require extension of the lumbar
spine while in loaded positions (25).
Spondylolisthesis is recognized as for-
ward slippage of one vertebra on
another, whereas spondylolysis occurs
when there is a fracture to the posterior
part of the vertebrae known as the pars
interarticularis (25,28). Therefore,
avoiding overt and excessive extension
of the lumbar spine, while loaded, is
important for preventing LBP.
ROTATION AND LATERAL FLEXION
Movements that involve twisting of
the spine are common in work-
related, athletic, and domestic tasks.
Pure axial rotation has not been shown
to be a direct cause of injury (18), but
rarely do movements involve just rota-
tion. Generally, there is a combined
loading that includes flexion-
extension, static axial torque, or static
compression (7). Axial torque, which
leads to axial rotation, has been shown
to significantly increase the likelihood
of injury (7). Those who experience
axial rotation repetitively with com-
bined loading are at a high risk of sev-
eral pathologies, including disc
herniation (7). Marshall and McGill
(18) determined that pure axial torque
(twist) did not lead to any damage to
51
 Progressions of Isometric Core Training
Figure 1. Blanchard and Glasgow (4) exercise progression model.
the disc; however, when axial torque
was combined with flexion-extension,
there was a large increase in tissue de-
formations that are known to lead to
disc herniation. Therefore, compulsory
movements that involve combined
twisting and bending of the spine cre-
ate a risk for low back injury and
should be avoided.
Asymmetric loading of the spine with
lateral lifting and lowering is also
believed to lead to LBP. Huang et al.
(11) examined the pulling force during
lateral lifting and lowering from
Figure 2. Basic plank.
52 VOLUME 38 | NUMBER 4 | AUGUST 2016
Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
a standing position and found that peak
force occurred in a laterally flexed
position in the opposite direction of
the load, which may impose an
increased risk of injury to the spine.
Marras et al. (17) identified the later-
ally bent posture and lateral bending
velocity as risks related to low back
disorders. Additionally, Kumar et al.
(14) found that strength declines as
an individual assumes a laterally flexed
spinal posture. Research invariably
concludes that lateral bending or fron-
tal plane movement of the spine
compromises the integrity of the
spine; therefore, it may be wise to
avoid exercises that involve repeated
spinal lateral bending beyond that of
which is tolerable.
EXERCISE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRESSION AND REGRESSION
Exercise modification is necessary so
that exercise professionals may tailor
exercises to fit an individuals specific
needs while still maintaining an appro-
priate level of challenge. Exercise pro-
gression increases the difficulty when
the basic exercise no longer provides
a challenge. Theoretically, exercises
that are properly progressed will con-
tinually improve the efficiency of
movement patterns, while also increas-
ing the margin of safety (the distance
between applied loads and the failure
tolerance of the tissues) (24). Con-
versely, exercise regression decreases
the difficulty so that an individual can
learn the appropriate muscular activa-
tion strategies in a way that decreases
the chances of developing compensa-
tions in their movement patterns lead-
ing to injury (16). It has been suggested
that a safe and effective exercise plan
should be of low risk and high demand
(23); therefore, a trainer should have
 Figure 3. Wheel rollout.

the ability to make small variations in
the difficulty of an exercise to ensure
that the client can handle the increases
in demand without placing them at risk
for injury.
Blanchard and Glasgow (4) suggested
a model for exercise progression and
regression (Figure 1). In Figure 1, hor-
izontal axis represents time, and the
vertical axis represents the level of
difficulty of the exercise. The most con-
trolled level of any exercise is labeled
A in Figure 1. At this level, the client
should be focusing on only one funda-
mental task, and other variables should

Figure 4. Dead bug.

53
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Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
 Progressions of Isometric Core Training
Figure 5. Mountain climbers.
be limited. For core exercise, this
should be training the core muscula-
ture to stabilize the lumbar spine in
a neutral lordotic position. Proprio-
ceptive sense of this neutral lordotic
position would be the primary goal of
a core exercise at this level. This
would also be a fundamental goal of
every progression of a core exercise as
the triangle labeled A is on top of
every progression. The level A exer-
cise can then be slowly progressed
linearly (moving up the triangle) by
increasing the duration of the hold,
number of repetitions, etc. The next
step B would be to add an extrinsic
component to the exercise to further
complicate the basic task. Further
progressions to the exercise could
then be performed separately or
added to the previous progression
(C, D, etc.). Once an exercise var- to maintain adequate MOx levels and
iation is mastered, a progression needs
to be introduced to ensure constant
challenge and improvement. The
exercise progression model will be re-
visited at the end of the article to give
more specific ideas for implementing
the exercises presented in this article.
Figure 6. Bodysaw.
54 VOLUME 38 | NUMBER 4 | AUGUST 2016
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DURATION OF STATIC POSTURE
Although increasing the duration of
a static hold is presented as a way to
progress within the basic exercise,
there is some concern in regard to
the duration that isometric contrac-
tions are held. Kell and Bhambhani
(13) investigated muscle oxygenation
(MOx) during prolonged static posture
and found that maintaining a static
posture may lead to decreased MOx
and increased fatiguefactors that can
lead to injury and pain. It is believed
that there is a correlation between
MOx levels and LBP, which makes it
vital that MOx is maintained during an
isometric contraction. It has been
determined that a 30-second isometric
hold will reduce lumbar extensor MOx
(22). Thus, muscular rest after a 30-
second isometric hold is recommended
want to avoid back injury or pain,
to ultimately reduce the risk of injury
(13,22). Progressing isometric exercises
by simply increasing the duration of
the hold may not be the best strategy.
Progressions could instead be intro-
duced by increasing the difficulty of
the exercise or by increasing the
number of repetitions of shorter iso-
metric holds.
MOVEMENT VERSUS MOMENT
Progressing isometric exercises re-
quires an understanding of the differ-
ence between a movement and
moment. A flexion movement is
a kinematic term and defines the act
of bending the spine forward or of flex-
ing the spine. A flexion moment is
a kinetic term and is the act of creating
a moment or torque. Moments can be
created independent of whether or not
movement occurs. Pushing an immov-
able object requires the spine to stiffen
with anterior muscle activation to
avoid energy leaks or spine move-
ments. Hence, these muscles should
be producing a flexion moment with-
out actual movement. For those who
enhancing stiffness with flexion
moment training while avoiding flex-
ion movements is essential to control
and ultimately eliminate the microtrau-
mas that lead to pain (20). With this
knowledge, it can be assumed that it is
safest to progress core exercises with
 Figure 7. Sagittal plane body blade.
moments rather than movements. This
article will provide examples of pro-
gressions of isometric core exercises
that challenge the core musculature
in each of the 3 principal planes: sag-
ittal, frontal, and transverse.
The following figures show exercises
with their corresponding progressions
and regressions. Note, all steps needed
to perform an exercise are depicted
with letters (a, b, c), whereas roman
numerals (i, ii, iii) indicate progressions
within an exercise (difficulty increases
with larger numbers).
ISOMETRIC CORE TRAINING
EXAMPLES
SAGITTAL PLANE EXERCISES
One option for regressing the plank
(figure 2) includes placing the forearms
on a raised surface (i); the higher the
surface you use, the greater the regres-
sion. The basic form of the plank is
performed with the feet on the floor,
a level trunk, and the elbows directly
under the shoulders (ii). There are
many ways to progress this exercise,
Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
some of which include walking the
forearms slightly forward from the
trunk (iii) to increase the moment
arm distance or placing the feet on
a raised surface (iv).
The starting position for the wheel
rollout (figure 3) has the individual
kneeling with their hands on the wheel
(ia). The movement involves rolling
out as far as possible while maintaining
stability and a neutral lumbar spine as
the moment arm distance is increased
(ib), and then returning to the starting
position by rolling back. Performing
this exercise on the feet rather than
the knees will further increase the
moment arm distance and the difficulty
(iiaiib). If this exercise is too difficult
to perform on the wheel, the same con-
cept can be achieved in a more stable
position on the hands (not shown).
To perform the dead bug (figure 4),
begin by laying supine on the BOSU
with the hips and knees flexed at 908
and both arms positioned directly
upward (ii). Maintain an abdominal
brace and neutral lordotic curvatures
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of the spine (including neck), and hold
this position. To increase the difficulty,
slowly extend either one leg or one
arm at a time and alternate (iii). Fur-
ther progressing, this exercise is per-
formed by extending the opposite arm
and leg simultaneously (iv). If an indi-
vidual is not able to maintain stability
on the BOSU, these same exercises
can be performed on the floor with
a towel rolled under the lumbar spine
to maintain a neutral lordotic curva-
ture (i).
The mountain climber exercise shown
in figure 5 is being performed on a sus-
pension trainer, but it can also be per-
formed on surfaces such as sliders or
a slide board. The feet insert into the
handles of the suspension trainer, and
the body is level with the hands
directly under the shoulders (a). Alter-
nately driving one knee toward the
chest and returning to the starting posi-
tion (bc). Options for progressing this
movement might include increasing
the speed, raising the height of the sus-
pension trainer, or walking the hands
55
 Progressions of Isometric Core Training
Figure 8. Side plank.
slightly forward away from the body. It
is important to ensure that the motion
is coming entirely from the hip and
there is no spine flexion as the knee
comes toward the chest.
The starting position for the bodysaw
(figure 6) is a basic plank but with the
feet positioned on a sliding surface (a).
The movement involves pushing
against the floor with the forearms
to slide the feet backward, going only
as far as the abdominal brace is main-
tained (b), and then sliding the feet for-
ward to where the shoulders pass over
the elbows (c). To progress this exercise,
decrease the speed of the movement or
further increase the moment arm
56 VOLUME 38 | NUMBER 4 | AUGUST 2016
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distance by sliding the feet farther back.
This exercise is being performed on
a slide board, although it can also be
performed on sliders or even a towel
on a tiled floor.
The sagittal plane body blade (figure 7)
exercise can be performed by holding
the blade either vertically or horizon-
tally (not shown) and involves oscillat-
ing the blade while maintaining
abdominal bracing. This exercise can
be progressed by moving the arms fur-
ther away from the trunk (ii) or by per-
forming the same exercise unilaterally
to introduce some twisting forces that
will require increased transverse plane
muscle recruitment as well (not shown).
FRONTAL PLANE EXERCISES
The most regressed form of the side
plank (figure 8) shown is with the
knees bent at 908 and stacked, with
the elbow directly under the shoulder
(i). The elbow can also be placed on
a raised surface to regress this exercise
using the same principle as was shown
in Figure 1 (basic plank). Extending
the legs with the feet in a wide stance
(ii) is the first progression and can be
later followed by stacking the feet (iii)
to reduce the base of support. Placing
the feet on a raised surface (iv) is
another option for progressing this
movement. Once higher levels of fron-
tal plane stability are achieved, this
 Figure 9. Suitcase carry.

Figure 10. Frontal plane body blade.

57
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 Progressions of Isometric Core Training
Figure 11. Landmines.
exercise can be performed with the
supporting arm extended (v) and later
with the top leg lifted for the highest
progression shown here (vi). Addi-
tional ways of progressing this exercise
might involve placing a weight on the
hip or holding a weight with the top
arm extended straight up.
To perform a suitcase carry (figure 9)
hold a moderately heavy kettlebell in
one hand, and walk with abdominal
bracing to avoid any lateral trunk
bending (i). For progression, hold
the kettlebell bottoms-up at shoulder
level, making sure not to rest the arm
on the chest (ii). The last progression
58 VOLUME 38 | NUMBER 4 | AUGUST 2016
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shown is holding the kettlebell with an
extended arm directly above the shoul-
der (iii). Considerations for altering this
exercise include the degree of arm
abduction, the weight of the kettlebell,
and the duration of walking.
To perform the frontal plane body
blade (figure 10) hold the body blade
directly in front of the chest and oscil-
late the blade side to side (i), being sure
to maintain abdominal bracing. This
exercise can be progressed by moving
the arms further away from the trunk
(ii) or by performing the same exercise
unilaterally as was discussed in Figure 6
(not shown).
TRANSVERSE PLANE EXERCISES
The landmine exercise (figure 11) is gen-
erally performed with a barbell that is
secured at one end and freely movable at
the other. Hold the top end with both
hands and stand with the feet shoulder-
width apart (ia). Apply abdominal brace
and, in a controlled manner, rotate the
bar from side to side. This exercise can
be performed in 2 forms: (i and ii) allow-
ing the hips and shoulders to rotate and
the weight to shift or (iii and iv) keeping
the hips and shoulders facing forward
and only allowing the arms and bar to
rotate with no weight shift. One progres-
sion (iib and ivb) would be to extend the
 Figure 12. Bird dog.

arms further from the body. In addition,
adding weight to the top end of the
barbell can increase the challenge of
the exercise.
Figure 12 shows 3 levels of the bird dog
exercise. The first level is performed on
the hands and knees (iiii), the second
on the feet and elbows (ivvi), and the
third on the feet and hands (viiix). The
most regressed form of each level starts
with alternately extending either one
arm or one leg out at a time, and the
final progression is to extend the oppo-
site arm and leg at the same time.
To perform the cable press (figure 13)
walk out laterally from a cable
machine holding a handle with both
hands close to the chest and the feet

Figure 13. Cable press.

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 Progressions of Isometric Core Training
Figure 14. Around the world.
in a comfortable athletic stance (a).
Without any movement of the trunk,
slowly extend both arms away from
the chest. You can begin by only ex-
tending your arms slightly away from
your chest (b) and progress to extend-
ing them as far as possible (c), being
sure to maintain the abdominal brace,
and then return back to the starting
position. This exercise can be further
progressed by increasing the weight
on the cable machine or by narrowing
the stance (i.e., the base of support).
To perform the around the world
exercise (figure 14) hold a kettlebell
with both hands starting just above
the shoulder (ia) and bring it back
and around the head in a circular fash-
ion (ibid). This movement essentially
60 VOLUME 38 | NUMBER 4 | AUGUST 2016
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challenges the muscles of the trunk
that control motion in all 3 planes
but is only effective as long as the
abdominal brace is maintained. Pro-
gressing this exercise can be per-
formed by extending the arms further
away from the body (iiaiid) or by
increasing the weight of the kettlebell.
To perform the push up shoulder
touch exercise (figure 15) start with
the feet slightly wider than the shoul-
der width and with the hands directly
under the shoulders (ia). Keeping a level
pelvis, lift one hand to grab the oppo-
site forearm (ib), and then slowly re-
turn the hand back down. For
regression, widen the feet and bring
the hands closer together. Progressing
this exercise can be performed by
reaching the hand higher up the oppo-
site arm (ii) or by narrowing the feet
(not shown).
The chop (figure 16) is performed by
kneeling on one knee (knee furthest
from cable machine down) next to the
cable machine and hold the bar with
both hands above the shoulder level
(ia). With a neutral spine and abdominal
brace, bring the handle down in a diag-
onal pattern toward the opposite hip
(ibic); then return to the starting posi-
tion. To gradually progress, incremen-
tally narrow the stance in half-kneeling
until both legs are inline (iiaiic). Per-
forming this exercise in a lunge position
or standing will also make it more dif-
ficult, as well as increasing the weight
on the cable machine.
 Figure 15. Push-up shoulder touch.
To perform the lift (figure 17) kneel
on one knee next to the cable
machine (the knee closest to the
cable machine is down), and hold
the bar with both hands at the hip
level (ia). With a neutral spine and
abdominal brace, bring the handle
up in a diagonal pattern toward the
opposite shoulder (ibic). To gradu-
ally progress, incrementally narrow
the stance in half-kneeling until both
legs are in alignment (iiaiic). Per-
forming this exercise in a lunge posi-
tion or standing will make it more
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difficult, as well as increasing the
weight on the cable machine.
To perform the bear crawl (figure 18)
start on your hands and feet with your
knees bent, hands directly under the
shoulders and knees directly under
the hips. Walk forward on your hands
and feet, moving your contralateral
limbs together (ac). It is important
to maintain level hips and a neutral
lordotic spine throughout the move-
ment. This exercise is not limited to
just moving forward and backward,
but can be performed in any direction.
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To regress this exercise, take a small
contralateral step forward, pause for
a moment, and then return back.
Lengthening the time hovering
between steps will help prepare an
individual for locomotive bear crawls.
EXERCISE PROGRESSION MODEL
As stated earlier, it is extremely impor-
tant that exercise progressions are im-
plemented properly to ensure that the
client is continuously moving toward
their fitness goals as safely as possible.
Figure 1 presents a model proposed by
61
 Progressions of Isometric Core Training
Figure 16. Chops.
Blanchard and Glasgow (4) for exercise
progression that is very general. There-
fore, this section will help the exercise
professional apply this model to safely
and appropriately progress the exer-
cises presented in this article.
It is suggested that the section marked
A in Figure 1 is the most controlled
level of the exercise where the client
has the goal of only focusing on
intrinsic factors such as joint proprio-
ception. For core training, the goal of
this initial exercise could be to stabi-
lize the lumbar spine in a neutral lor-
dotic position under a sagittal plane
62 VOLUME 38 | NUMBER 4 | AUGUST 2016
Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
load such as that presented in the
front plank (Figure 2ii). This simple
exercise can then be regressed if the
client struggles to maintain a neutral
lordotic curvature by putting them on
an angle (Figure 2i), as this decreases
the amount of moment that the core
muscles must match in order to main-
tain spinal position. You can then
slowly progress linearly within this
exercise by increasing the moment
arm distance. This can be performed
by slowly decreasing the angle by get-
ting a smaller box for the client to put
their forearms on. It can then further
be progressed by increasing that
moment arm distance by moving your
forearms further away from your feet
or by elevating the feet. All of these
things will linearly alter the core chal-
lenge while still keeping the intrinsic
focus of this level A exercise.
Once the intrinsic factors of the basic
A exercise are mastered, Blanchard
and Glasgow (4) suggest that these
exercises could then be progressed
by adding an extrinsic factor. Exam-
ples of extrinsic factors are the wheel
presented in Figure 3, the BOSU
ball presented in Figure 4, the
 Figure 17. Lifts.

suspension trainer straps presented in
Figure 5, or the sliders under the feet
presented in Figure 6. All of these ex-
ercises present an extrinsic factor that
adds to the difficulty of the exercise
while still maintaining the same basic
goalstabilize the lumbar spine in
a neutral lordotic position under a sag-
ittal plane load. Any of these extrinsic
factors could be included under the
progressions marked B, C, or
D in the model and then be
progressed/regressed linearly within
the same extrinsic factor by altering
the moment arm distance or the
amount of sagittal plane torque
applied to the core muscles. It should
be noted that the extrinsic factors

Figure 18. Bear crawl.

63
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Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
 Progressions of Isometric Core Training
presented in Figures 36 (wheel, BO-
SU ball, suspension strap, foot sliders)
would most likely never be used in
combination, as was suggested by
Blanchard and Glasgow (4), as the
fourth level of progression in Figure 1.
However, all of these exercises are
performed in very nonfunctional po-
sitions (prone or supine), so Blan-
chard and Glasgow (4) suggest
a further progression would be to
add multiple changes in stimulus/
environment to the basic challenge.
This could be performed in a standing
position and using something such as
a body blade (Figure 7) to add further
challenge to the core. The moment
arm distance can then also be altered
within this exercise by increasing the
distance of the body blade from the
core muscles.
After the client has become profi-
cient in maintaining a neutral lor-
dotic lumbar spine under sagittal
plane loads and challenges, they
can be progressed to frontal plane
exercises (Figures 810), followed
by transverse plane exercise (Figures
1118). For each of these planes,
a new progression model will begin
with the basic intrinsic goal A of
training the proprioceptors to main-
tain a neutral lumbar spine under
a destabilizing load. These exercises
can then be progressed by first add-
ing one extrinsic factor, followed by
multiple changes in the environ-
ment/stimulus. Using the dead bug
exercise (Figure 4), the goal of the
basic exercise A is to maintain
a neutral lordotic curvature in
a supine position on the floor (Figur-
e 4i). This exercise could be pro-
gressed by adding the extrinsic
factor B of the BOSU ball (ii). Add-
ing limb movement would be modi-
fication C and could be used while
lying on the floor AC (not shown)
or in combination with the BOSU
ball ABC (Figure 4iii and iv). The
final progression D could add
another intrinsic factor by having
them catch and toss a ball. If they
could do this while stabilizing their
core on the BOSU and moving their
64 VOLUME 38 | NUMBER 4 | AUGUST 2016
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limbs, this would be progression the model presented by Blanchard
ABCD. and Glasgow (4).
Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding:
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS The authors report no conflicts of interest
The goal of this article was to and no source of funding.
enhance the understanding of how
to progress isometric exercises de-
signed to target the core muscula- Natasha
ture. It should be noted that the Mendrin Depart-
figures provide only limited exam- ment of Kinesiol-
ples of these types of training exer- ogy, California
cises, but there are an infinite amount State University,
of additional variations and other posi- Fullerton, CA.
tions and movements that can accom-
plish the same goal. Many of the
exercises shown also involve unilateral
loading of the spine, which can help the
exercise professional to identify and
Scott K. Lynn is
correct any asymmetries that may be
an Associate
present in their clients. However, it is
Professor in the
important that these exercises are per-
Department of
formed bilaterally (on both sides) to
Kinesiology at
ensure even development of stabilizing
California State
musculature. As mentioned prior, some
University, Full-
variations of the exercises may not be
erton, CA.
appropriate for all individuals. For
example, the plank progression of walk-
ing the forearms forward away from the
Halecia K.
trunk places stress on the shoulder joint Griffith-Merritt
and may be aggravating to those with
Department of
an existing shoulder pathology. Many Kinesiology, Cal-
exercises which require static holds
ifornia State
can also be progressed by increasing University, Full-
the time the exercise is held; however,
erton, CA.
performing several repetitions while
holding a position for no more than
30 seconds is advised (13,22). It should
also be recognized that some of the ex- Guillermo J.
ercises presented in this article are per- Noffal is a Profes-
formed in relatively nonfunctional sor in the
exercise positions, thus further progres- Department of
sion would involve weight bearing ex- Kinesiology at
ercises such as squats, lunges, and California State
weightlifting; however, it is imperative University, Full-
that a neutral lordosis is maintained erton, CA.
throughout the course of every exer-
cise. If an individual is unable to main-
tain a desirable spine position during
any movement, it should be regressed
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