How to Improve Core Control

To bullet proof your core for life and sport activities nothing does it better and simpler than the dead bug, birddog, and plank core exercises. These moves should be a staple for everyone’s core development, protection, and coordination. They are basic and don’t require any equipment other than you! Here’s some tips and cues for you.

1. Use them as an activation preparatory warmup sequence before getting on the water every time you go out.
2. When you're done paddling and getting into the car for the drive home, do a post work set of 3 reps of each exercise.
3. When doing a plank maintain your hold for 10 seconds on and 10 seconds rest. There is not a need to hold longer due to the abdomen muscles getting ischemic after 10 seconds. This factoid was from Dr. Stuart McGill from a workshop I attended. Focus on strict posture and tension pressure throughout your entire body.
4. When doing your birddogs do them slow and smooth. Do not let your hips hike and rotate. Feel your gluteus, abs, and shoulder contracted and stable
5. The dead bug whilst lying on your back is all about maintaining smoothness with intense mid section tension and activation.
6. Creating a coordinated back and abdomen offers you much better dynamics in your stroke, better balance, and longevity for the sport of sup.
7. All three of these exercises are phenomenal for rehabilitation from injury. When done slowly and precisely they can mitigate and or eliminate back pain.
8. Find a breathing sequence that allows for good cervical, thoracic, and lumbar-pelvic alignment and function.
9. Be careful when googling videos on how to do these that you select the proper source for demonstration. For me, the birddog is usually the most butchered of them all. People turn it into way too big of a movement with excessive momentum rather than strict control. If anyone would like for us to hold a training workshop and or private session we are available for coaching these simple, but highly effective exercises.