This edition of Core Conditioning 101 focuses on the 'Swissball Prone Roll Out' a rather long winded name but a great, simple exercise for conditioning the whole Abdominal musculature.  It integrates the inner (stabiliser) unit muscles with the outer (movement) unit muscles to produce a fully functional abdominal exercise that should be the bedrock of your core workouts.  Here's what you need to know....

When you bend forward the properly functioning core works like this:  The contraction of the lower abdominal muscle fibres act to rotate the pelvis posteriorly which tightens the sacrotuberous, sacrospinous and sacroiliac ligaments and stabilises the sacroiliac (SI) joint against the shear force of the torsos weight.  This is what happens when everything works as it's supposed to.  If your lower abdominals aren't strong enough or they aren't firing up in the sequence they are supposed to you get problems such as lower back ache and SI joint pain.

The Horse stance - Silly name, great exercise!

Having a strong core is all well and good for doing complex exercises on the floor but you need to link that "inner unit" strength to the muscles of the "outer unit" that mobilise the body for it to be any good in the real world.  You can have great core strength in an isolated exercise on the floor and still put your back out lifting something.  The inner and outer units must be conditioned to work together and that starts with the Horse stance exercises.

Everyone loves an abdominal curl!  There are gadgets and contraptions and machines abound that all claim to help you to build a washboard stomach.  In our first YouTube video Neil explains the key pointers that go into making this gym staple a worthwhile exercise that won't leave you riddled with muscle imbalances, poor posture and pains.  Well worth a watch...

Since my last training blog, I certainly feel like I have turned a corner in the road to recovery from my ankle injury. An awesome speed training session with my running club, Fareham Crusaders proved that my fitness levels and stamina are improving and I completed my first race since the injury on Sunday, only a minute slower than last year's time over the same course. It has really boosted my confidence and re-motivated me towards reaching the ultimate goal: completing the Great South Run.

But I know I cannot afford to be complacent. I may not be feeling the effects of the injury anymore but rehab exercises will still have to feature in my training plan, not easy when I also want to increase my mileage. With this in mind, I joined in with our Core Conditioning Class on Tuesday lunchtime as an easy way to get a more 'rehabby' session in. Neil Dayus explains: "The core musculature plays a vital role in running. It stabilises the movement of the limbs during gait and provides a stable base from which propulsive power can be developed efficiently, saving us effort and reducing the chances of an injury." I have been fairly focussed on increasing my mileage and improving the strength and stability in my ankle and as a result, the importance of core training has occasionally been sidelined. However, the 45 minute lunchtime class is an ideal way of fitting this training into my schedule and it means I can still run in the evening with my club. If you can't make the class, I strongly recommend booking a session with Neil so he can advise you on core exercises you can fit into your routine - it really does make a difference! Call 02393 233140 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .