Core Stretch: The Extensor Muscles
Leah ZahnerDescription
Your core is an area of the body that when called upon is expected to perform. If the core hasn’t received a call lately, likely it is weakening and overtime it can lead to injury.
Bowling requires the core to be engaged. If you are not regularly working out your core and asking it to perform on league night, you’re likely very sore the next day in your lower back. Remember, your core isn’t just your abs.
Your core is made up of the four abdominal muscle groups, two long muscle groups in your back, along your spine, and the pelvic floor. This exercise stretches the extensor muscles in your back, providing some immediate relief to lower back soreness while building strength in those muscles.
Step 1
Start by laying flat on the floor on the front side of your body. With your body relaxed, bring your hands behind your head.
Step 2
Keeping your fingertips light and your elbows wide, press your legs down and squeeze the muscles in your back to lift yourself up. Go to your highest point and hold the core stretch for as long as you can.
Each time you do this core stretch, the goal should be to hold it a little longer.
Step 3
When you’re done core stretching, very carefully get yourself back into a seated position.
Take your time. Returning to a seated or standing position slowly protects your spine from a sudden, unexpected injury. Besides, doing this core stretch quickly will not increase your average any faster.
Check out “Upper Back Stretching with a Physioball” and “Hamstring Stretch” for more great bowling exercises geared to help your bowling performance.
An important thing to remember about the muscles of the core, is that they don't just exist on the front side of your body. They actually wrap all the way around your torso and help to support your spine. So anytime you're strengthening your core, remember to strengthen the muscles of your back as well. A really great exercise for doing this can be done on the floor, laying on the front side of your body, where you'll use the extensor muscles of your back to lift your upper body into the air. As you're doing this exercise, you always wanna be holding it a little bit longer each and every time. To get into position, you'll lay down. Let your entire body relax on the floor and bring your hands behind your head. Try to keep your fingertips light and your elbows wide. With your legs pressing down, squeeze the muscles of your back to lift up to your personal highest point. Continue to breathe as you hold, and then when you're done release back down, and then very carefully push yourself up to all fours before returning all the way upright. That way you'll protect your spine even after you're done with this strengthening work.
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