Through my clinical practice and sports performance training, I continue to focus on eliminating core and hip dysfunction.  I think many of the knee problems I see in runners and females are related to weakness in the glutes and small lateral rotators.  There has also been quite a buzz about a recent article written in the Strength & Conditioning Journal on crunches and whether spinal flexion may actually be good for you.

This topic alone could take up several posts so, I will not delve into that today.  However, as one who has experienced sciatica and disc injury firsthand, I probably tend to fall a little more in the camp of focusing on a neutral spine and resisting external forces as I feel this helps improve performance and reduce injury risk.  In that vain, I have been continuing to develop my own core and hip stability progressions with my advanced clients/athletes.

I have been doing a series of posts for BOSU and PFP in my Functionally Fit Column.  In my last post, I covered a 3D mountian climber with hip extension.  In today’s post,  I am covering a great core exercise with the BOSU Ballast Ball focusing on hip extension with the goal of improving shoulder, core and hip stability while promoting hip extension and disassociation.

In the video below you can check out the progressions (incline and decline)

Click here to read the full article on technique and application.  The article reviews a regression for those not ready to tackle this quite yet.  I think you will find this exercise challenging and rewarding.