"Core exercises should be at the foundation of any training program," Tim Hampton, CSCS, an ACE-certified trainer at Elevate Health and Performance said. Tim likes the Pallof press because it works the deep core stabilizing muscles as well as your lateral core (these exercises help you resist lateral flexion/falling over) and anterior core (these exercise teach you how to resit too much arching of the lumbar spine).
- Lower the carriage of a cable machine so that it's about chest height, and attach a D-handle to the pulley. Adjust the weight so that it's at 10 pounds. If this is too heavy or too light, feel free to change the weight.
- Standing with the left side of your body closest to the machine, grab the handle with both hands and take two or three steps out so that there's tension on the cable. Hold your hands at your sternum, and make sure that your body is square. If you feel like you're getting pulled to the left, this is an indicator that you should lighten the weight.
- On an exhale, press the cable straight out in front of your body. Be sure not to rotate toward the machine. Hold for two seconds before returning to the starting position. This counts as one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett