What if you can't even begin to do one of the exercises?

[Valancy]

Subtitled, "Yes, I'm a newbie, just started today, and that Prone Jackknife- oh, my!"

Little background on me- I'm almost 41, been exercising sporadically for the last few years and more seriously for the past year. I lost 40 pounds last year and still need to lose maybe 40 more. I haven't done much in the way of weight training at all until quite recently, and even then, it was mostly Barbie weights.

So, as far as the prone jackknife goes, I can just about hold the push-up position with my feet on the ball. Any sort of movement from there caused an alarming twinge in my lower back, so I did not persevere.

Any ideas as to where I should go from here? Interestingly, the push-ups (done at 60º) went okay. I've been doing bent-knee push-ups up until now. This time last year I couldn't do a push-up or hold a plank position properly, so I know I am making progress.

I appreciate any ideas and thoughts about this. I only discovered this board a few days ago, and I'm impressed with the wealth of information and helpful people here.

[frogguruami]

Someone might chime in with a better solution but the closer the ball is to your knees the easier the exercise. I can not do it with my toes on the ball. I have the ball about 2 inches below my knee and I try to move it closer to my toes each workout.

[LisaS]

I substituted another movement - reverse crunches for me - and worked on the jackknives in my spare time -

[KayB]

I must confess my jackknives are pretty pathetic, but as I've continued I've gotten more stable on the ball & they feel a bit better. When I start getting tired I feel a bit of strain in my lower back.

I'm trying to work on that by doing supermans & making sure my lower back is well warmed up before exercising.

You might try keeping the ball further up your legs & gradually moving out closer to your feet as you grow stronger.

You're smart, listening to your body!

[Valancy]

Thanks for the advice and ideas, everyone.

I got reading this board last night and realized that I wasn't doing the step-ups properly either (which would explain why I found them so easy ).

So, I guess we'll call last night's workout a pre-stage 1 workout, and I'll do my best to improve and modify tomorrow.

[Tia]

Originally Posted by frogguruami

Someone might chime in with a better solution but the closer the ball is to your knees the easier the exercise.

Yep, that's what I recommend.

I wouldn't EVEN be able to do this exercise if I hadn't been doing Cathe DVDs the last couple of years (she has this exercise on 1 of her DVDs). It ain't ever going to be an "easy" exercise though....

[Valancy]

I'm bumping this up for two reasons.

First is, I'm happy to report that these are getting a little easier, although I still can't do as many as I ought to be for where I am in the program.

Second- question: I'm still occasionally feeling twinges in my lower back during this. Is this likely to be caused by my weak abdominal muscles?

[Silly Sally]

Originally Posted by Valancy

Second- question: I'm still occasionally feeling twinges in my lower back during this. Is this likely to be caused by my weak abdominal muscles?

Are you maintaining a flat back? If you are arching your back, that might cause a twinge.

I'd switch to a plank for a while, til you get stronger there, then move the plank onto the ball for a while before pushing it in and out.

[RobLL]

Just remember that so long as you intend to do weights for the rest of your life (and as you are learning it is not only good for you but fun, and even addicting), you don't have to get to any specific weight or performance goal. It's the journey not the goal. Rob

[foodfromafar]

Originally Posted by RobLL

Just remember that so long as you intend to do weights for the rest of your life (and as you are learning it is not only good for you but fun, and even addicting), you don't have to get to any specific weight or performance goal. It's the journey not the goal. Rob

Thanks for sharing that, Rob! "It's the journey not the goal" is my new motto and I'm going to tape it along the top of my workout logbook!

[Valancy]

Wow- yes, thank you, Rob! I needed to hear that!

[rixatrix]

I think someone brought up that they were having similar lower back twinges during the planks, and the prevailing advice was to tilt the pelvis back. To put it another way, when you're just standing, if you stick your chest and butt out, your back arches (pelvis tilted forward). If you pull your butt in and slump your shoulders forward, your back rounds (pelvis tilted back). So if you're feeling that twinge, try tilting your pelvis back (without rounding your back too much). It helps in jackknifes, pushups, planks, and anything else when you need solid abdominal support.

[Silly Sally]

Antoher way to think about it:

Pull your belly-button to your bra strap.