Core Exercises: Straight Leg Drops

Video Transcript

"This next functional core exercise is called the straight leg drop. This is a great exercise to really strengthen the core which includes your abdominal muscles, your transverse abdominal muscles and the oblique?s. So simply come on down to the floor and really setting up in this position is really important. Bring your arms down alongside your body, pull your shoulder blades back, engage your abdominal muscles, then lift your legs straight up and focus on straightening your knees as much as possible. Pull your shoulders back, lower back to the mat and start off with one leg at a time. Inhale as you lower one leg, exhale as you bring that leg up, and lower the other leg down and bring it back up again. As you're performing this exercise, focus on keeping your lower back connected to the mat so you can really engage those abdominal muscles. If you need to modify this exercise just place your hands up underneath your hips and continue on. To make it more challenging do both legs at the same time. Inhale down, squeeze those glutes, keep your lower back down to the mat, and exhale as you come back up. That is the straight leg drop."