Startposition cylinder
The cylinder exercises challenge the core muscles and are a good interim stage of exercises before introducing more difficult exercises with the legs. Lie on the cylinder on your back with your knees bent, and head supported (use support under your head if needed). Find neutral position for the spine and pelvis. Place your hands on your stomach to feel the core muscles engage. Remember to use your breathing to press your abdominal muscles to the spine while maintaining a neutral pelvic position. Start the breathing before you start the movement with the arms or legs. Breathe out more forcefully during the heavier part of the exercise. Remember the “SSSS”. This neutral position is described in exercises for Ländryggs stabilitet 1. These exercises are more difficult than those lying on the mat.
Alternate arms cylinder
From neutral position lift arms separately while maintaining a stable position on the cylinder. Use the breathing to engage the core when changing direction. Move the arms simultaneously, but in different directions.
Repeat 10 pairs.
 Startposition |
 Alternate arms |
Double arm lift
From a neutral position on the cylinder, with your arms at your sides, raise your arms slowly, while maintaining a stable position on the cylinder. Continue until the arms are over your head, avoid arching your back. Pause when your arms are stretched out over your head and inhale, blow out (SSSS) to engage core while lifting your arms up and returning back to neutral position.
Repeat 10 times.
 Double arm lift |
 Double arm lift 2 |
 Dubbel arm lyft med tyngd |
 Utsträckta armar med tyngd |
 Alternativt armlyft med tyngd |
 Böjd armlyft med tyngd |
 Alternativa armrörelser |
 Alternativa armrörelser |
| Diagonala armrörelser |
Alternativa rörelser |
Sit-up
From a neutral position on the cylinder, support the head with the hands and slowly roll the spine up, pressing the sternum to the knees. Do this with control, holding balance on the cylinder, avoiding accessory movements. Repeat 10 times.
Sit-up rotation
This is not appropriate if you have neck problems. From the sit-up position on the cylinder, slowly rotate the upper body to one side, return to neutral and then rotate to the opposite side.
Repeat 10 pairs.
 Sit-up |
 Sit-up rotation |
Single leg lift
Lie on the cylinder on you back with your knees bent, head supported, body in neutral position. Tighten the core, place your hands on your stomach and your elbows on the floor. Using your expiration to fully engage the core (SSSSS), slowly extend the lower leg diagonally upwards until the entire leg is straight. On expiration again. Return the leg to the start position. Concentrate on not shifting the body weight while lifting the leg. Variations of this are done with the foot pointed straight and the foot pointed towards the face. Repeat 10 pairs.
Single bent leg lift
Lie on the cylinder on you back with your knees bent, head supported, body in neutral position. Tighten the core, place your hands on your stomach and your elbows on the floor. Using your expiration to fully engage the core (SSSSS), slowly move the knee towards the chest to a 90 degree angle with the hip. Return slowly to the start position. Concentrate on not shifting the body weight while lifting the leg. Variations of this are done with the foot pointed straight and the foot pointed towards the face.
Repeat 10 pairs.
 Single leg lift |
 Single bent leg lift |
Exercises moderate difficulty
Alternate arms and legs
This is a more advanced exercise. Lie on you back with your knees bent on the cylinder with your head supported in neutral position. Tighten the core, place your hands on your stomach and your elbows on the floor. Using your expiration to fully engage the core (SSSSS), slowly extend on leg so it is in line with the body while extending the opposite arm above the head. Concentrate on not shifting the body weight while moving the arm and leg. Variations of this are done with the foot pointed straight and the foot pointed towards the face.
Repeat 10 pairs.
 Alternate arms and legs |
 Alternate arms and legs |
 Double leg position |
 Alternate double leg position |
 Cycle |
 Cycling continued |