These exercises develop your core muscles, which are the muscles of your torso and pelvis.
Watch videos on these exercises:
Clamshell Pelvic tilt Bird-dogRemember to check with your health care team before beginning any exercise program. Although we have provided strength training exercises to suit most people, some of them may not be right for you.
Clamshell
Muscle groups: Stomach and side (core)
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor about hip width apart. Place your hands on your lower tummy (abdomen) and lift your pelvic floor muscles. Keep breathing normally.
- Slowly lower one knee a little bit out to the side, without moving the hips. If your hips tilt to one side, you have lowered your knee too far. Hold for 15–30 seconds.
- Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat with the other knee.
Pelvic tilt
Muscle groups: Stomach and side (core)
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor about hip width apart.
- Flatten your back by tightening the muscles in your abdomen and buttocks. This will tilt your pelvis up slightly. Hold for several seconds.
- Fully relax the muscles and rest for a few seconds. Repeat.
Bird-dog
Muscle groups: Stomach and side (core)
- Start on all fours, with legs hip width apart, knees directly under hips, hands directly under shoulders, and back and head in a straight line. Keep the elbows slightly bent. Gently lift your pelvic floor and lower abdomen to support your lower back.
- Keeping your back straight and steady extend one leg while supporting the torso with both hands on the floor. Once balanced, slowly extend the opposite arm. Hold for 5–10 seconds.
- Keep breathing normally. Slowly return to all fours. Repeat on the other side.
- If you find it hard to keep your balance, leave both hands on the floor and just extend one leg at a time. You can also do the bird-dog lying over a fitball, which can be a good alternative for people with bad knees who find it difficult to kneel.
- Increase the duration of each hold by a few seconds each week. To make it more challenging, try holding a light hand weight with your outstretched arm.
→ READ MORE: Upper body exercises
Key resource
Download a PDF booklet on this topic.
More resources
Kirsten Adlard, Accredited Exercise Physiologist, The University of Queensland, QLD; Dr Diana Adams, Medical Oncologist, Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre, NSW; Grace Butson, Senior Physiotherapist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Kate Cox, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Wai Yin Chung, Consumer; Thomas Harris, Men’s Health Physiotherapist, QLD; Clare Hughes, Chair of Cancer Council’s Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity Committee; Jen McKenzie, Level 1 Lymphoedema Physiotherapist, ESSA Accredited Exercise Physiologist, The McKenzie Clinic, QLD; Claudia Marck, Consumer; Dr David Mizrahi, Accredited Exercise Physiologist and Research Fellow, The Daffodil Centre at Cancer Council NSW and The University of Sydney, NSW; Prof Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Exercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, WA; Jason Sonneman, Consumer.
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