Level One Exercises

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ALWAYS START YOU WORK-OUT WITH THIS STRETCH. Simply get in the above position and GENTLY pull your knee to your chest and hold for a count of 20 to 30 seconds. Then slowly lower the leg and repeat the other side. Do each leg 3 times. Do NOT force it to the point it causes any significant low back pain or leg pain – you've done too much if you get pain. It's also easy to stretch the Piriformis Muscle in the 'up' position (grey leg). All you do is move your left heal toward the right knee (rotates the knee and hip) while you keep your knee in about the same place. DO NOT do this (piri stretch) if you have bad knees!

Since disc patients lose their ability to 'Reflex-Contract' their core spinal-stabilizers, learning how to 'manually' accomplish this is a must! Here's how: Simply suck / contract your belly-button downward (NOT by deeply inhaling!) and tighten your buttock muscles and your anus muscle (as in trying desperately to hold in a threatening fart!) SIMULTANEOUSLY and HOLD. IF you're really in pain (acute) DO NOT DO THE BUTT AND ANUS MUSCLE PORTION! 1 to 3 Sets of 5 to 15 seconds is plenty.

Assume the above position only put the grey arm straight over-head and the white arm down by your side. Now, tighten your tummy (and butt if your not too sore) to lock your spine in place. Slowly lift the grey arm upward like a railroad crossing-gate; keep it moving until it rests on the ground next to your side. SIMULTANEOUSLY do the same thing with white arm (right) ONLY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. Both arms are going in opposite directions. 1 to 3 Sets of 5 to 20 repetitions with each leg is enough.

Assume the above position only the grey leg is down (like the white). Tighten your tummy and SLOWLY raise your knee toward your chest. Keep that tummy tight as you lower it back down to the ground. Repeat with the other limb. To make this more difficult, lift your head off the ground as well and hold it up as you do the leg-ups. 1 to 3 Sets of 5 to 20 repetitions with each leg is enough. . You can also use ankle weights if you are tolerating these well.

For our final stomach exercise, lets combine the above two exercises. Tighten the tummy and SLOWLY (like a Kung Fu master) lift the left arm and right leg SIMULTANEOUSLY. Bring them up to the mid-way point (12 O'clock), where you could actually touch your army need together. Hold for 5 to 15 seconds, and return them to their original positions. Repeat other side. 1 to 3 Sets of 5 to 20 repetitions with each leg is enough.

Take two or even three pillows and lie on top of them as shown above. Slowly raise your left leg (keeping it straight) upward and HOLD it at the top for 5 to 20 seconds. Slowly lower and repeat with the other lower limb. Only raise your leg to a comfortable height. DON'T go so high that your causing a lot of pain. You don't have to go very high for this to be effective. 1 to 3 Sets of 5 to 20 repetitions with each leg is enough.

DO NOT DO THIS ONE IF YOU HAVE A BAD NECK! Take two or even three pillows and lie on top of them as shown above. Note that the pillows are more forward (on the chest) than compared to the 'Prone Leg Extensions'. Also note that I use a little pad for the forehead. Slowly raise your left arm (keeping it straight) upward and HOLD it at the top for 5 to 20 seconds. Slowly lower and repeat with the other arm. Only raise your arm to a comfortable height. You don't have to go very high for this to be effective. 1 to 3 Sets of 5 to 20 repetitions with each arm is enough.

DO NOT DO THIS ONE IF YOU HAVE A BAD NECK! Take two or even three pillows and lie on top of them as shown above. Simultaneously lift the white arm (left) and grey leg (right) slowly upward. Don't force it! just go as high as you can. Hold this top position for 5 to 20 seconds and then lower. Repeat the other limb pair. 1 to 3 sets of 5 to 20 repetitions with each limb pain (white arm - grey leg) is good enough.