Upper body pyramid question

[cab0899]

I'm still struggling with those darn pikes on the stability ball. Any ideas why I get sharps cramps in my quadriceps? I feel it more in those muscles then in my abs. Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong??? Thanks, Kim

 

[Runcrazy]

I may be way off base here, but it sounds like you might be putting too much pressure on your legs and not focusing enough on having your core do the work.

I had been having a similar problem only with my legs in PLB where my calves were hurting on one of the exercises for the glutes (the one where you are on your back with your glutes up and rolling the ball in towards your glutes). I realized I was too focused on trying to keep a hold of the stability ball and putting all kinds of pressure on my feet and calves. Once I relaxed and focused on my glutes my calves quit trying to do all the work!

Just a suggestion!

 

[kathryn]

I think Jo hit it on the head. You might want to try doing the pikes with your knees on the ball, then concentrating on pulling in with the abs and not the legs. Then you can build up to doing the full pike.

 

[cab0899]

Thanks, I was thinking that maybe I was pushing down towards the floor with my legs in order to stablize on the ball. I like the idea of putting my knees on the ball in order to focus on the correct ab movement. Thanks for the input Kim