{"id":328252,"date":"2025-12-03T15:52:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T15:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/328252\/"},"modified":"2025-12-03T15:52:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T15:52:08","slug":"the-alekna-is-the-deceptively-simple-core-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/328252\/","title":{"rendered":"The Alekna is the \u2018Deceptively Simple\u2019 Core Exercise"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019re well aware the importance of core strength<\/a>, which enables you to generate force and perform movements from heavy lifts<\/a> to everyday activities. Core stability \u2013 your ability to control and resist movement while keeping the spine still \u2013 is equally important, yet receives much less airtime. Unsure how to train the latter? Meet the Alekna exercise. <\/p>\n

Related Story<\/p>\n

Named after Olympic discus thrower Virgilijus Alekna, the exercise is a core stability drill that targets total-body tension and anti-extension control, according to Daniel Booth, performance coach at MyoLab<\/a>. A more advanced version of a deadbug, the Alekna is \u2018deceptively simple. Arms and legs move away from the body while your spine stays locked in place,\u2019 Booth explains. \u2018But the challenge comes from managing long levers without losing trunk stability.\u2019 <\/p>\n

It’s one of the PT\u2019s go-tos when training athletes. \u2018I’ve used this exercise extensively in my work with elite British and US sprinters as part of their core conditioning. It\u2019s one of the most reliable ways to develop the trunk stiffness and coordination required for producing high force at high speed.\u2019<\/p>\n

Muscles worked by the Alekna exercise<\/p>\n

The Alekna is an anti-extension exercise that primarily recruits the muscles of the core<\/a>: the rectus abdominis, which prevents the lower back from arching; the transverse abdominis, the deepest-lying abdominal muscle that wraps around your trunk like a corset; and the internal and external obliques, which maintain ribcage\u2013pelvis alignment and prevent rotation. However, according to Booth, the exercise also engages <\/p>\n

Hip flexors: Which control long lever leg movement.Serratus anterior and lats: Which stabilise the overhead arm path.Glutes: Help anchor the pelvis to resist extension.<\/p>\n

\u2018This combination makes it one of the most complete anti-extension drills in training,\u2019 says Booth.<\/p>\n

How to do the Alekna exerciseLie on your back with knees bent, arms pointed to the ceiling. Take a breath in and create tension around the trunk.Lower arms overhead while extending legs forward at the same time. Only move as far as you can keep your lower back glued to the floor.Hold 1\u20132 seconds at your end range.Bring arms and legs back to the start \u2013 no momentum.<\/p>\n

To make the exercise slightly easier, Boost advises bending your knees. When you\u2019re ready to progress the Alekna and increase the level of challenge, he recommends holding a light plate overhead or introducing tempo work. \u2018The load should be dictated by your ability to maintain the brace \u2013 not by how far the limbs move,\u2019 he emphasises.<\/p>\n

4 benefits of the Alekna exercise1. Elite-level trunk stiffness<\/p>\n

This is why the exercise is a favourite for Booth, and why he so often programmes it for top-level sprinters. \u2018Maximal speed demands a rock-solid midline so force can travel efficiently through the body,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

2. Improved athletic power transfer<\/p>\n

Better anti-extension strength enhances:<\/p>\n

Sprint mechanicsOverhead liftingSquat<\/a> and deadlift<\/a> bracingCycling postureRotational power<\/p>\n

Regardless of your sport, the Alekna exercise develops core strength and stability, which helps to facilitate improved performance.<\/p>\n

3. Improved coordination and timing<\/p>\n

\u2018The core must link the upper and lower body,\u2019 says Booth. \u2018This is critical in sprinting, weightlifting<\/a>, combat sports, and field sports.\u2019 <\/p>\n

The Alekna exercise teaches your body how to maintain core stability when your limbs are moving. Having a stable centre allows you to better control movements and subsequently improves coordination.<\/p>\n

4. Safe, spine-friendly abdominal strength<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s high stimulus without overloading the lumbar spine,\u2019 explains Booth. <\/p>\n

Common mistakes to avoid<\/p>\n

Although generally safe, Booth advises steering clear for the time being if you have acute lower-back issues \u2013 particularly where extension-sensitive pain is present. <\/p>\n

A common mistake many make while learning how to do the Alekna exercise is not maintaining tension in the trunk. \u2018If the ribs flare or the back arches, shorten the range immediately,\u2019 warns Booth. He recommends getting comfortable doing dead bugs before progressing to Aleknas if you\u2019re completely new to the movement pattern.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Abbi Henderson is Acting Nutrition writer who covers health, fitness, women\u2019s sport and lifestyle for Women’s Health and Men’s Health. Before settling in a British seaside town, she spent a couple of years living in Canada, where she contributed to publications such as Best Health, Foodism and Canadian Living, and discovered she is, in fact, a little outdoorsy. With a desire to help make healthcare, exercise and sport more accessible to women, she writes about everything from the realities of seeking medical support as a woman to those of being a female athlete fighting for equality. She has a personal trainer qualification, a couple of medals from her short time in competitive Irish dancing, and an Arsenal Women season ticket. When she\u2019s not in front of a screen working, she enjoys weightlifting, going for walks and stopping for little treats (matchas and pastries), and trying new recipes (that are almost always pasta-based).\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You\u2019re well aware the importance of core strength, which enables you to generate force and perform movements from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":328253,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[6837,166837,874,337,97,2245,166836],"class_list":{"0":"post-328252","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-content-type-default","9":"tag-contentid-28619f5f-3acf-434f-a0c2-e72c69815d12","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-locale-gb","14":"tag-shorttitle-alekna-is-the-deceptively-simple-core-exercise"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=328252"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328252\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/328253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=328252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=328252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=328252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}