Are you working your core correctly?
Are you actually using your core when you do ab exercises?
Many people feel their lower back instead of their core when they train their abs. If you are unable to strengthen your core correctly it can be detrimental to your back health and impact your alignment, balance and posture.
When training your core, you need to have pressure evenly through your abdominals, you can do this by visualising the “cylinder of your core” with your pelvic floor as the base, diaphragm as the lid and your transverse abdominis muscle wrapping around as the sides.
My favourite way is to practise this is a 90 degree hold, also known as a “dead-bug”.
Tuck your hips so your back is flat
Draw your ribcage down. Exhale or cough to get the feeling and hold the position. Think “ribs towards hips”
Raise your arms up above your chest and lift one leg up at a time.
Hold the position, continuing to tuck the ribs towards the hips. Breathe into this space and engage the core.
When you feel strong in this position, you can slowly lower one leg down to make the exercise harder. Applying the feeling you get in the deadbug to all your core exercises on your back will help them to be more effective and work your core correctly.