It’s been a rough week on my end. I’m heads‑up with a cool product—The Trainers Toolbox—that’s due to launch soon and is expected to shake up the fitness world. I won’t spill details, but it’s designed to help many fitness professionals. On top of that, we’ve had a cranky toddler all week, waking up at 4:30 this morning. So, basically, I haven’t had much time to write for my own site. Thankfully, I have great contributors like Dr. Nicholas Licameli who send me articles out of the blue and make me want to treat them to a steak dinner. Enjoy.
There are a few things you don’t hear every day
– Who keeps eating all of the kale?!?
– I understand why my cable bill is $37.97 higher this month than in the past 15 months.
– I hope I get placed in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff… please, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff…
– Let’s talk about Fight Club.
– A strong core? No thanks, not interested.
There seems to be some stigma around training the abs and core while lying down, with people saying there are “better” or more “functional” ways to train. While there’s some truth to that, I don’t mind working the abs on the floor. Whether something is “functional” depends on the person and their goals (is a standard plank really “functional”?). To have functional carryover to a task, the training must match the activity.
If you’re a weightlifter or powerlifter, “functional” core work might include tempo reps, pause reps with postural bracing, and breathing drills under sub‑max loads. If you’re a baseball player, it might include plyometric twists, anti‑rotation movements, quick accelerations, and direction changes. The bottom line is that “functional” is different for everyone, and if your goal is simply to progressively load and train the abs, don’t fear the floor.
Today I’d like to share an exercise I call the lying overhead pullover (LOP). I think I invented this move, though Chuck Norris and Total Gym have a variation in their manuals. I hadn’t seen it elsewhere besides that.
How to do it
First, a quick note on bracing the core:
From the top, the diaphragm; from the bottom, the pelvic floor; and the deep abdominal muscles wrap around the midsection like a supportive belt. To engage the diaphragm, breathe in through the nose and brace. To engage the pelvic floor, pull up as if you’re holding in gas. To engage the deep abs, tighten your midsection as if you’re cinching a belt after Thanksgiving or stepping into a cold pool.
Understand how to perform a pelvic tilt and brace the core—this is the foundation of the exercise.
To perform the LOP, lie on your back in front of a low cable station or a low anchored resistance band. Bend your knees and tilt your pelvis to flatten your lower back against the floor. Reach overhead and grab the rope or band. With the pelvis tilted, braced core, and arms straight, pull the rope down toward your knees. Pause to squeeze the abs, then slowly return to the start.
Progressions and regressions
Any exercise worth doing should be adjustable for experience, pain, and preference. Changing resistance seems obvious, but altering the range of motion can also change difficulty in ways that aren’t immediately intuitive. The LOP is an anti‑extension exercise, challenging the anterior abdominals to resist spinal extension. The spine and pelvis act as a fulcrum, while the arms and legs are levers. Extending the limbs increases the lever arm and makes it harder to keep the spine from arching off the floor.
Start in the hardest position and regress step by step as you reach muscle fatigue. Another simple option is to add a small crunch to mix in a bit of flexion. Aim for a diagonal crunch around 45 degrees rather than straight toward the feet or the ceiling to keep tension and alignment with the line of pull.
Why I like the LOP
One important function of the abs is to resist movement and stabilize the spine, not just to flex or rotate. The LOP highlights that stabilizing role. It also trains lumbo‑pelvic stability during upper and lower body movement, which is foundational to almost any sport or exercise. It won’t magically boost every performance metric, but it helps create a stable base for the extremities to move from. If you want to improve a specific skill (like sprint speed, kicking power, or squatting), you’ll still need the targeted activity, but the LOP is a solid way to train spinal stability in movement.
And that’s that (LOP in action)
Give the lying overhead pullover a try. Depending on how you perform it, the LOP can serve as a top‑down ab move, a bottom‑up ab move, or a core stability drill. Experiment and find what works best for you and your goals. Enjoy!
About the author
Nicholas M. Licameli, PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy and Pro Natural Bodybuilder
Nick believes in dedicating himself to helping others live happier, healthier lives. He aims to empower people to change their lives and to leave a positive impact. He values love, passion, respect, humility, and lifelong learning—never an expert, always a student. Love your journey.
You can find him on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
And yes, this probably deserves a Nobel Prize for kicking ass and taking names. It’s a thing. Trust me.
