Workout Wednesday! Core Exercises_ Why you should strengthen your core muscles

First off, what exactly is your core. Sure, when we say ‘Core’ we think our mid-section and we ultimately gravitate to our abdominals. However, the core is much more than just our abs. The core is an area of the body that involves muscles on the front (abdominals), sides (oblique’s) and your back (erector spinae and lower lats).

Core exercises specifically train these muscles and make them stronger which aids in preventing injuries. If any of these muscles are weakened you begin to see (or more so feel) the effects such as low back pain or a protruding waistline.

WHO SHOULD DO CORE TRAINING? EVERYONE!

Keeping your body’s core muscles strong improves not just someone’s physique, but it also helps in life’s everyday tasks. Bending, reaching, and twisting are things we do everyday. The last thing anyone wants is to blow out their back by picking up a two-year-old child or straining your core to reach for something off the top shelf.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR CORE

Keep variety in your core training. There are many muscles that make up your core – doing hundreds of sit-ups isn’t going to get you those six-pack abs. There a lot of little muscles that are worked differently from different angles. Also, as you start out remember to stimulate, don’t annihilate! Begin with 10-15 reps of 2-3 exercises, and perform 2-3 sets of each. As you feel yourself getting stronger, add more reps or sets to your workout and incorporate more moves as well. It’s better to do a little at a time more often than a lot only every once in a while.

CORE WORKOUT:

Russian Twist

– 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Superman

– 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Reverse Crunch

– 3 set of 10-12 reps

Side Plank Dip (L & R) – hold for 30 seconds each side

– 3 sets – holding side plank on the Left for 30 seconds, then holding on the Right for 30 seconds

Bicycle Crunch

– 3 sets of 10-12 reps