The “CORE” isn’t one muscle. Its several abdominal muscles all working together to keep your spine supported as it carries the weight of your upper body around on your legs. Please keep in mind that the 6-packs you see in magazines are not the norm in everyday life. That does not mean to say they are not attainable but the models you see in those publications often go through a regime of diet and fasting prior to a shoot to get that ripped look. (Not to mention the aid of Photoshop)
So what can you do to look your best?
1. Get to Work: Find a workout program that challenges you and you can stick to. All the sit-ups and crunches in the world aren’t going to get you that long lean look if you aren’t regularly burning fat and calories. Remember to find an activity you enjoy that you can do long enough, hard enough, and often enough to see results!
2. Balance: There are five main movements of the “CORE”, Stabilizing, Flexion, Rotation Right, Rotation Left, and Extension. You need to train in all these areas to have balance and strength. Here are some basics:
- Stability: Plank Exercises
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/exercise-library-details/1/32/
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/exercise-library-details/1/101/
- Flexion: Crunches
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/exercise-library-details/1/52/
- Rotation Right & Left: Bicycle Crunches and Russian Twists
- Extension: Superman
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/exercise-library-details/3/9/
3. Get off the Floor!: Training the “CORE” doesn’t always mean crunches. Here are some amazing exercises that are fun, challenging, and engage those tummy muscles!
- Medicine Ball Toss
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/exercise-library-details/0/178/
- Bear Crawls
- Ball Slams
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/exercise-library-details/0/182/
- Wood Choppers
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/exercise-library-details/0/108/
- Inchworms
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/exercise-library-details/1/254/
- Walking Lunges with Twists
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/exercise-library-details/1/139/
4. Avoid Alcohol and Processed Foods!!: Nothing destroys that lean long look than the bloating effects of alcohol and the Munchies! Drink plenty of water and avoid the bad stuff when you can. Simple.
5. STRETCH!!!: Devote 10 minutes a day to your stretching. Not only is it an extra calorie burn, it will relax you, prepare you for your next workout, and give you a moment to acknowledge all the work you’ve done so far.
By guest blogger, Sean Gogarty
http://www.sgofitness.com
For healthy cooking videos: www.healthy-cooking-videos.com
