Create Core Strength

You don’t have to bee an active person to know the importance that core strength plays in living a healthy and safe lifestyle. As your core is the basic foundation to all movement and strength within our body it is essential that we keep our core strong through regular exercise.

Core strength is not just about having a flat stomach or enviable abs.  The abdominal muscles are part of your core, and yes there are obvious desirable aesthetic reasons for working on these muscles.  If you focus your gym routine on gaining those enviable abs (strong stomach) and neglect your back muscles, you are on the right path for injury.

There are heaps of muscles that build up the core and in order to maintain a healthy, strong core, all of these muscles need to be worked on to a certain point.  The most important consideration is not to neglect your back muscles when working your abs, this will only cause a weakness and sometimes bad posture.  The most effective core workout exercises are ones that actually work several different muscle groups of the core at once.

Exercises for the abdominals:

• Plank
• Wheel/barbell roll out
• Exercise ball crunch
• Flutter kicks
• Leg raises
• Weighted sit-ups

Exercises for your obliques:

• Side plank
• Hip ups
• Bicycle crunch
• Russian twists

Exercises for lower back:

• Superman
• Crossover reverse lunge
• Deadlifts
• Forearm to straight arm plank

Exercises for upper back:

• Cobra back extensions
• Bent over row
• Lat pull downs
• Pull ups
• Reverse Fly

Exercises for your hips and glutes:

• Lunge
• Squats
• Single leg hip lift
• Box Jumps
• Step ups
• Kettlebell swings

For fun and effective toning exercises take a look at our SkinnyMe Weight Loss Programs.  We spent a year collaborating with experts in nutrition, naturopathy, personal training and yoga to bring you these quality and effective Programs which are easily incorporated into your daily routine and produce real results.