Work Your Core

core-body-absMost people don’t realize that without a strong core, it’s unlikely you will achieve washboard abs. And, your core encompasses much more than just your stomach. It includes your hips, low back and glutes — areas that crunches alone are missing.

 

The abdominal wall consists primarily of the outer abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis and the external obliques. Although traditional ab exercises, such as sit-ups and twisting crunches, strengthen the structure of these muscles, they provide very little benefit for the daily activities and sports that require your body to move and produce force in different directions, for example, pushing, running and throwing. A Pennsylvania State University study published in “Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research” in March 2013 showed that exercises incorporating the shoulders and buttocks improve strength, endurance and stability more than just doing regular abdominal exercises alone. A better way to strengthen your abdominal wall is to perform full-body exercises.

 

Here are some of my favorite exercises that work your core!

4 Easy Exercises to Get Swimsuit Ready – Karma YouTube