When you want to become fitter, healthier and stronger at the same time, you got to start with strengthening your core. Exercise is the key to maintain good physical condition and improve overall quality of your life. Even if you lift heavy weights with ease or have worked out for years, are you sure that your approach is right and not in vain?
Core exercises must be an integral part of your fitness regime; making it easier to do many physical activities. These will give you the proximal strength and stability to help limbs function in the healthiest and most efficient manner. Therefore, you must tone your core.
Strengthen your core
Strengthening your core does not require you to sweat it out all day at the fitness centre or practice sit-ups day and night. You don’t need any fitness equipment or any aid of gym machines to strengthen your core. Just stick to your routine fitness regime without skipping the core exercises. With strong abdominal and back muscles, you stand a better chance of a six-pack and big biceps.
Improve your core strength with these simple exercises:
Abdominal Crunch
- Lie on your back and place your feet on a wall.
- Make sure that your knees and hips are bent at 90-degree angles.
- Tighten your abdominal muscles and lift your head and shoulders off the floor.
- You should never strain your neck, cross your arms on your chest.
- Hold for three deep breaths.
- Return to the initial position.
The Plank
- Start off in the pushup position.
- Lower both your forearms to the ground.
- Elbows and fists must be flat to the ground.
- Palms should be balled up and exactly underneath your shoulders.
- Curl your toes under and engage your abs by tilting your pelvis.
- Keep your neck and spine neutral but straighten your body.
- Squeeze your glutes and hold the position for two seconds.
Hip Abduction
- Tie one end of an elastic exercise band around the leg of a chair and other end of your foot. Make sure you have at least 1 feet space between the chair and your foot .
- The foot with the band on it should be on the outside, not the side with the chair.
- The exercise begins with you moving outside leg sideways, away from the chair.
- Bring back your foot slowly back to the starting position.
- After 20-25 repetitions, switch the loop to your other foot.
The most important thing when you work your core is to pay attention to form. Doing exercise in the correct manner will allow you to develop the strongest muscles possible and make you a better athlete. You may incorporate core exercises into an already existing workout or may do it separately. Happy exercising!
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