Core strength is an important component of overall fitness. The core refers to the center of one’s body, basically from the bottom of the rib cage down through your hips. This is the home of the abdominal muscles, obliques, and the lower back. These muscles work all day keeping the body upright, whether sitting or standing, walking or running. In sports such as kayaking and golf, they play an obvious role in powering and stabilizing the motions inherent in those sports. Keeping the core healthy, strong, and supple is an important component of any fitness regimen.
Pilates and some yoga classes focus on core strengthening, but for people who can’t fit formal classes into their schedule, there are many excellent exercises that can be done at home or at a gym to complement your typical fitness routine. Trainers often suggest that core muscles be worked at the end of a whole body workout. This is because the core stabilizes all the other movements. If the core muscles (especially the lower back muscles) are fatigued in the beginning of a workout, they will not be able to offer maximum support during other exercises.
The following exercises focus on the abdominal muscles.
Beginner: A large exercise ball (55 to 65 centimeters in diameter) is a great tool for core strengthening. If you don’t have a real exercise ball, a large beach ball can be used for the exercises described here. Lie flat on your back, palms face down on the floor, knees bent up, feet flat on the ground. Now grab the sides of the ball with your ankles, and straighten knees, lifting the ball over your hips. Bend knees back down and tap ball on the floor. Repeat 10 to 20 times.
Intermediate: When the ball is lifted over your chest, pass or toss it, catching it with your hands. Keeping arms straight, reach the ball overhead while simultaneously bringing feet back down to floor, keeping knees bent. Lift feet back up, and pass the ball from hands to feet again. Tap ball onto floor with bent knees and repeat.
Advanced: Follow instructions above, but keep knees and elbows straight through all movements. (This version should not be attempted by anyone with weak abdominal muscles and/or lower back problems.)
Lying flat on your back, place the heels of your feet on top of the ball. Knees should be straight at this point. Grasp hands behind your neck, pull the ball towards your body, bending knees over your chest and touching both elbows to both knees. Release head back to floor, and extend legs and ball back to starting position. Repeat 10 to 20 times.
Bring ball comfortably up to the back of left thigh, with left calf on top, knee at 90 degrees. Cross right leg over left, with right ankle making contact with left knee. Clasp hands behind your neck, and perform alternating crunches, first with the left elbow reaching toward the right knee, then with the right elbow reaching toward the right knee. Repeat 10 times and then switch sides.
Beginner: Lie on the floor with weight on your forearms, hands clasped in front of your face. Keep knees bent on the floor, feet raised up, and lift your body, putting all your weight on forearms and thighs, directly above the knees. Make sure to keep abdominal muscles tight and keep your back in a straight diagonal line from the back of your head to your knees. Keep neck straight, but relaxed. You should not feel tension on the back of your neck. Hold the plank as long as you can. Breathe evenly. Try to hold for 20 to 30 seconds. When you can hold it easily for 30 seconds, progress to the next level.
Intermediate: Follow instructions above except raise your knees so all your weight is distributed between your forearms and toes. Make sure abdominal muscles are tight and your body forms a straight diagonal line from head to heels.
Advanced: Raise up onto your palms and toes. Follow instructions above.
Throughout all these exercises, remember to keep breathing evenly. Concentrate on the abdominal muscles doing the work. If you feel too much tension in your neck, start over and ask someone else to evaluate your position. If your lower back feels sore, release your position and do some easy stretches to relax the back. Ask someone to evaluate your form for obvious problems.