Benefits of Having a Strong Core

People often train the core in hopes of an aesthetic body. While it certainly feels good to look good, there’s much more behind a strong core than just a six-pack.

There’s a wide variety of useful benefits obtained from training the core. Aside greater strength, training the core is beneficial for multiple other aspects of fitness. On multiple disciplines, having a strong core is a must in order to achieve the most optimal performance possible.

Professional athletes perform strict abdominal training up to 3 times a week, including intense weight training and flexibility training.


Anyone who has committed to proper core training knows how difficult it is to train this group of muscles. Working the core has never been easy; but big efforts bring big results.  For those who haven’t considered training their core, here are some of the amazing features they’re missing out on:

Functions of the Core

Protection

The abdominal area lacks a bone structure. Because of this, the only thing standing between the skin and internal organs is our core. Thus, the multiple muscles that compose the core act as a shield to compress and protect internal organs.

Each of these muscles serves a specific function. The “exterior” abs, rectus abdominus, are responsible of providing flexibility to the lumbar spine; but they also work as a muscle shield that protects the internal body. The “inner” abs, transverse abdominus, are responsible for protecting and compressing our ribs and viscera. Additionally, they provide stability to both the thorax and the pelvis.

Boxers not only train their core for fit purposes. A carefully worked core can significantly reduce the effectiveness of a punch to the stomach.
There’s one last group of abdominal muscles, called obliques. Just like abdominus, they are separated into internal and external obliques.

The external group is the most superficial one; it’s located along the lateral portions of the abdomen and provides flexibility and rotation. On the other hand, the internal group acts in opposition to the diaphragm assisting breathing and allowing the trunk to bend sideways.

 

Spine Stability

The spine is supported by multiple muscles, the most important being  the abdominal muscles and lower back. These muscles are responsible for spine stability; if they’re not properly trained, stability is affected.

While exercising, these muscles have to work harder in order to stabilize the spine. However, if the core lacks strength all the effort will be performed by the lower back. This usually leads to lower back pain.

On the other hand, a strong core helps to remove tension and stress on the lower back while still improving stabilization. If the spine is properly supported, balance is improved.  The core is also responsible for the stabilization of the hip, which comes in very handy for injury prevention on multiple sports, and even daily activities.

Overall Support

The abdominal muscles are in the center of the body; hence they’re referred to as “core”. Basically, the core is the connection between the upper and lower body. Any motion that involves both parts has to engage the abdominal muscles.

Athletes train their core in order to reach the most optimal performance, as it plays an important role in many aspects of their fitness. The abdominal muscles improve the coordination of motions and extremities for both athletes and non-athletes.

Professional basketball players go through intense core workouts, as it has a considerable impact on their jumping capability.
Running, jogging, jumping, boxing; it all starts at the core. The core has a role even on the most simple motions, such as walking. One would normally think the extremities do all the work; the legs while running, the arms while swimming.

That’s not the case.

Most of the motions start from the core, and move outwards towards other muscles and extremities. A rock-solid centre guarantees strong movements and coordination to perform both sports and daily activities.

In Conclusion

The core isn’t easy to train; but it’s definitely worth it. Not only does it improve athletic performance, but it also improves multiple daily life aspects.

Keep in mind that each abdominal muscle meets a certain function, thus each muscle of the core should be trained equally. It’s a huge mistake to target only the external muscles, as not training inner muscles will lead to muscular imbalances, which can cause injuries on the long run.

Additionally, training a portion of the core won’t bring as much benefits as working it as a whole. Aesthetics are important, but functionality should be the priority.

This part of the body plays an important role on the general structure and should be trained at least twice a week. Whether it’s through weight training, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), or simple aerobic activities, training these central muscles will bring results.

Athletes who skip core training make a huge mistake. Out of all people, athletes are the ones who can probably get the most out of a strong core. Training these muscles is key to achieve the most optimal performance in almost every athletic discipline.

Once the core is strong, every other aspect of fitness will fall into place.

 

Writer’s Bio:

Dan Chabert

An entrepreneur and a husband, Dan hails from Copenhagen, Denmark. He loves to join ultramarathon races and travel to popular running destinations together with his wife. During regular days, he manages his websites, Runnerclick, FightingReport, GearWeAre and TheGearHunt. Dan has also been featured in several popular running blogs across the world.

The Guy's Five-Day All-Round Workout Routine For 2016

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Guys, it’s nearly 2016, and you know what that means. New goals, more effort, and better shape. The new year is the best time to get back into the gym, and back into your routine. Your fresh with motivation and ambition, so let’s take advantage of that.

 

We also know that working the same muscle groups day-in-day-out isn’t effective. Your muscles need a full day of recovery to rebuild and repair. Getting on the bench press every day isn’t going to help here. We need to break those muscle groups down, and focus on one each day. That gives them time to heal, while you’re working on the next group. Make sense? Here’s how it breaks down.

 

Monday - Chest and back day

 

Chest workouts are our favourites, so we like to put them right at the start of the week. We’re talking about flat-bench barbell presses, and incline bench presses. Remember to focus on slow movements, and get your technique just right. Otherwise you’re doing yourself no favours. Throw in a few cable crossovers, and try some bodyweight exercises like push ups. You can also add a few back workouts into the mix. Try some wide-grip pull ups, and a narrow-grip lat pull downs.

 

Tuesday - Core

 

Core workouts are one thing that a lot of guys skip. Many of us focus on arms and chest, but forget that most of your all-round strength is in your core muscle groups. These are your abdominals and side muscles. The best workouts here are bodyweight holds. Try a series of plank positions, and hold each for at least a minute. Do some slow movement crunches, and a powerful burpee workout (the hardest workout out there!)

 

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Wednesday - Fitness and cardio

 

It’s time to give the weights and muscle building a break, and focus on fitness and cardio. It’s a crucial part of your workout routine, and much better for your overall health. If you struggle with the running machine and cycling, enrol for some fitness classes. Try the notoriously difficult bootcamp classes, or join a spinning class for ultimate cycling!

 

Thursday - Leg day

 

Muscle building guys are always guilty of missing leg day. What you end up with is a stacked chest and arms, but tiny legs! You’ve got to balance out this routine, and get your lower half in prime condition. Start with a series of squats to engage the glutes and your primary leg muscles. Use the leg press, and do slow sets of leg extensions.

 

Friday - Arms and shoulder day

 

We like to finish the week on another powerful workout. The arms and shoulders are closely linked to chest and back. So it’s a good idea to spread them out, and leave plenty of rest days in between. This workout is all about biceps, triceps, and shoulders. We’re talking about curls, extensions, and military barbell presses. Yeah, you’re going to feel this one in the morning!

 

And that’s the week complete. Remember to take a full rest day on either Saturday or Sunday. You can fill the gap with some light cardio or sports, but don’t over-exert yourself. Let those muscles rebuild.

 

 

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A plank is one of the best exercises that help with core strength. According to www.Bodybuilding.com a plank is and it is also known as a prone iso abdominal exercise. This is is a body weighted exercise and no equipment is needed. It is one of the top five abdominal exercises to use when strength training the mid section to develop a strong, toned, sexy core. The plank is a static abdominal exercise. This means that you simply need to hold the position for it to be effective.

The plank should be added into your exercise routine regularly no matter what fitness level you are at. The stronger your core is the less back pain you have, the better your posture will be, and the more stable your body will be in every day positions. The more often the plank is performed in your exercise routine the easier it will be to get a tighter stomach and lean waist line.

How to Plank:

1. Make sure that your elbows are directly under your shoulders.

2. Keep core tight (that means pull the belly button into the spine) and do not hold your breath.

3. Evenly distribute your weight on both the right and left foot and keep your back flat creating a table like position.

4. I always recommend 3 sets of these and to hold for a duration of at least 30 seconds or until failure. According to www.bodybuilding.com if you want to increase the difficulty of your plank, an arm or leg can be raised.

Follow Alicia Bell on twitter.

 

Alicia Bell - Personal Trainer Transformation

ITS NOT JUST CLIENTS WHO TRANSFORM

I want to motivate anyone that I can. So When you think you can't...you can. In the past two years I've had two knee surgeries, a motorcycle accident that gave me 7 stitches in my hand and 7 rounds of chemo for a tumor, worked full time with no disruptions and I still managed to do this. Someone out there has it worse than you, are busier than you, and they still find ways that they CAN. So stop making excuses and just do it. I don't care if you're tired, angry, sore, etc.... You will be happy that you did in the end.

Alicia Bell - Transformation

Got An Exercise Ball? Try This Workout

Working out is challenging. Sometimes getting to the gym can be challenging, and if we workout on our own we don’t get that extra push that a personal trainer or an exercise class would give us. Do you have an old dusty exercise ball that you have had sitting around for months but havent touched? If you have an exercise ball at home here is a free DVD that you can follow. There are beginner, intermediate and advanced options for all of the exercises.  This video was shot with Zenzation/Pur Athletics some time ago. It was a learning experience. Go check it out! #trainitright

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Hanging Leg Lifts For Shredded Abs

If you want to strengthen your midsection forget the regular crunches! Lower abdominal exercises are often over looked in core training. They should be included in your program because they are great for spinal stability, injury prevention and your lower back. One of the best lower abdominal exercises is the hanging leg raise.

Start slowly so that you will have control. Remember that it is important to focus on quality over quantity. As you begin to raise your knees, think about curling your hips forward to facilitate the movement. The focus should be to engage your abdominal muscles, which are attached to your pelvis and not your legs. The legs are simply an accessory. Try not to swing. Keep your legs together, slowly raise your knees upwards towards the belly button. Then slowly lower your legs to the starting position. Repeat for 10-12 reps. Over time once you have mastered the knee raise add in some variety and try one leg at a time, straight legs or even bring the knees to the left and right.

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Quick Tips To Get Sexy Abs

Abs - Alicia Bell - Train It Right

The secret to sexy abs isn't crunches. Flexion of the spine caused by crunches isn't always a good thing. Especially if you have back issues. So I wouldn't suggest doing crunches that involve flexion. Also you can do all the crunches in the world but unless you shed that fat over your stomach you will never see your abs that are underneath. You have to lose those layers in order for you abs to show.The following tips will help you get those sexy ab's that you'v always wanted. So get Training It Right for your abs!

One of the first things that people don't realize that leads to a sexy stomach and abs is your diet. Your diet directly affects your body's ability to burn fat efficiently. To clean up your diet to help remove abdominal fat make sure to drink 2-3L of water a day, eat smaller more frequent meals and snacks. I suggest 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day. No more than 2-3hrs spread apart. Eat lean protein, and healthy fats. Avocado is a great healthy fat and fish high in Omegas help you get that as well as protein. A good amount of protein to aim for is 0.8g per pound of body weight. Stay away fro high salted foods, fried foods and processed sugars and sweets.

The second thing is to stay away from long steady cardio. It's ok to sometimes mix it up but try and stick to interval training that is to say HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training. Why it works? It helps your bloodstream uptake fat out of stage where it can be used for energy. Make sure to alternate the high intensity with lower intensity so you can survive the workout. For example walk for a minute at an incline of 3 and speed of 3, then pick it up to run at speed of 7 and repeat for 20-40 minutes. I suggest to start with 20 and work your way up to the 40 or more.

The third thing would be to still work on your core without the crunches by using planks. There are so many types of planks. Make sure to mix it up. Front planks, side planks, reverse planks, one hand planks, one leg planks, forearms on bosu, feet on boss, use a trx, use a bench etc.

Plank - Alicia Bell - Train It Right

Good luck and Happy Training It Right!

The secret to a flat stomach is to strengthen your core muscles. You have probably heard trainers or other health professionals in the gym talking about how having a “strong core” is important, but if you’re like most people, you may not know exactly what that means, why it’s important or how to strengthen it.

WHAT IS YOUR CORE?

Most health care professionals use the word “core” to describe the different muscles that are is located in the middle section of your body as a whole. Many people think that the core is just the abdominal muscles. Although they are part of what makes up your core it actually includes your diaphragm (lower chest), abdomen (belly), obliques (sides), mid-lower back, and lower pelvic muscles. Add all of these muscles up and you get a total of 25 different muscles that make up your core.

WHY YOUR CORE IS IMPORTANT

Your core is where your body’s strength and stability comes originates. It is part of  what is called a “kinetic chain” that allows the various parts of your body to function correctly. These muscles are critical for optimal athletic performance, daily activities (e.g., sitting, walking, running, reaching, bending, climbing stairs, to name a few). As our bodies age, it becomes increasingly important to do core strengthening exercises so that you can avoiding injuries and maintain an independent, healthy and active life.

STRENGTHENING YOUR CORE

To strengthen your core, it’s important to focus on keeping your belly button pulled in, a flat back and to remember not to hold your breath.

Try these exercises below For For endurance. Hold each one as long as you can. Repeat 2-3x.

Core 1 - Living Civil - Train It Right

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Try these exercises below For For strength. Do each leg for 10-20 reps then switch. Repeat 2-3x.

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Alicia Bell is a Toronto based Personal Trainer.

For more exercise tips follow Alicia Bell on Twitter.

 

 

There are many variations of planks that I do but I want to talk about the basic plank. A plank is one of the best exercises that help with core strength. In sum the stronger your core is the less back pain you have, the more stable you will be and the better your waistline will be.  Make sure that your elbows are directly under your shoulders. Keep core tight (that means pull the belly button into the spine). Evenly distribute wait on right and left feet and keep your back flat (don't stick your butt high in the air).

I always advice 3 sets of these guys and always try and hold as long as you can. I try not to set specific times, but each time you try a plank try and hold it for longer than your last. You need to continually challenge yourself to see change.