Top 3 Ways to Strengthen Your Core

Top 3 Ways to Strengthen Your Core

The core of the body is considered as the torso. Some would say it is that six-pack shaped muscle in front of our stomach. They are all correct although the major parts of the core include the area of the stomach, the mid and lower back, the hips, shoulders and the neck. The core is responsible for certain functional movements of different body parts and failure to build core muscles increases the risk of injury. The core also assists in withholding bowel and urinary incontinence. Bending, reaching and twisting are all movements performed every day and the core is highly responsible for these movements and many more. Therefore, we have to keep our core strong and flexible to reduce the risk of injuries when executing these movements and even complex ones.

How can the core be strengthened? What role do we need to play to reduce the risk of incurring injuries and facilitate better movement with ease and swift? The answer is simple, just exercise. You must be wondering what exercise routine is ideal for core training, not to worry as I have listed a few routines you can do which targets and strengthens the core:

Crunches

To perform this exercise, firstly, you’ll lie flat on your back on a mat or the ground. Make your knees bent and keep your hands behind your head, then push lower back into the ground and lift the upper back of the ground forward slightly. Perform a repetition of fifteen in three sets. If you feel that burning sensation in your belly, then you know you are doing it right. This exercise works the rectus abdominis in the midsection of the body. It builds the muscles in the core areas and strengthens the core. If you find this routine boring, you can also perform the reverse crunch.

Planks

This exercise is pretty simple but effective as well. Lie face down on your mat or the ground supporting your body with your forearms and toes faced down. Then gently lift yourself off the ground, hold for a minute then return to the ground. Repeat this five times in three sets. Upon each rep, you'll feel your abs contract, if you do, then you're doing it right. This routine draws the abs and tightens the glutes as well. You can also try the side and sliding plank.

Sit-ups

Sits-ups also known as curl up, is another effective routine which develops the abdominal muscle and strengthens the core. This routine is similar to the crunch except that the lower back does not leave the ground. Sit up targets not on the core but also the arms and back. Overall, it trains all areas above the butt.

There are other exercises which train the core and strengthens it but these mentioned above are the most common and effective. These exercises build the abdominal muscles and other parts of the torso and also trains the oblique muscles giving that coveted V-shape and six-pack abs.