Get the "Core" Secrets of Celebrity Fitness Trainer for Naomi Judd

Ask the average health club exerciser which areas he or she wants to improve, and you'll probably hear "My abs!" as one of the top ten responses. Celebrities share that goal, including country star Naomi Judd, who's been working closely with well-known fitness pro Suzanne Bowen.

Creating strong abs does more than trim your tummy: a firm core can improve your posture, help to prevent back problems, and help you move more freely. Those achievements make a "gorgeous core" essential for celebrities such as Naomi, who must keep her energy high and her appearance sleek when she tours.

Wish you could afford to hire your own celebrity fitness professional? Suzanne Bowen helps grant that wish in her new DVD, "Gorgeous Core." Bowen is an AFAA certified Group Fitness and Pilates instructor; based in Nashville, TN, she founded and created BarreAmped, which is a fitness regime incorporating dance, yoga, Pilates, and stretching. She currently owns a fitness studio in TN.

How to Develop a Toned Midsection

I used to waste a lot of time doing endless stomach crunches. I remember that one year, I had a single New Year's Resolution: every time that I was watching TV and a food commercial came on, I'd immediately have to do 20 crunches. After a few months, I dreaded the starting jingle of a McDonald's commercial! And the results were dismal: I didn't lose an inch; I had just as many back problems as ever, and I still cringed at my posture whenever I glimpsed myself in a mirror.

Bowen's secret to her star fitness trainer quality: alternate techniques, intensity, and focus! Her new DVD features six different sections, some of which last only five minutes. The result keeps you entertained and burning fat while you improve your abs.

Mix and Match
The DVD is created with a menu of options, so that you can select whichever routines target the areas on which you want to focus that day.

The "Lean, Long, and Strong" section, for example, uses moves similar to Pilates, as well as isometric work, focusing on your core muscles.

In "Metabolism Bootcamp," which is my favorite segment, you'll work all your muscle groups, experiencing that "good burn" as you exercise for 12 minutes in a wide range of movements.

I also enjoyed the "Sleek Physique" section because of its emphasis on multi-directional moves, including side planks. I know some exercisers wince at the mere mention of side planks: persist with this particular move, however, and you'll gain improved strength, flexibility, and balance as well as a whittled waistline.

Other sections in the DVD range from "Classic Abwork," with standard ab movements that focus on control, to "ABsolute Challenge," offering advanced exercises for both the back and abs, to the quick yet tough "Total Core Fast Blast," featuring challenging moves for five rigorous minutes.