Trouble Spots: The Core

Training the doughnut around our midsection is a top priority for about 99% of the people trying to get in better shape. That area - the hips, belly, butt area - is referred to as the CORE. Here are some tips to a Flatter Stomach...

*Suck in your stomach - keeping your belly contracted is one of the most important ways to getting a flatter stomach. Think of it like a zip lock bag - the muscles of the abdomen are unlike the muscles anywhere else, as they are responsible for keeping our body erect, so they are layered. Many people do crunches. Without sucking in the stomach while crunching you will only work the deep layer of abdominals - where you can't see. This is all good but strengthening those will push the top layer further out and therefore make you look like you're getting chubbier while working out. We don't want that. So we make our abs into the Ziploc bags - sucking them in is like squeezing the air out of the bag while sealing it. Squeeze the muscles into one unit and you'll get 10 times the effect from one crunch!!!

*Drink plenty of water. We could all do with doubling our water intake - as most Americans do not consume enough water. BUT here's the deal - we retain water when we DON"T drink enough. I know it seems like the more water we drink the more we would retain, but that's NOT true. If you are constantly giving the body water - it feels it doesn't need to retain. The body only stores what it believes it will need. It is a reverse process.

*Cardio is your friend. It is impossible to target train. Meaning doing only crunches won't necessarily help you to achieve a flatter midsection. You need to burn more calories than you are in-taking. To do that as efficiently as possible, you need to flex many muscles repeatedly for an extended period of time - aka Cardio-Respiratory Training. Walking, Jogging, Cardio Machines, Cardio Classes, etc. These will help you burn through what you ate today in order to get to the fat stored from yesterday.

*As Unstable as is Stable. Ok that seems to make no sense, right? But. When performing almost any strength exercise - bicep curls, rows, bows, squats, etc. and you make the environment slightly unstable than the body is forced to recruit the Core to stabilize. For instance. When performing a bicep curl: If I sit on a bench and anchor my elbow against my thing, than the predominantly used muscle is the bicep, the other muscles really aren't working at all - this means your burning minimum calories but can use heavier weights (conservation of energy). But, if I were to stand on one leg while performing bicep curls - the body freaks out a bit - worried I'll fall and get injured - so it squeezes my core, burning more calories and stabilizing the spine. Burning more calories = burning more fat, and the act of squeezing the core is essentially the same as performing crunches!

Here's a Fab. List of Core Exercises - some more difficult to perform than others. Intensity (or difficulty) Level is listed 1, 2, or 3. 1 being easiest 3 being the most difficult.

Reps: 18-24 {The amount of times to repeat an exercise}
Sets: 3 - 4 {The number of times to come back to an exercise}

Intensity Level 1

Floor Crunch
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear, hands behind your head with elbows wide. Inhale as you tighten your stomach. Exhale as you lift your shoulders off of the mat. Inhale as you release.

Floor Side Crunch
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear, hands behind your head with elbows wide. Place both knees to one side. Inhale as you tighten your stomach. Exhale as you lift your shoulders toward the ceiling. Inhale as you release.

Floor Bridge
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear, hands by your side. Tighten your abdomen and roll back your shoulders. Inhale. Exhale as you push through your heels to lift your pelvis off of floor. Inhale as you release.

Floor Cross Crunch
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear, hands behind your head. Inhale as you tighten your abdomen roll back your shoulders. Exhale as you lift your shoulders toward the ceiling. Twist one shoulders toward the ceiling then the other. Inhale as you release your shoulders back to the floor.

Heel Press (*For bad knees - lay over a Stability ball)
Kneel on all fours. Hands directly below your shoulders,knees below your hips. Roll your shoulders back away from your ears and tighten your abdomen. Lift one foot with the knee bent, until it points toward the ceiling. Inhale.Exhale as you press the foot toward the ceiling (only a few inches - until you feel your glutes contract) Inhale as you release those few inches. (DO NOT try to lift the foot high -you will then arch the back)

Intensity Level 2

Alternating Leg Extension
Lay on floor with knees pulled into your chest, hands by your sides. Lift your shoulders off of the floor. Inhale as you tighten your abs. Exhale as you push one leg out straight (off of the floor) Inhale as you pull the leg back toward your chest. Repeat with the other leg.

Ball Crossover Crunch
Sit tall on stability ball. Walk your feet forward as you lay back until the ball is under your lower back. Hands behind head. Inhale as you tighten your abs. Exhale as you lift your shoulders toward the ceiling. Twist one shoulder toward the ceiling then the other. Inhale as you release your shoulders to the ball. Walk back up to sitting after all reps.

Floor Total Body Crunch
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear. Hands behind your head - abs tight and shoulders rolled back. Inhale. Exhale as you lift shoulders off of the floor - at the same time lift your knees toward your chest. Release as your inhale - Feet do not need to touch the floor between reps.

Jack-Knives
Lay on your side with bottom arm outstretched, knees almost straight. Try to keep your body in one long line. Inhale as you tighten your abdomen. Exhale as you lift your upper and lower body into a side crunch. Bend your knees. Reach your upper arm toward your heels. Inhale as you release your upper body to the floor and straighten your legs.

Ball Bridge
Lay on floor with feet on a stability ball, hands by your side. Tighten your abdomen and roll back your shoulders, Inhale. Exhale as you push through your heels to lift your pelvis off of the floor. Inhale as you release. (Remember to keep your abdomen tight for balance)

Floor Reverse Crunch
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear, hands by your side. Tighten your abdomen and roll back your shoulders. Inhale as you lift your feet off of the floor until knees point to the ceiling. Exhale as you pull the knees toward your chest. Inhale as you release you knees to point straight up.

Ball Crunch
Sit tall on stability ball. Walk your feet forward as you lay back until the ball is under your lower back. Hands behind head. Inhale as you tighten your abs. Exhale as you lift your shoulders toward the ceiling. Inhale as you release your shoulders back toward the ball. When finished with reps walk back up to sitting on the ball.

Bench Pullover (Dumbbells/ Cable)
Lay flat on bench, feet a comfortable distance from rear (on bench as well) Roll your shoulders back and tighten your abs. Inhale as you lift the weight overhead with straight arms.(Do not arch your back) Exhale as you pull the weight toward your pelvis - squeezing hands toward each other - Keep arms extended the entire movement.

The Hundred (*1 or 2 lb weights optional in hands)
Lay on the floor with knees pulled in tight to your chest - hugged by your arms (making your body into a tight ball)Extend your legs to a 45 degree (straight out - slightly up toward ceiling) Extend your arms toward your sides. Hold position as you lift your arms up and down in a small flutter(no more than a few inches) Count the reps by the beat of your arms while keeping shoulders up and legs straight.

Plank
Lay on your stomach, arms bent with elbows under you shoulders. Curl your toes under (like doing a push-up) Lift up onto your forearms and your toes. Roll back your shoulders and tighten your abs. Using your forearms pushsome of your weight into your feet. Keep shoulders awayfrom your ears and your pelvic tilt in tight. Count slowly to 15. Release to the floor -- KEEP your breathing deepand even throughout movement.

Intensity Level 3

Ball Pullover (Medicine Ball/Plate)
Sit tall on stability ball. Walk your feet forward as you lay back until the ball is under your lower back. Inhale as you tighten your abs. Exhale as lift your shoulders up into a crunch position. Hold position. Inhale as you lift the weight overhead with straight arms. Exhale as you pull the weight toward your pelvis (arms still straight). Walk back up to sitting after all reps.

Stability Ball Twists
Sit tall on ball holding weight to your chest. Walk forward til lower back is on ball. Extend weight above your heart. Roll back your shoulders and tighten your abs. Inhale as you lift your shoulders off of the ball in a crunch - Maintain. Exhale as you Twist to bring the weight next to one hip. Inhale as you bring the weight back to center. Exhale to repeat on the other side.

Ball Pullover (Dumbbells/Cable)
Sit tall on stability ball. Walk your feet forward as you lay back until the ball is under your lower back. Hands to chest holding the weight. Inhale as you tighten your abs. Exhale as lift your shoulders up into a crunch position. Hold position. Inhale as you lift the weight overhead with straight arms. Exhale as you pull the weight next to your hips (arms still straight). Walk back up to sitting after all reps.

Bench Knee Pull-ups
Sit tall at the edge of the bench. Place hands behind you - not to support, but for balance. Roll back shoulders and tighten your abs to keep your spine straight like a steel rod!! Inhale. Exhale as you pull both feet off of the floor tucking your knees toward your chest. DO NOT let your spine bend - look up at the ceiling.