Your core muscles are the central link connecting your upper and lower body. The majority of your motions either originate in your core, or move through it.
No matter where motion starts, it moves through the core to adjoining joints. Weak or inflexible core muscles can impair the functioning of your arms and legs. A strong core also enhances balance and stability. It can help prevent falls and injuries and a strong, flexible core affects almost everything you do.
Weak, tight, or unbalanced core muscles can affect you with almost every movement you make. Over training abdominal muscles whilst avoiding muscles of the back and hips can hinder you with injuries and cut athletic prowess. If six pack abs are your goal, then it’s essential to rid body fat through diet and aerobic exercise. Then build strong abdominal muscles by adding weight and increasing reps and sets of your workout.
In this workout, you will be combining stretches and core exercises to improve your posture, range of motion, strength and flexibility! Complete each exercise one after the other for the recommended number of reps.
Perform three sets before moving onto the next. You won’t need any equipment for these. Try this routine up to five days a week for a stronger, more flexible body.
Related article: Accelerate Strength Gains By Improving Your Posture
X shape Swimming:
Targets:
- Back.
- Glutes.
- Shoulders.
How To Do It:
- Lie face down with your arms and legs opened into an X shape on the floor.
- Lift your chest, thighs and arms off floor. Your eyes should be gazing down and your neck in line with your spine.
- Lift your left arm and right leg slightly higher, then quickly switch sides.
- That’s one rep.
- Do 20 reps as quickly as possible, trying to keep your torso steady as your arms and legs flutter
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Bow Pose:
Open up the whole front of your body, those muscles can get tight.
How To Do It:
- Lie face down with your knees bent and slightly wider than hip-width apart.
- Reach your arms back to grab your ankles.
- Lift your thighs and chest off the floor as high as possible.
- Try to bring your head in line with your heels.
- Hold for up to 30 seconds.
Balancing Side Plank:
Strengthen your obliques whilst also working your inner thighs and shoulders with this plank variation.
How To Do It:
- Begin in a modified side plank with your left hand extended under your shoulder, your left knee bent on the floor, your right leg extended straight and the bottom of your foot pressed flat to the floor.
- Your hips should be stacked.
- Draw your abs in tight toward your spine and lift your left leg off the floor, bringing your left foot to the inside of your right knee, crossing your left knee slightly over the mid-line of your body.
- Hold for 10 seconds and repeat on the other side.
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Seated Hurdler:
Open up the hamstrings and hips with this relaxing stretch that can be done immediately after the balancing side plank pose.
How To Do It:
- Sit with your left leg extended and your right knee bent and open to the side with the bottom of your right foot pressed against your left thigh.
- Bend forward from your hips and reach toward your left foot, grabbing hold of your toes or shins.
- Hold for 30 seconds, and then repeat on the other side.
Seated Hover:
Related article: Beneficial Stretching Exercises
Hip Opener:
Relax your back and hips with this restful stretch.
How To Do It:
- Simply lower your hips to floor from the hover position and fold your body over your legs.
- Reach your arms out in front of your body, on the ground to stretch your hips.
- Hold for up to 30 seconds.
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