Core exercises, which strengthen the muscles around your pelvis and trunk, are an important aspect of a well-rounded fitness routine. Having toned core muscles can improve your physical appearance and boost your body's calorie burn rate. It also can increase your ability to perform most activities and decrease your risk of physical injury, according to MayoClinic.com.
Tips for Maximizing Core Workouts
Warm up before you perform your core workout by doing 5 to 10 minutes of a low-intensity or moderate-intensity aerobic exercise such as walking or using an elliptical machine, recommends the American Council on Exercise. Once you're ready to begin, breathe deeply and freely as you perform each strengthening exercise. Maintain stability by tightening your deepest abdominal muscle, the transversus abdominis, which is the one that contracts when you cough. Repeat each core exercise at least five times, but develop the strength and stamina to reach 10 or 15 repetitions for most exercises.
Abdominal Crunches
Lie flat on your back on an exercise mat or on the ground. Place your feet against a flat wall to place your knees and hips at a 90-degree angle, cross your arms over each other on your chest, contract your transversus abdominis muscle and raise your head and shoulders off the mat or floor, recommends MayoClinic.com. Maintain this position for three deep breath cycles, return your shoulders and head to the mat and repeat.
Arm Pull Over Straight Leg Crunches
While holding a pair of 10- to 12-lb. dumbbells, lie flat on your back on the ground while holding your arms extended behind your head and legs extended at about a 45-degree angle in front of your torso. Draw both legs up to make them perpendicular to the ground and simultaneously bring your straightened arms up over your chest so that they meet your legs in the middle. Return to the original position without letting your legs touch the ground and repeat.
Lunges
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and step forward with one foot. The knee of this leg should be at about a 90-degree angle and right above your toes; don't let it cross the toes on that foot. Put your weight onto your front leg until the knee of your back leg is about to touch the ground. Return to your original position by pushing your body up with your front leg. Repeat lunges on each side of your body.
Planks
Lower your body down on the ground as if you were about to do a push-up. Your entire torso should be stiff and lifted off the mat in a straight line, not arched or sagging. Rest the weight of your body on your forearms and toes. Hold the position for up to one minute. If you can't hold this long, rest and repeat until you reach one minute. In time you should be able to repeat this exercise up to five times.
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