The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend at least two strength-training sessions a week. Core activities should be included in your strength-training regimen. According to the American Council on Exercise, core strengthening provides increased mobility and stability which can increase your overall function. Muscle definition, such as six-pack abs, may also be a benefit of strengthening your core.
Lunge
Although the lunge is thought of as a leg exercise, it requires a great deal of trunk stability to perform correctly, according to Sports Injury Bulletin. The position of one foot in front of the other is repeated in many normal functional activities. Adding variations to the basic lunge, which allows for additional motion, will increase the difficulty and benefit.
Plank
A plank requires the involvement of your entire trunk for proper performance. Using each position of the plank -- supine, prone and side -- ensures that your entire core is worked to its fullest potential. Tighten your abdominals and maintain a straight line from shoulders to toes. Increase the difficulty by holding your plank longer, or by adding variations. An example of a plank variation would be a leg lift from the supine plank.
Superman
Raise your opposite arm and leg while in a prone position to perform the lowest level superman exercise. Begin while lying flat on the floor with your legs straight and your arms straight overhead. Raise one arm and your opposite leg a few inches off the floor. Lower and repeat on the opposite side. Increase difficulty by doing this exercise while on all fours and then lying prone on an exercise ball.
Hanging Leg Raise
Support your upper body in a Roman chair or while hanging from a pullup bar. Allow your legs to hang straight. Keeping your upper body stable, raise your knees toward your chest and lower. As you get stronger, increase difficulty by keeping your legs straight while you lift them until they are parallel with the floor.
Considerations
Properly executing each exercise is more important than the number of repetitions performed. Maintain tight abdominals by not allowing your back to arch during any of these exercises. Slow, steady contractions increase your results while decreasing risk of injury.
Member Comments