THE KEY TO A STRONG CORE

Most people want a flat stomach or a six pack. This is one of the hardest areas to develop on your body. It is also clear why we struggle – most of our fat gets stored around our abdomen and training this part of our body is painful and strenuous. With that being said, there are effective ways to train your core and it is important to practice proper technique to see the results. Here are our key tips:

Think core, not abs – Abs are part of your core and different exercises target different parts of this muscle group. Static exercises like planking engage the whole core group where crunches only activate the top part. It is important to mainly do exercises that engage the whole core.
Remember obliques – These are the muscles located at the sides on your upper ribs and they are activated by twists and exercises like side planks.
Lower back is key – Your core strengthens your lower back and vice versa. Ensure that you train your lower back adequately to see the best results.
Burn calories – A sculpted mid-section requires starts with less calories. Too many calories can be stored as fat around your abdomen.
Focus on high intensity core exercises – These are exercises like mountain climbers that activate the whole core such as increasing your heart rate and fat burning.
Make it part of your day – Instead of dedicating an entire day to exercise your core, spend 10 minutes at the end of your daily workout and focus on high intensity core exercises. This is usually more sustainable and less painful in the beginning.
Make your program enjoyable – Make sure to include exercises that you enjoy doing and try to limit the ones that you do not enjoy.
Patience is key – Abs, like any muscle, aren’t built overnight. If you put in the time and effort, you will see the results.

There are plenty of excellent core and ab exercises available online. The best advice would be to pick a day and get started. Remember to recover adequately to ensure that you do not break down your muscles.

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