Hello squad Fitasf! On the internet there’s tons of people doing all sorts of exercises and are calling them abs workout when they aren’t even engaging the core muscles at all. Let us first understand what exactly the core is before diving straight into a menu of exercises. The core is the powerhouse of the body, the stronger the core the more stronger you get. The core helps you build strength, stability and better functioning. In this blog we will try to make the most of the core by understanding what it is and will add exercises in our workouts in order to strengthen this powerhouse.
Why Should You Do Core Exercises?
Core exercises have loads of benefits and can be added to your fitness goals. Abs aren’t built just to look good but to feel good as well. When most of the people hit the gym they are fixated on their dream of having visible abs. But here’s the truth : having strong is not about doing endless crunches. An effective ab workout involves smart training, proper nutrition and consistency.
Your core muscles consist of your obliques, lower back, and deep stabilizing muscles. A strong flexed core helps you to :
- Improve body posture and balance.
- Enhancement in overall strength.
- Supports spine and reduces overall back pain.
- Boosts confidence with a toned mid-section.
Anatomy Of Abs
Before diving into our core workout regiments let us first understand the muscles that we will be targeting :
- Rectus Abdominis – The six pack
- Obliques
- Transverse Abdominis – Deep core muscles that helps in keeping the spine stable and the core tight.
- Lower Abs – The lower part of rectus abdominis.
Some Of the Best Core Exercises
Here’s a beginner and intermediate friendly workout you can try out at home or your gym. Perform this workout regimen 3 times a week while combining it with cardio exercises in order to reap the benefits of fat loss so that the abs become visible faster.
- Crunches
- Lie flat on the ground, then bend your knees and keep the feet on the floor while placing your hands on the back of your head lightly. Exhale and lift up your upper body, squeezing your abs and go back to the initial position slowly while controlling the reverse fall.
- Do this exercise for 4-5 sets 15-20 reps.
- Leg Raises
- Lie down on your back with your legs straight and place your hands under your hips for support. Slowly lift your legs to an angle of 90 degrees and then lower them while controlling the range of motion slowly and steadily.
- Do this exercise for 4-5 sets of 12-15 reps
- Plank
- Get into the pushup position but rest on your forearms while keeping your body straight, abs tight and glutes engaged.
- Hold this position for 30-60 seconds and do 3-4 sets of it.
- Russian Twists
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and heels on the ground as you lean back slightly and clasp your hands. Twist your torso side to side touching the ground each side when you twist.
- Do it for 20 reps (10 side each) and for 3-4 sets.
- Bicycle Crunches
- Lie flat on the ground with your hands behind your head. Bring one knee closer to the chest as you twist your opposite elbow towards it. Alternate sides in a paddling motion.
- Do it for 20 reps(10 each side) for 2-3 sets.
- Mountain Climbers
- Start in a pushup position and drive one knee towards your chest and then the alternative.
- Do it for a period of 30-50 seconds and do 3 sets of it.
Advanced Ab Workout Variations
Some advanced core workout variations that we can add to our workouts once we’ve mastered the basic exercises mentioned above are :
- Hanging Leg Raises
- Ab Rollouts with a Wheel
- Weighted Cable Crunches
- Side Plank with Hip Dips
- Stability Ball Pike
These exercises add resistance, balance and stability to your body by training specific groups of abdominal muscles that control stability of a large part of the body.
How to Work Out Your Core During a Rest Day
Ideally you should be resting on your rest day but if you wish to stay active or do some low intensity activities then you can engage in yoga or stretching. If you have an access to swimming pool go for a swim since it is one of the best core exercises.
To supercharge your recovery and optimize muscle repair, consider adding creatine to you workout routine for better strength gains and Essential Amino Acids (ECAA’s) to support muscle recovery.
Abs Workout: Myths Vs Reality
Myth: Spot reduction of belly fat by ab workouts
Reality: Fat loss is overall. Ab workouts tend to strengthen the core muscles but don’t burn fat directly.
Myth: Training abs daily gives faster results.
Reality: Overtraining of abs prevents their growth as the muscle doesn’t have any time to recover from the previous workout.
Myth: Only gym workouts can build abs.
Reality: You can build abs at home using bodyweight exercises.
Takeaway
Training your abs/core may seem irrelevant at first but your body will thank you for putting it through intense ab workouts to make it fitter and more toned. Core workouts unlike other workouts do not get any special mention but they do bring special features to your workouts and provides an extensive number of benefits to the body and improves your strength and endurance for other workouts and makes your HIIT Workouts easier to undergo. Therefore make sure to stick to training your core on a regular basis and let your body talk for itself as to how it feels.
Stay consistent, eat clean, and train smart. Over a period of time not only will you start seeing absolutely amazing results in your abdominal region but also have a better posture, improved performance in lifts and boosted confidence.
JOIN THE FITASF MOVEMENT TODAY- Because fitness is not about shortcuts, it’s a lifestyle. Your strong defined abs are waiting. Start your core workout journey now with fitasf!
