Flat abs and a strong, healthy core

Good morning my dear audience!

After providing you with all these recipes in the last days I consider it time to make all of you workout! Let's start with our oh so happily neglected abdominal muscles. I know, I know, there's many of you, who absolutely do not like training your abdominals. 

But allow me to make one statement about the importance of training your abs: 


As I had mentioned in one of my earlier post, it is not just about that famous six-pack! To obtain that you need to have the right body composition and you need to be training your abs since many, many years. 
The important thing is to strengthen your core muscles in order to obtain a flat, strong stomach PLUS to improve your posture and by that your general well-being when standing and walking on your 2 legs. With a strong core straightening up and walking in that position you will feel so much lighter and better that once you adopted that (natural) posture you will never want to have a wobbly middle again. 


Now please follow me through this quick, effective stomach workout! As everyone of us has a different fitness level try to do at least 15 reps if you can, else there is no problem to go up to 30. Yes, your stomach muscles are supposed to burn! It does not do them any harm! 
AFTER your workout do not forget to stretch out your stomach muscles. You do that best with Yoga's Cobra position. Repeat it 3 times, hold it for 4 deep breaths and try to go up a little higher each time. Remember to protect your back by drawing the navel in!


Let's start....


Our first exercise is the REGULAR CRUNCH

Do this exercise slowly and concentrated, always remember to pull your stomach in and to breathe out coming up and in going down.


Next we will do the TWISTED CRUNCH. Draw your left elbow to your right knee and vice versa. Feel the muscles in your waist working!

While we are at it...let's train the WAIST a little bit more: 

Very important: keep your stomach in, keep your body in one straight line, don't collapse on your supporting elbow, squeeze your butt muscles and...never forget to breathe.


Once classic, very efficient one...the PILATES 100 is next:

This is not an easy exercise, but it gives fantastic results. Keep your legs in an angle where you can still control the posture, all the tension should be in your tummy, NOT in your lower back! Draw the stomach in and then start pumping your arms: 5 times breathing in, 5 times breathing out until you have counted to 100. By then you should be nicely shaking :).

Last, but not least for intense strengthening of your core muscles - THE PLANK:


You can do the modified version with your knees on the floor

or - tougher and more efficient - the real one

It is all about pulling your stomach in, being nicely built up on your fists, your elbows directly underneath your shoulders, firm legs, butt muscles squeezed together and hold the position for as long as you can, but at least for 3 deep breaths. Remember to try to keep your lower back as relaxed as possible!


Now I hope your stomach muscles are nicely burning! Doesn't that just feel great? You can repeat these exercises as often as you want throughout the week. I will keep you posted with a bigger variety soon.

At the end of your training as mentioned on top...THE COBRA:

 

Have a fantastic day!