Here are 5 of my favourite exercises I do to tone my core. Abdominal exercises are so important, they will help you get better posture by supporting the muscles around your spine, make you stronger when training in all other exercise and improve your balance and stability. As well as flattening your stomach!
SIDE LEG RAISES -
In a neutral straight line, keeping your upper body on the ground lift both legs as high as you can to the sky trying not to lean forward or back (you can use one hand as a support in front of you). Lower your legs to hover about an inch off the ground and thats 1 complete. Repeat this as many times as possible until you feel the burn. This exercise is great for your sides (the obliques) to get a smaller, toned waist. You'll find when you get tired, other muscles will try to help you out like your quads this is totally normal.
PLANK -
The basic plank is one of my favourites. Its a whole body workout, and it's very important to ensure your body is in a straight line. Use a mirror to check your alignment, otherwise imagine the top of your head lengthening away from your shoulders, the backs of your knees lifting and your hips neutral. One of my dance teachers taught me her 3 minute plank 5 years ago and I still do it to this day, occasionally pushing myself to do some extra seconds. It sounds long, but broken up it's much more bearable;
1 min normal plank on forearms
30 secs side plank on right
30 secs side plank on the left
1 minute normal plank
- If you're feeling strong on the normal 1 minute planks add hip dips or knee taps to your arms like in my photo above to get those obliques working. Have a stopwatch in front of you on your mat and don't collapse when switching into positions.
RUSSIAN TWISTS -
Create a 'V' shape with your torso and thighs then, using a weight or your hands together twist from side to side as far round as you can without moving your knees maintaining that 'V'. Concentrate all the work in your core, this can be done fast or slow and controlled. I would time 1 minute have a 15 second rest and repeat 3 times.
SIDE HIP DIPS -
This is a new exercise for me I found it a few weeks ago and it is amazing for definition in your stomach. In a high plank press up position cross your legs over and dip your hips down and up as far as you can. It's a lot harder than it looks and it's challenge to get those hips back up. Try 10 on each side, with 30 seconds of rest. (to do the other side simply cross your legs the other way)
UP & OVER TUCKS
Another favourite of mine as it's dynamic and a bit of a routine to learn. Rest your hands just back behind your hips and place a water bottle where your ankles reach.
>Starting with both feet on one side of the bottle
>Lift your legs up & over the bottle to the other side
>Tuck your knees to your chest
>Push them back out straight
And repeat back the other way.
Your back should lean back when your legs are out straight and crunch upright when your legs are tucked in and up in that 'V' (see photo's above)
Time yourself doing this routine for 30 seconds, rest for 15 secs and repeat 3 times.
If you find this too complex at first just practise the simple tucks without a bottle, simply pulling your knees in to your chest and pushing out straight (like the bottom 2 images)
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