3 Ways to Train Your Abs

Training your abs is about more than just creating a six pack. The main reasons why it is so important to train your core are: injury prevention, improved posture and increased strength.

But did you know that there’s more to strengthening your core than just working your abs? You can do thousands of sit-ups and crunches, but that doesn’t automatically mean your abs will be strong and stable. From a functional perspective, the muscle definition of your abs is secondary to their ability to stabilize your spine and distribute force throughout your body.

Below we share 3 effective ways to strengthen your core. A large part of what the core does is resist force and flexion . The most well-known exercises to counteract flexion ("anti-flexion") are plank variations; the classic plank, for example, trains you to resist unnecessary hyperextension of your spine.

1. Plank (Variations): Anti-Extension To perform a plank, lie on the floor, place your forearms on the floor so that your elbows and shoulders are in line, and extend your legs out behind you. Keep your body tight by bracing your abs, squeezing your glutes, pulling your shoulder blades down, straightening your knees, and staying on your toes. Other plank variations are also very useful and effective. Try to vary between different plank variations in your workout routine.
   
   
2. Bird Dog: Anti-Rotation Another way to train your core stability is with anti-rotation exercises like the bird dog or the palof press . This type of training is especially important for correcting strength imbalances in the hips and lower back, which can occur from certain repetitive movements or a predisposition. To do the bird dog, kneel on the floor, place your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Now, tighten your abs and lift one arm and the opposite leg (e.g. right arm and left leg), positioning them parallel to the floor. Make sure your body does not rotate, keep your hips pointed straight down. Tighten your core to prevent your lower back from rounding. Repeat this process with the opposite arm and leg.
   
   
3. Weighted Squat / Deadlift - Power Transfer As explained above, your core is responsible for resisting movement, but also for transferring force. Surprisingly effective exercises for this are Squats or Deadlifts. When performing these, you try not to bend your spine. This is called anti-flexion. At the same time, your core must transfer force from your legs to the body in order to lift it.

Hopefully this blog gives you a different perspective on "core training" and you found these tips useful!

Written by Bani Kamrani EREP certified Personal Trainer