Build a Stronger, Leaner, and More Defined Core with These Exercises

Six Pack

Are you sick of doing endless amounts of core exercises, videos, classes, diets, and the list goes on and not seeing the results you crave? There are many secrets to building a solid core without having to commit a lot of time. Yes, while diet plays a big role in losing fat around the midsection, this alone does not help build up your abdominal muscles and give you those sexy cuts and definition. Start by doing these core exercises to start building a solid six pack today!

Plank

Planks are a great way to strengthen your core isometrically while also being able to incorporate a number of variations to target multiple muscles. Here are several variations of planks. If you are new to working out I would recommend starting with the first exercise. Once you have mastered a traditional plank, then I would recommend working your way down the examples each set or workout until you reach the last one.

Tips: Make sure you don’t forget to control your breathing. This is something most people forget to do with this exercise. Also, aim to keep your elbows or hands if in a pushup position below your shoulders, back straight, your abs and butt flexed/tight while completing this exercise and variations to keep your core more engaged. 

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Prone Iso-Abs

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Planks with Alternating Toe Touch

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Plank with Side Knee Raises

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Plank with Straight Knee Raises

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Crunches

Crunches are a great exercise to strengthen your abs and core through flexion and extension of your spine.

Tips: Most people when doing crunches usually overcompensate with their hips taking tension off their abs. It is important to remember when performing a crunches to only bring your shoulders up until your feel a pinch in your upper abdominal muscles, then slowly lowering down until you feel a slight pulling in your upper abdominal muscles. When targeting your lower abdominal muscles with exercises bringing your knees up towards your chest, bring your butt up just slightly off the bench, ground, or swiss ball until your feel your lower abs engaged. Then, slower, I repeat slowly lower your legs down in a controlled manner so you don’t put unnecessary pressure on your lower back and/or hips. 

Swiss Ball Crunches

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Swiss Ball Crunch with Weight

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Swiss Ball Reverse Crunch (Knees Bent)

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Swiss Ball Reverse (Straight Leg Raises)

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Oblique Extensions

Oblique extensions are a great way to give your obliques and sides more definition. When you are looking to sculpt your sides, these are the best exercises to do just that.

Tips: For the best results without compromising your form or spine it is important to keep your abs tight and drawn in, your body in a straight line, shoulders pulled back, and to lower in control without jerking with your hips.

Oblique Extensions 

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Oblique Extensions with Reach

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Weighted Oblique Extensions 

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Standing Weight Oblique Extensions

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 Overhead 1-Arm Kettle bell Oblique Extensions

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For more information on training, exercises, tips, and more please signup for a Free Consultation with one of our certified personal trainers or email us at BodyByDaveInc@gmail.com.

Pictured Fitness Models: Nico Johnes – Certified Personal Trainer with Body By Dave, Ricardo Velarde – Body By Dave client, and David Troupin – Owner/Certified Personal Trainer of Body By Dave

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The Only 3 Exercises You’ll Ever Need to Sculpt Your Abs!

Are you sick of wasting hours of your valuable time, energy, and even money each week trying to chisel your abs and not seeing any results? Most people do dozens of ab exercises, videos, and extreme diets in some hope that they start to see their abs or some sort of definition around their waist or mid-section. Little do they know, dieting does not create abdominal muscles or do anything more than eliminate fat. Want to know the secret most trainers and video won’t tell you? It’s really easy. Do these 3 exercises until failure in order resting for a minute between each set for 3-5 sets and start seeing and feeling the results today:

Decline Crunch

Decline Crunch - Starting position  image

This exercise uses gravity to force you to use your upper abdominal muscles more and hip flexors less. In order keep your abs under tension, and not just your hips and back, start with your back, shoulders, and head all the way down on the bench. Next, bringing just your shoulders and head off the bench until your fill a pinch in your upper abs and stop and hold it for a second or two then slowly drop your shoulders back down to the bench.

Tip: Do not bring your back all the way up off the bench. Once you have completely rounded your back bringing your head and shoulders off the bench and your abs and back are flexed, you have reached maximum benefit for this exercise. Any additional movement past this point adds more tension to your spine and hips, while taking tension of your abdominal muscles you are aiming to target.

Modification: To make this exercise easier just start by lying on a floor or flat bench. In make this exercise harder, keep your arms pointed straight up over your shoulders and pulse straight up keeping your arms directly above your shoulders at all times. Still too easy? Start adding weight in your arms.

Hanging Knee Raises

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This is one of the most effective exercises to target your lower abdominal muscles. You can do this exercise several ways depending on our fitness level and equipment you have for use. One variation, you can find any pull-up bar outside or in the gym and grab hold of the bar. While hanging from the bar, you can bring your knees up towards your chest and hold for a second or two then slowly release them down without letting your feet touch the ground. Other variations, you can use straps or a fixed arm rest to keep your arms suspended in, if you arms or grip strength is not strong enough to grip the bar long enough to fatigue your arms.

Tip: Breathe out as your bring your knees or legs up and breathe in slowly as your lower your legs down.

Modification: To make this exercise more difficult, you can straight your knees and legs out to add more torch and tension to your abs. Only do this variation, if you can do the first variation in control without letting your legs fall down wildly otherwise you increase your risk of injuring your lower spine.

Standing Oblique Extensions

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One of the best exercises for sculpting your obliques. Start by standing with your feet together or hips width apart holding a light to moderate weight in one arm and opposite arm up with your hand behind your ear. Then, slowly, I repeat slowly leaning down to the side with the weight until you feel pulling on the opposite side of the body from the hip up to the rib cage then bring your body back up to neutral.

Tip: Keep your shoulder pulled back and abs tight and drawn in to keep your body in a straight line and to reduce unnecessary tension to the back. Breathe in on the way down and out as you bring your body back up to neutral. 

Modification: To make this exercise harder, just add more weight. To make this exercise easier, you can keep both shoulders back touching behind the ears with no weight in hand. Then. slowly bending laterally in one direction, then slowly bending back up to neutral. 

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