smallkine blogger

One of the hot buzzwords flying around the gym these days is ‘core strength.’ While dancers and athletes have long known the advantages of having a strong torso, the idea of core strength is only now trickling down to the rest of us. So what is core strength and why should you worry about it? One reason is this: all of our movements are powered by our torsos–the abs and back work together to support the spine when we sit, stand, bend over, pick things up, exercise and more. The torso is the body’s center of power, so the stronger you are in that area, the easier your daily activities will be.

What is the Core?

When someone talks about the core, they’re referring to all of the muscles that deep within the abs and back, attaching to the spine or pelvis. Some of these muscles include the transversus abdominis (TVA), the muscles of the pelvic floor, the lats and the obliques, just to name a few.

These muscles are where movement originates and it’s also the source of our stability. Whether you’re running, lifting weights or picking up your toddler, these ‘core’ muscles help keep your body stable and balanced.

With this focus on core strength, the fitness industry has moved towards training the body as a whole, rather than focusing on separate muscle groups. This means incorporating torso training throughout your workout, rather than just doing the usual standard crunches. This type of functional training can be seen everywhere as more people use things like stability balls and wobble boards in their regular workouts.

Core training has many benefits including:

* More functional workouts that translate into daily life activities
* Improved performance in sports
* Reduction in the risk of injury
* Better ability to function each day
* Interesting workouts that challenge you in new and different ways

Adding more functional training to your workouts is a simple matter. Read on to find out easy ways to increase your core strength.

Enhancing Your Core Strength

Incorporating more functional training into your workouts may be as simple as changing or adding new exercises to your usual routine. The following are just some ideas for making your ab/back workouts a little more dynamic:

* Woodchops
* Pikes on the Ball
* Side Plank with Oblique Twist
* Ball Crunch with Med Ball

Another way to make your workouts more functional is to add new equipment to your exercises. Adding an element of balance will naturally engage your core and add a whole new dimension to your training. Some ideas include:

* Stability Balls. You can use exercise balls in a variety of ways to challenge balance, stability and torso strength.
* Wobble Boards. Adding a wobble board to your routine will help you with balance, stability, torso strength and coordination.
* Foam roller. Using a foam roller in your workouts will enhance balance, body awareness, flexibility and torso strength.

walking hasn’t been at the top of my list of favorite cardio activities. One reason is that, because it’s something we do on a regular basis, it takes some work to get the heart rate up. But, over the years, I’ve incorporated more and more walking into my day. While I still choose other activities for my structured workouts, I’ve found that walking is a great way to increase my activity without having to add more bone-jarring exercise.

If you want to use walking to help you lose weight, the key is variety, especially if walking is the only cardio you do. Don’t just go at the same pace for the same length of time every day, but try to mix things up and find ways to add intensity to some of your workouts. Some ideas:

* Add some hill training. Powering up a hill is a great way to increase your heart rate and challenge your body in different ways. Try finding a medium-sized hill nearby and walking up as fast as you can. Recover by walking back down and repeat several times.
* Use your arms. Holding weights while you walk is a no-no, but you can increase intensity by pumping your arms or using walking poles to involve your upper body.
* Go faster. I notice when I walk outside, I have a tendency to slow down without realizing it. One way to make sure you’re in your target heart rate zone is to monitor your pace and make sure you’re walking briskly. Pretend as though you’re trying to catch a bus and you have to walk as fast as you can to make it.
* Vary your workouts. Whether your walking or doing other activities, varying your workouts is a great way to avoid plateaus and continue to challenge your body. Try to mix things up with longer, slower workouts and shorter, harder workouts. Schedule easy days and harder days and add some strength training to keep your muscles strong and avoid injury.

Walking is an excellent way to meet your cardio needs as long as you work hard enough. A leisurely stroll certainly has its place but, if you’re going for weight loss, save the strolls and pick up the pace.

We all have days when we don’t feel like exercising and some days it’s worse than others. There may not even be a particular reason - you feel okay and your energy level is good. It’s just that the thought of doing the same old thing holds about the same appeal as scratching the chalkboard.

When you’re in this situation, what do you do? Do you force yourself to workout anyway and risk being miserable or do you take a day off and risk feeling guilty or worse, getting off track with your routine? There’s no right answer here, but you do have some options for getting through those days when motivation is hard to come by.

1. Do Something Fun. Sometimes a ’smallkine’ workout seems like one more obligation on top of all the other responsibilities we have. When it starts to feel like drudgery, breaking the routine can be just what you need to remember the simple joy of moving your body for no other purpose than to have fun.

2. Do Something Easy. Easy exercise is one thing many veteran exercisers simply don’t allow. We know we have to work hard if we want to maintain our weight and stay strong and fit. But, if you’re having one of those ho-hum kind of days, an easy workout may be just what the doctor ordered. Instead of worrying about burning muscles or getting your heart rate up, go for a swim or get on the stationary bike for a long, easy pedal. Easy days are great recovery for the mind and body.

3. Do Something Soothing. When I don’t feel like exercising, I find that stretching almost always makes me feel better. I feel like I’m doing something productive without working too hard.

4. Do Something Simple. When you’re low on motivation, even the idea of changing your clothes sounds like a lot of work. Instead of doing something complicated, try a simple workout that doesn’t even require you to change your clothes. A ball workout requires only a ball and includes simple moves that feel good and work your body in different ways. You could also try an ab workout or even a simple cardio workout which requires no equipment other than a decent pair of shoes.

5. Play Hookey. This is probably my favorite thing to do when I don’t feel like exercising and I think too many veteran exercisers don’t play hookey enough. Is there anything more delicious than taking an unplanned day off from exercise? If you’re worried about getting off track with your routine, you may want to do some type of exercise…but if you know you can get right back to it tomorrow, why not savor an extra day off? Use your workout time to do something you never have time for - read a book, take a nap, wash the truck. Taking an extra day off can energize you for your next workout.