A tight midsection is definitely an eye catcher and attention grabber. A well defined core is not only attractive but it also shows that you are in prime shape. Moreover, having a strong core makes it easier for you to perform various physical activities and you stay very active even when you grow old. In this article, you will find some tips and core workouts that can help you build a strong midsection.
Anatomy of Core.
The core area comprises of various muscles and it is important that you have a general idea about these muscles so that you can train them properly.
The core has about 30 muscles which are connected to different parts of our body such as spine and hips. Below are the major muscles that make up the core.
Obliques.
These muscles are located at the sides of our waist area and they basically help us in rotating the torso.
Rectus Abdominis.
This muscle covers a large area starting from sternum (chest or breastbone) and goes all the way down to the pelvis bone (hip joint). This area is normally referred to as six pack abs. The major function of this muscle is to stabilize the core and help in twisting motion of the body.
Erector Spinae.
It is a group of muscles that make up the lower portion of our back and as the name suggests, it’s main function is to keep our back straight when sitting or standing up.
Serratus.
This muscle is located between the abs and lats right below sides of the chest. Major function of this muscle is to assist the body in forward and sideways movement.
Some Tips on Core Training.
There is a major misconception when it comes to core training that you need to perform countless reps in order to strengthen the core. In reality, the core is mainly made up of fast twitch muscle fibers which means that the best approach to core training is to perform sets with no more than 15 reps. Moreover, the core muscles recover quickly as compared to other muscle groups such as chest or shoulders so you can train your midsection 3 times a week but anything more than that can lead to overtraining.
Sample Core Workouts.
Below are 3 of the best core workouts that can give you optimum results.
Core Workout # 1.
- Hands over head crunches
- Oblique crunches
- Reverse crunches
- Leg raises
Core Workout # 2.
- Cable crunches
- Barbell twists
- Medicine ball crunches
- Legs pull in
Core Workout # 3.
- Back extensions
- Dumbbell side bends
- Planks
- Cable crunches.
Other Factors.
Performing the above mentioned core workouts is just one part of core strengthening puzzle, you also need to take a well balanced diet full of protein rich foods such as eggs, chicken and lean beef. Moreover, it is also important that you sleep for at least 8 hours every night in order to give your core a chance to properly recover from the workouts and get stronger.
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