Day 37 - Core Basics

Toning your "core" is every bit essential to your health as it is to fitting into your jeans.

Your core (or the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex) is made up of 29 muscles, which include your abdominal, oblique, upper and lower back, hip flexor, gluteal and pelvic floor muscle groups. It also includes the diaphragm, hamstrings and muscles that support your spine.

This core group is literally your body's center of gravity - where you draw your strength, stability and stamina. By strengthening your core muscles you will:

1. improve your posture
2. improve your balance
3. help prevent lower back pain
4. help avoid back injury
5. help improve your range of movement
6. improve your overall physical ability and performance
7. reduce incontinence and improve bowel movements

Those are fantastic benefits, which become more and more important as we move up in age. Regular exercise can stretch and improve flexibility in the core. Check the YouTube videos below for some great core exercises. Make sure you warm up and stretch before-hand, and cool down and stretch afterwards. Enjoy!

Beginner:

Core Workout for the Absolute Beginner

with Yuri Elkaim

Intermediate & Advanced:

Home Ab Workout - Exercises for Six Pack Abs

with Jim & Joanna