Want a stronger core – skip the sit ups
Today we will answer the 3 questions from the past.
Sit-ups once ruled as the way to tighter abs and a slimmer waistline, while “planks” were merely flooring. Now plank exercises, in which you assume a position and hold it, are the gold standard for working your core, while classic sit-ups and crunches have fallen out of favor. Why the shift?
It was the go-to exercise in football, in the Marine Corp, heck, people thought you could spot reduce. And if you did a thousand sit ups a day, one would obtain a flat stomach.
Thank goodness we have become more educated about how the body works and now understand that sit-ups are hard on your back — they push your curved spine against the floor and work your hip flexors, the muscles that run from the thighs to the lumbar vertebrae in the lower back. When the hip flexors are too strong or too tight, they tug on the lower spine, which can create lower back discomfort.
Second, plank (bridge) exercises recruit a better balance of muscles on the front, sides, and back of the body during exercise than do sit-ups, which target just a few muscles. (mostly lower back)
Finally, activities of daily living, as well as sports and recreational activities, call on your muscles to work together, not in isolation. Sit-ups or crunches strengthen just a few muscle groups. Through dynamic patterns of movement, a good core workout like plank exercises helps strengthen the entire set of core muscles you use every day. ” Harvard Health “
The following items can help you put a new twist on your core exercises. Most of them can already be found around your house or are available at low cost from a sporting goods store.
For more ways to challenge your core muscles, read my new released e-book “Turn back the clock” Here I coach men and women 40 and older to be healthy and fit.
For more ways to challenge your core muscles, read my new released e-book “Turn back the clock” Here I coach men and women 40 and older to be healthy and fit.
Chris Ownbey
30+ Years Certified Personal Trainer
www.FitOver40Dallas.com
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