Core Strengthening Workouts

Core strengthening workouts are essential for any exercise enthusiast as they assist in keeping the abdominal, back, and hip muscles healthy and intact. If the core i.e. the trunk and pelvis is strong, it prevents injuries and keeps the important organs inside well shielded. A regular core workout routine is recommended not only to sports person but to ordinary men and women too as a strong core provides stability and balance to the body. Given below are some of the most effective exercises for core strength training.

Abdominal Crunches
Lie down on your back on an exercise mat. Bend your knees and lift them up, keeping your feet flat on the floor. The feet should be slightly away from your hips. Keep both your hands behind your head or crossed on your chest. Next, raise your shoulders and head towards the knees, without moving your lower body and then come back to the floor. Always look at the ceiling while performing crunches. Repeat this exercise fifteen times. You may go to crunches exercise for women to know about all other kinds of crunches such as oblique crunches, reverse crunches, right side crunches and left side crunches.

Bicycle Crunches
To do this abdominal exercise, lie down on your back on an exercise mat, keeping your hands crossed behind the head. Lift your shoulders from the ground and at the same time, bring both your knees to your chest. Next, straighten out your right leg, keeping it parallel to the ground, simultaneously twisting your upper body to touch your right elbow and your left knee. Now straighten your left leg, keeping it parallel to the ground and bring your right knee close to your chest, simultaneously twisting your upper body to touch your left elbow with right knee. Repeat this exercise fifteen times.

Leg Raises
Leg raises are a must in your workout plan. Lie down on your back. Next, without bending your knees, lift your legs in such a way that they are perpendicular to the floor. Now, bring them back towards the floor, stopping just a few inches above the ground. Lift the legs again and then come back same way. Repeat this core exercise ten times.

Back Extension
Another effective exercise is back extension. There are two ways of doing it. The first one is to lie on an exercise mat on your stomach and then lifting your chest up, stretching towards the ceiling as much as you can. The second method is to lie on your stomach on a bed in such a way that your upper body i.e. just above the hips where your back ends, is in the air. Your upper body should be parallel to the floor. Next, keep your hands crossed on your chest and bend your upper body so that your head almost touches the ground. Come back to the original parallel position. Repeat this back exercise fifteen times to strengthen your back muscles.

Superman
Lie down on your stomach on an exercise mat. Extend your arms over your head, keeping them straight and palms touching the floor. Your legs should be shoulder width apart. Next, keeping your abdominal muscles tight, lift your left arm as well as your upper body from the floor, at the same time lift your right leg up. Remain in this position for a few seconds and then repeat on the other side. Do fifteen repetitions of this exercise.

Pelvic Tilts
Another easy to perform exercise is pelvic tilt. Lie down on your back and place your hands on the stomach. Next, squeezing your abdominal and pelvic muscles, try to press down the curve of your back on to the floor so that your back lies straight on it. Repeat this exercise ten times.

Asanas
Core strengthening yoga is fast gaining popularity too. There are many yoga exercises that help in strengthening our core muscles such as bhujangasana and halasan. Yoga should, however, always be performed under the guidance of a trained yoga practitioner.

Including the exercises mentioned above in your workout plan, is a must for a strong, healthy and stable body. So, make a point to incorporate them along with some effective cardiovascular exercises to improve upon your overall fitness.