[sidebar]Below are exercises to strengthen your core muscles. Being a good athlete demands a strong, stable core—all the muscles of your torso and pelvis that support your spine. Like the trunk of a tree supporting its branches, these muscles also help stabilize your body as it moves. The biggest benefit of core training though is that it develops functional fitness. That’s because your core comes into play just about every time you move. When your core is strong, it improves control, balance, and performance while helping prevent injury. Your core is a powerful foundation for your legs and arms too-which means you can put more force behind each step and run more efficiently. When you exercise your core, you also tone your abs, keep your lower back strong, and improve your posture. Work these four moves into your fitness plan to strengthen your core muscles: Bun Burner Start: Lie on your back on an exercise mat or other soft surface, with your feet on the floor, your knees bent, and your arms at your sides. Finish: Press both feet into the floor and lift your pelvis. Squeeze your buttocks together, keeping your navel drawn in and your tailbone pulled in slightly to maintain neutral alignment. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Breathe naturally as you lower your pelvis back to the floor. On the descent, let your spine slowly touch the mat one vertebra at a time until your tailbone reaches the floor.
Torso Toner Start: Kneel and place your hands on the floor, with your shoulders over your wrists and your pelvis over your knees. Maintain neutral alignment, with your shoulders back and your navel pulled in. Lift your right arm and extend it forward. Finish: With your right arm still outstretched, extend your left leg out behind you. Then do the exercise with the opposite arm and leg. Continue alternating arms and legs for the recommended number of repetitions. Be careful not to let your pelvis rock out of neutral while lifting your legs. Tummy Tuck Start: Lie on your back on an exercise mat or other soft surface, with your knees bent and your arms at your sides. Place a tennis ball or Hacky Sack on your navel (optional). Finish: Inhale. Then, on the exhale, draw your abdomen in, without performing a crunch, to engage your outer and inner abs. (Using a tennis ball helps you see the drawing-in movement.) Repeat this breathing and movement pattern, using deep, controlled breaths, for the recommended number of repetitions. To make this exercise more challenging, perform it with both feet off the floor and your legs raised at 90-degree angles (“dead bug” position). Slowly extend one foot forward to intensify the exercise. Keep your abdomen drawn in and maintain neutral alignment in your pelvis. Waist Whittler Start: Kneel on an exercise mat or other soft surface. Lean forward and place your forearms slightly more than shoulder width apart on the mat. Clasp your hands together. Bend your knees and cross your feet at the ankles. Draw in your navel and maintain a neutral spine. Finish: Uncross your feet. Place your toes on the floor. Push back, elevating your lower body and torso so that you’re in a plank position. Balance with hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then release. Perform the recommended number of repetitions. To make the exercise more challenging, lift one foot off the floor while maintaining the same body position. Balancing your feet or forearms on an unstable surface such as an Xerdisc intensifies this exercise as well. This article was excerpted with permission from Shape Your Self: My 6-Step Diet and Fitness Plan to Achieve the Best Shape of Your Life by Martina Navratilova with permission of the publisher.
