Wondering if working out your abs provides any benefit? Find out more about why developing your core is important!
A trim waistline with abs has been increasingly popularised by celebrities like Britney Spears since the early 2000s. There are more and more individuals concentrating on their abs during workouts, which is great! However, many overlook the importance and benefits of having a strong core while chasing after aesthetic reasons.
Introducing core workouts into your routines will make a huge difference in your performance while training or even when you are simply sitting at your desk to get work done. You will be amazed at how important our core muscles actually are!Here are some reasons why your abs are really important.
Your core muscles are engaged during your everyday activities, from getting out of bed, and bending over to grab your purse-but, most importantly, they help you stay upright. They completely surround and support your spine and pelvis and connect your upper body and lower body, effectively transferring forces from one to the other.
The way you stand and sit will impact your spine. An ideal posture places the least amount of compression on the back as possible, resulting in minimum wear and tear on the spine.
So how do you tell if you have a good or bad posture? Easy!A bad posture occurs when your pelvis leans forward causing a spinal curve.
Therefore, the solution to bad postures is to strengthen the core and by distributing weight evenly throughout the body which can be done with a good posture.
You should always maintain neutral hips. Which means standing with a slight curve in your lower back and your belly button shouldn’t come forward.
Core strength forces people to take care of their posture when taking part in daily activities such as sitting at a desk, lifting objects or simply standing. There will be a personal effort to maintain a straight spine and this will become a subconscious reflex over time.
Having a weak core can lead to multiple complications in the future in your lower back and even in your knees, hips and shoulders. When you train your core and give it stability and strength, it gives you good support and provides you with great posture while carrying out your day to day activities which will prevent you from getting injured. Your abs workouts are really important!
When playing sports, such as hockey, football or basketball, you will be required to produce force using your limbs. In order to produce this force at your maximum, your spine has to be neutral and your core has to be stabilised.
Using free weights during core-targeted exercises will activate your abs and enable you to produce force during athletic movements such as throwing, jumping, and swinging. By doing these core exercises, it will teach your body how to react during sport performances or life situations when you need to run, jump or any other situation that requires a quick reaction.
To test your balance, trying standing on one leg with your arms extended. If you last 60 seconds, you pass. Having a strong core will assist you in balancing and gaining a good foot in stability. Since your abs link your upper and lower body, it is also responsible to allow you to move in any direction or stand in one spot without losing your balance.
Having a weak core will undermine your day to day movements such as dressing, bending and eventually being engaged in sports. Ever wondered why your back suddenly aches when you are bending down to pick up your pen which has just dropped on the floor? You are not engaging your core and your core is not strong enough to help you carry out that simple task! So get on to your abs workout!
Who doesn’t feel better after working out? I know I do.
Although going through the ab workout might be torturous and demanding, the benefits that are waiting for you will make it all the more worth it. When you exercise frequently and make it a part of your daily routine, you will start seeing positive changes to not only your body, but your energy as well! :)
Below is a quick abs workout that you can do on a daily basis to get into exercising or incorporate it into your workout routine! :)
3 sets of:
#1 Crunches (30 seconds)
#2 Air Bike Crunches (30 seconds)
#3 Russian Twists (30 seconds)
#4 Leg Raises (30 seconds)
#5 Plank Leg Raises (30 seconds)
#6 Plank (Hold the plank as long as you can)
In-between each exercise, take a 30 second break before moving on. As you go through the days, you may increase the timing per exercise and witness yourself and your core getting stronger! :)
At Decathlon, we try to make things easy for you.
While our products are easy to assemble on your own, we are always here if you ever need a helping hand! :)
Simply choose the "With Installation" option on the product page before adding your item to the shopping cart, and we will do all the heavy lifting for you.
HAPPY WORLD SPINE DAY!
#loveyourspine
I was never a fan of the outdoors until I started hiking in my teenage years!
Now, most of my trips and plans involve hiking and it allows me to clear my mind and enjoy the views that I witness at the end! :)