Building the Core

by Cheng-Ling Chen — November 6, 2007

My friend Christiana and I were talking about our bellies, brainstorming ways to make them less tubby. Abdominal strength promotes better posture, eases strain on the lower back and provides a solid foundation to build overall body strength. All this, plus looking and feeling good next time we put on our favorite little two piece. Problem is, ab workouts are such a pain in the neck. Well, you know what I mean.

Crunches and sit ups are plain uninspiring. Here's what I do instead. Lying on my back, I lift my head and chest. Hugging my knees in tight, I curl into a tight ball. Planting the lower back firmly on the floor, I slowly straighten legs at a forty-five degree angle to the floor while simultaneously straightening arms overhead. For five deep breaths, I hold out my limbs, as if someone is pulling them away from me. I curl back into a ball, breathe and repeat.

Sounds like self-inflicted torture, I know. Christiana has better alternatives. She suggests holding the plank pose (or high push up position) while watching TV. Or, better yet, laughing more. I love this latter technique. Not sure how fast it will get me to a firmer core, but I am going to look for all signs of hilarity in life. Side-splitting myself to some real abs, why not?

Anyone out there have good ways for building core strength?