THE THING YOU FORGET TO DO IN EVERY SESSION

1/ The One Thing You Forget to Do in Every Core Workout

It's time to mix things up

Core training improves the functioning of your entire body , so it's more important than ever to incorporate it into your routine to achieve peak performance in the gym and in everyday life.

Lucky for you, we've got a fun, high-energy, do-anywhere ab routine that adds a secret sauce: cardio. In less than 30 minutes, you'll burn tons of calories while working every inch of your body, with a focus on your core.

This workout has it all: Cardio to strengthen your heart health and boost your metabolism, and core work to get a strong, toned stomach. Want more?

2/ Try 8 brilliant ways to work your core without even realizing it.

Training details

Perform each move for 30 seconds. Once you've completed them all, move on to round two.

• Bungee jumping or Jumping jacks
• Kangaroos
• Mobile pumps or Traveling push-ups
• High knees with a twist or High knees with a twist
• Supermans
• Plank with knee tucks
• Greek shuffle or Greek shuffle
• Squat with side kicks
• Bicycle crunches
• Seal planks
• Turtles

3/ Here's why some of your favorite ab exercises are useless

In fact, they can do you more harm than good.

Gone are the days when fitness gurus touted the virtues of doing 100 crunches and sit-ups a day, but for some reason, people still do them. Here's what the experts have to say about it—and which ab exercises you should do instead.

One-off training is ineffective

 The problem with many ab exercises is that they promote the idea of ​​"spot training." In other words, focusing on one body part during the exercise to change it.

No matter how you slice it, spot-on belly training can't get you ripped abs. "You can do 1,000 crunches and sit-ups a night, but if there's a layer of fat on top, you'll never see your abs pop," says Kim.

As the old adage goes, "abs are made in the kitchen," but you can also attribute whether or not you have a six-pack to genetics. Trainers know this well, which is why exercise classes often vary ab moves to make sure all body types get the most out of them.

As for what you can do? "Focus on total-body exercises that require you to use your entire core and burn fat and calories overall," says Kim.

It doesn't matter if you "feel the burn."

So what about the soreness and burning sensation we feel after doing multiple sets of abs? “It comes from fatigue because blood flow to the muscle decreases, which means there is less oxygen available to the muscle,” explains Tony T., founder of Level Up Method.

“Less oxygen means your muscle is using a pathway to produce energy that doesn’t require oxygen, leading to a buildup of H+ ions that make your blood more acidic and inhibit the muscle’s ability to contract.”

This means that your muscles eventually burn and feel fatigued, but there is no connection between this effect and actually burning fat or building muscle.

4/ Sit-ups can cause health problems

Did you know that repeatedly bending your body in half can potentially injure your back and neck?

Tony Thibault hasn't included crunches in his classes for years and warns, "Repeated flexion of the spine can cause permanent damage to the spine." These exercises also don't give you a strong core, which is the whole point of ab training.

Roger Hue also points out that there has been a lot of research done on the subject. "A spine genius that all strength coaches go to for data has done studies that prove the spine is not supposed to be bent in half."

“However, exercises where the spine is straight while being loaded are a massive core stimulator. These include overhead press squats, push-ups, and planks.”

It’s also important to understand that the core is made up of more than just a few muscles. “There are over 22 different muscles that connect, intersect, and originate in the core, and focusing solely on the abs is doing your entire musculoskeletal system a disservice,” says yoga instructor Carole N. Try our 30-Day Ab Challenge to engage every muscle and get a stronger core by next month.

5/ Any exercise can be a "basic" exercise if done well.

You can strengthen your abs by engaging your core during squats, deadlifts, lunges, or overhead presses (to name a few).

“The key to effectively working your core is to maintain a ‘neutral spine,’ or the natural curve of your back, in every exercise you do,” says Pierre. “Make sure to work with enough resistance or intensity that you feel your core muscles reflexively contract or tighten as you move.”

And remember, the core is actually your entire body, because it's all connected by fascial tissue, Remy says. For example, "if you stand up straight and extend your arms out and to the side, that's a core movement because you're using it to stabilize those arms," ​​he explains.

6/ But you should absolutely do them properly.

“Planks with different arm variations—forearm planks, palms up, one hand raised, etc.—are a great way to engage your core muscles and stabilize them through different ranges of motion,” says Carole.

And while Tony swears by push-ups, side planks, and the Roman chair to strengthen every part of your core, Kim's favorite exercises include the pretzel hold (designed to target the obliques and sides of your back), the C-curl hold, and lower back extensions, also known as Supermans.

Pierre suggests strengthening your core with exercises that focus on maintaining a neutral spine, such as planks, rolls, bird dogs, and kettlebell carries. In other words, there are plenty of options these days, so don’t put yourself at risk of injury with movements that don’t work.

And finally, forget about worrying about the six-pack or V-shaped abs.

 It's easy to get hung up on the aesthetics of our abs, but it's more important to focus on the strength of our core, the result of our efforts.

. “Work on perfecting functional movements that engage your core, like squats and deadlifts, so you can enjoy a long, independent life without muscle soreness,” advises Pierre.

Kim adds that a strong core can prevent damaging back problems, improve posture and reduce or eliminate the need for back surgery.

“Your core equals longevity, which equals a better quality of life in your later years.” And that’s something that resonates with us – right to the core.

7/ Science says you can get more results with better abs

That's not the only goal, my friends!

When you wish upon a star, it may not make a difference in who you are (according to the Disney song, at least). But it can make a difference in how you look, according to a new study.

People who simply believed that their fitness plans would work were more likely to succeed than people with more realistic expectations.

The researchers divided 76 healthy adults into two groups:

Those who had a positive mindset about exercise and those who were neutral. They were then subjected to the same 30-minute workout on a bike.

While both groups showed mental and physical improvements following the exercise, those who believed they were going to have a great workout actually had a better workout.

Not only did positive cyclists report feeling happier and healthier than other cyclists, but biometric tracking showed they weren't just imagining their results.

"The results demonstrate that our belief in the benefits of physical activity has a profound effect on our well-being, like a self-fulfilling prophecy," Kim said.

But this superpower isn't just for fitness fanatics who are naturally optimistic.

According to the study, you can train yourself to have a positive attitude to get the same benefits. Researchers showed subjects who had neutral or negative feelings about exercise a video about the positive effects of cycling before their workout. When this happened, the participants reported enjoying the exercise more, feeling happier, and being less anxious afterward.

"Beliefs and expectations can potentially have long-term consequences, for example on our motivation to do sport," Carole added.

"They can be a determining factor in whether we can wake up to go jogging next time or whether we decide to stay home on the couch instead."

 Bottom line? What you think about your workout can be a self-fulfilling prophecy . If you think exercise sucks and is useless, then it probably is.

But if you think it will make you healthier, then say hello to a better body. Of course, it's not enough to just wish for a toned body - you have to do the work - but it's good to know that positive thinking can get you there faster. Hey, every little bit helps.

8/ Challenge your core with this plank workout

These plank variations will tone every inch of your abs.

Never underestimate the power of the plank. If you're up for a challenge that will improve your core strength, this exercise is perfect for you.

Trainer Steve Sauvage is ready to work hard with you in this core class that will have you sweating. Don't worry about missing out on a full-body workout—your shoulders, arms, and back will thank you, too.

Training details:

Start with a 3-minute warm-up, then perform each of these moves for 20 seconds. Do two sets total. For the first round, do 15 reps of each exercise. For the second round, increase to 25 reps.

Start with a full plank, then do a hip rotation and plank jumps. Move to a 3-point plank, followed by a starfish plank and a 3-point toe touch. Move to part three with the side plank, side plank with dips, and then threading the needle.

Y ou can do this routine anywhere, with no equipment required. So drop the excuses and roll out your fitness mat!

Did you like this article and it helped you to pay attention to the thing not to forget during your fitness sessions . Leave me in the comments, if you were already aware of these concepts and what is your experience on the subject.

If you want to find other Fitness and Wellness articles, take a look at the abs exercises sections and fitness shop of the blog you will find plenty of workouts and exercises to do at home. And if you want to know more about sports nutrition (food supplement) to gain muscle or lose fat, do not hesitate to consult the collection dedicated to ab crunches .

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