Core Strengthening Exercises: Video Series About The Best Strengthening Exercises for Your Abs and Core Muscles by John Sifferman

Let me ask you something. Would you benefit from having some more core strength? I have received many questions over the years about what the best core strengthening exercises are. Most everyone is interested in the best ab exercises.  This post starts the first of several video tutorials about core strengthening exercises – with some funky plank variations in this first kick-off video.

I hope that each core strengthening exercise video teaches you some new ideas.  Most importantly, I want you to apply what you learn and practice it so you can have the core strength of a champion.  I’ll bet that if you apply the techniques that I am about to reveal to you, you will have a stronger core and better looking abs.  You may need to drop some bodyfat to see them, but that’s another topic for another blog post.

Core Strengthening Exercises – Planks by John Sifferman

A few things to keep in mind about core strengthening exercises are:

• the body is one piece that can perform an infinite array of movement tasks – thinking about the  exercises in the video as “working abs” is narrow-minded – there’s a very intricate myofascia that co-contracts to produce “core strength.”
• I want great abs just like everyone else, but I KNOW that the key to having healthy, great abs is to integrate your core training into the rest of your program – training ALL of the body ALL the time.
• Isolating muscles (via ab exercises, for instance) is for two classes of people: 1) competitive bodybuilders that are actually signed up for an event and WILL actually appear on stage in nothing but a speedo.  Don’t tell me your bodybuilding unless this is you! 2) Gym trainees that vainly desire for a sculpted, strong and healthy body, but will never have it.  Don’t let this be you!
• The core muscles are not just the abs and obliques – core strength is full bodily in nature and non-specifically ranges from glute contraction, abdominal contraction, spinal stability, and shoulder stability.  One of the jobs of the core is to store and transfer force from the legs into the upper body, and vice versa.
• The best way to learn more about core strengthening exercises is to educate yourself from the standpoint that every activity (whether fitness, athletic, or even sedentary) is comprised of three factors: breathing, movement, and structure.  If you teach yourself how to integrate all three of these factors into each core strengthening exercise you will find that your progress skyrockets and your core strength becomes unstoppable.  For instance, learning to exhale on contraction during each movement will supercharge your ability to activate your core muscles.

Your Question of the Day is: What barriers have you faced in life that have prevented you from having the body of your dreams?

To your health and success,

P.S. Stay tuned for the next video tutorial in the Core Strengthening Exercises series – where we discuss core rotation exercises.