Core Strength For Dummies^®

Introduction

Core training is a hot topic these days, isn’t it? Just take a look at any magazine or DVD — they all seem to be targeting your core. Yes, having a strong core not only prevents injuries, but it also makes the movements you make on a daily basis easier to manage. So what is core strength and how do you get it? Well, I think it is best described as having fat-free abs and a strong back. I describe the core itself as the “bridge” that connects your upper and lower body. So if you have a weak bridge, all your movements will suffer because nothing will make it across that bridge.

Some people call it core training because you’re doing just that — increasing the strength in your midsection as you’re whittling your waist and developing strong back muscles. Just think of how often you call upon your core to perform movements throughout the day: getting up from your couch or a chair, picking up your children or grandchildren, and sitting at your desk while you’re working. All these activities require great core strength — otherwise, you’d walk around hunched over with weak back muscles all day long. Sound familiar? I hope not! I want to show you how to obtain a stronger core with this book and help you gain a better understanding of why it’s so important to have a strong core in the first place!

About This Book

This book introduces you to various core exercises that everybody can do — no matter what your age or lifestyle. In fact, there’s a chapter for everybody in this book — from kids to seniors — that can help you develop a regular core-training routine to do every day or just learn a few new moves to keep you feeling great! I’ve included Pilates and yoga workouts, children’s exercises, senior exercises, workouts for new moms and babies, weight training for your core, and more. You’ll also discover how to stave off workout boredom by adding a few new props, such as the exercise ball and dumbbells. In addition, I cover simple core strengtheners you can do using household objects or the resistance of your own body weight.

This book contains comprehensive sections on special circumstances, like exercising during pregnancy and relieving back pain by targeting your abdominals. I even include a total core workout you can do when you have enough time and aren’t rushed to work out. Whatever your interest or age, you’re sure to get a good core workout and have some fun doing it!

In this book, I tell you everything you need to know about core training, such as answers to the following questions:

What muscles am I targeting when I’m strengthening my core?

What kind of changes can I expect to see in my body from core training?

How many days a week should I do these core workouts?

Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?

What are the best core strengtheners I can do for back pain?

Can kids strengthen their core, too?

Can I stretch out my core?

Is it safe for senior citizens to exercise?

Are there core exercises I can do on the exercise ball?

Will the core workouts be a challenging enough for me if I’m already in shape?

In addition, this book, like all For Dummies books, has a friendly and approachable tone that assumes you don’t know a whole lot about the subject you’re reading — not that you’re an actual dummy! It’s also important to tell you that like all For Dummies books, you don’t have to read it cover to cover . . . instead just flip to the section that best describes you or read a little intro first before moving onto whatever interests you. This book is also useful for learning new core-training techniques for those who already know what they’re doing. You can always pick up new techniques from a For Dummies book!

Conventions Used in This Book

The focus of this book is on core strengthening in many different situations, while emphasizing safety and proper body alignment. Reading the step-by-step instructions that accompany the photos before you start any of the exercises makes trying these core moves a lot easier and helps to keep your workouts safe and effective.

Check out these conventions I used to make navigating the information in this book a lot easier:

Most of the core exercise photos show two stages — labeled A and B — demonstrating the beginning and end for each pose.

I use italics to point out any new terms or bits of jargon you should know.

Web sites and e-mail addresses appear in monofont to help them stand out.

The numbered sets of instructions for the core exercises and the keywords in lists appear in boldface.

What You’re Not to Read

Although I feel that all the information in this book is important, the sidebars that appear in the gray boxes don’t contain information that you absolutely need to know to get a good core workout. However, these sidebars do contain great tips and information about your health, so I encourage you to read them at some point.

Foolish Assumptions

As I mentioned earlier in the introduction, this book is for people who don’t have a lot of prior knowledge about the subject at hand (in this case, core training and your current level of fitness). Keeping this goal in mind, I made a few assumptions about you, the reader:

You’re interested in core strengthening and want to make it part of your life.

You don’t have much experience with core exercises and want to know more.

You’re ready, willing, and able to find out more about core training and how to do the exercises in this book.

If this sounds like you, then you’ve come to the right place!

How This Book Is Organized

Core Strength For Dummies is divided into six different parts, each one with a unique focus. You can go directly to whichever part interests you the most or start at the beginning to gather some information and a checklist of what you’ll need to know before you begin each core-strengthening chapter. Following are the parts and what you can find in them.

Part I: Core Basics

If you’re new to core training, reading Part I is the way to go. Part I covers all the important issues you want to know before you begin your core program.

Part I covers these topics:

Who should exercise their core

How often you should be working your core

How you can reshape your core

Props you can use to enhance core exercises

The benefits of a strong core

Part II: Core Workouts to Help You Sculpt Your Trouble Areas

Part II is organized in a very logical manner — Chapter 5 starts off with a series of beginning exercises, and then the chapters progress with core exercises that are illustrated for various individual body parts. Finally, Chapter 8 finishes with a total body workout to strengthen your entire body.

Because I believe you should work out in a progressive manner (starting with the simplest exercises first), I strongly encourage starting with the beginner exercises in Chapter 5 and then progressing through the chapters until you reach Chapter 8. These chapters concentrate first on the abdominals and then on the butt; finally, you put it all together for a total body workout focusing on your core.

Part III: Developing Core Strength Using Accessories

Part III shows you a variety of core exercises you can do while using accessories. This section may be the most useful part of the book for you if you already have knowledge of core training and want to beat boredom by adding a few new techniques or a few new moves.

In Chapter 9, I show you core exercises using an exercise ball and offer you a ball chart so you know how to pick the right size of ball. Chapter 10 contains core exercises using dumbbells that you can add to any workout you already have or just use alone for core strengthening.

This part ends with nice primer on ab machines that you can use at your gym to get a nice six-pack!

Part IV: Adding Variety to Your Core Routine

Part IV is a fantastic section on recruiting different training techniques to help with core strengthening. If you’ve ever wanted to try Pilates, Chapter 11 is the one for you. This chapter contains photo illustrations of Pilates strengthening exercises that help you get a killer core.

Chapter 12 is a chapter for anyone interested in yoga — and you’ll love doing the poses! Whether you’re a beginner or you know all about the sun salutation, you’ll like trying these poses that place a special emphasis on your core.

Part IV also contains Chapter 14, for stretching your core. It shows some fun and practical stretches for the abs, hips, and back that’ll help keep you strong and flexible for years to come.

Part V: Special Situations

No matter what stage of life you’re in, core exercises can improve your daily life. Check out Chapter 15 for pregnancy and postnatal core exercises that help you to relax and strenghten your body before and after you have your baby. Get the kids together to perform a series of fun exercises that Chapter 16 provides, which help your kids build basic core strength and learn the skills needed to stay fit for a lifetime. And finally, Chapter 18 contains core exercises that address the needs of anyone over the age of 60. If you’re in one of these demographics, this part has something for you!

Part VI: The Part of Tens

In every For Dummies book, you find The Part of Tens. The last three chapters in this book contain top-ten lists of fun facts about the different things you’ll get from core training and what you can use to enhance your workout at home.

Chapter 19 lists ten best ways to train your core, while in Chapter 20, I offer ten dietary changes you can make to whittle your core and get fat free abs. Finally, Chapter 21 offers ten different items you can use in your house to make core strengthening fast and fun!

Icons Used in This Book

In this book, you’ll find different pictures in the margins, or icons, that give you useful information along the way. Reading these icons before you try the actual exercises is helpful because many of them suggest easier or better ways of performing each one.

Here’s a list of icons used in this book:

The Tip icon gives you useful information that’ll make your life easier as it relates to core training. I may point you to a specific chapter or resource, or provide hints to modify an exercise or to make it easier. For instance, a Tip icon may tell you how to breathe during an exercise to keep you from holding your breath, or it may tell you to maintain a neutral spine.

As you may have guessed, this icon points out really important information that you need to keep in mind. Very valuable information comes with these icons, so don’t skip ’em!

The Warning icon highlights information that keeps you from hurting yourself. Read the information listed under this icon before you attempt each exercise. You’ll be glad you did!

Where to Go from Here

Core Strength For Dummies is a reference guide for beginners and an introduction to performing core-strengthening exercises. You can start reading at the very beginning of this book to gather a little information first, or you can dive right in and tear out the yellow Cheat Sheet in the front of this book to take with you as you’re running out the door to a core class.

If you’re not sure where you want to start, I suggest browsing the table of contents to get a sense of exactly what this book covers and what topics interest you. You may find that you already know the basics but have always wanted to know how to use an exercise ball, so you can immediately flip to that chapter.

If you fall into one of the special circumstances groups, you may want to go directly to that section to find which chapter covers your special needs. If you’re like me, you may just want to go directly to the workout chapters that pertain to you and learn some new moves.

And if you know all about core training already and just want to brush up on your exercises a bit, you can turn to the index to find out which information pertains to you.

Wherever you choose to start, it’s great that you’re here. Enjoy!

Part I

Core Basics

In this part . . .

I know that you know a strong core is good for you, but in Chapter 1, I cover why having a strong core is actually good for you. I also answer all the questions you may have about your core — like where it is located, why you need to strengthen it, and how to acquire core strength through specific exercises.

In Chapter 2, I get into the anatomy of your core a little bit, which will give you a better understanding of what muscles you’re working and which one’s you aren’t. I show you how to evaluate your core stability and test your present level of fitness so you’ll have a starting point for your new core-training program. I even help you understand what you can do to reshape your core to the best of your ability — with a little help from me.

Chapter 3 includes everything you need to know to get started, including what props you might want to use and how much space you’ll need. I also give you the basics of a safe core-training program, including guidelines for beginners and advanced exercisers.

I wrap it all up in Chapter 4, where I show you a few warm-ups to increase your core temperature and prepare your body for core training.