No Crunch December: Six Inch Leg Raise

So remember how I said exercises that force you to balance are the key to building core strength? Here is another another. People know this by different names, but I like to call it the "Six inch leg raise" because it reminds me that the lower I go, the more effect this has.

No Crunch December: Russian Twists

In case you haven't got the message yet, the obliques are a really important part of overall core strength, and of course your abs. The Russian Twist is another one of those exercises that works the obliques a lot, but also works all of the abs muscles. 

How do you do it? Sit on your butt, and lift your upper body off of the floor. You may also choose to lift your legs of the floor or keep your heels on the floor. Keeping your chest up, lower your upper back until you feel tension in your abs. Slowly rotate from left to right, touching the fingers to the floor and turning your head to look to that side as you go. Watch the video for a demo.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

No Crunch December: Bridges

Focusing on core strength is really the focus of this month because I like people to understand that you need a strong core for great abs. But you should not focus on just crunches because they mostly only work one group of abs muscles (the front). 

The bridge is one of those exercises that is amazing for not only the abs, but the bum, and the obliques as well. It forces you to balance and that's what develops that core strength. You can either choose to hold the position for as long as you can (target a minute or more), or turn it into a motion exercise.

Want Better Abs? Join the December Challenge!

This month's fitness challenge is all about the core. We're going crunch-less and learning about other exercises we can do to strengthen the core and get those "oh so rock hard" abs. Remember that in addition to this, you still need cardio and a good diet to build a great midsection!

Cheers Eights & Weights!