When you are working out with dumbbells (or any other weight) you should concentrate on building your strength in your legs, your arms and your chest.
However, there is one body part which is often neglected. This is your core. Your core is the middle section of your body located just below your chest and above your hips. It is made up of your abdomen, your back muscles and your spine. Your core is very important when it comes to building lean muscle mass and burning fat. That’s because your core plays a vital role in stabilizing your body and preventing you from being injured.
There are many exercises you can do to develop your core. However, for the purposes of this letter I am going to concentrate on doing two simple exercises with my clients. These exercises are called the “plank” and the “side plank”. The plank is very important for strengthening your core and helping you to maintain a stable position when exercising. The side plank is even more important because it allows you to work the muscles on the outsides of your body which are often neglected.
What you are about to learn is how to do a push-up with your legs (hence the name “leg push-ups”) and how to do a plank.
To do a leg push-up all you have to do is lower yourself down until your hands are on the floor and then kick your feet back so they are now flat on the floor behind you. Then, push up off your hands and knees until your chest is again pushing up against the floor. You should feel this exercise in your quads, your glutes, your abs and especially your core.
Once you can do 20 or more leg push-ups without any difficulty you can move on to doing some plank exercises. To do a plank you need to lie on your stomach on the floor and raise your body up off the floor so your body is in a straight line from your head to your ankles. Hold this position for as long as you can. Make sure you keep your body as straight as possible and that your body is in line with the floor. It should look like a plank of wood.
Once you have held this position for 30 seconds you can increase the time you hold it by 10 seconds each week. For example, if you were able to do a plank for 30 seconds you could try holding it for 40 seconds the following week and extending the time by 10 seconds each week until you reach the maximum time of 1 minute.
Remember, when you are doing these exercises it is important to concentrate on your form and not the amount of weight you are using. That way you will develop strong, stable muscles and be able to avoid injury.
I hope these few simple exercises will help you to develop your core. If you would like me to explain the exercises in more detail or if you have any other questions about this subject please do not hesitate to contact me.
