We all are very well aware of the fact that core exercises deliver most on the male front.
However, you might be a little surprised after discovering that conventional crunches & sit-ups aren’t that effective when it comes to making the cut. They are not the best for the back. They might target your front abdominal muscles but do not tone the entire muscular chain of the muscles that stretches from your inner thigh to the upper back. You must be wondering: if not crunches & sit-ups then what is the best workout for strengthening your core. You have come to the right place in this article. We are going to list the best core exercises & ab workouts.
Most effective ab workouts get ripped six-pack abs, while subtracting back problems. We all can agree on the fact without any reluctance that Six-pack abs exercises are the fitness holy grail for men, toned abs are sole exemplifiers of the men’s physique. The recipe secret for a stellar abdominals is neither easy nor as straightforward as finishing the gym workout by performing regular exercises. Like the rest of the muscle groups in your body, your core also comprises muscles. For toning and sculpting they must be worked correctly & fueled well. Aim for doing core workout at least 3 times per week. Doing them everyday can also make you overdo them.
Core Muscles
As the title suggests, “core” is the mid-region of the body that serves as the foundational unit for performing a wide range of everyday movements. Each time you twist, pivot, bend, or lean, you use this muscular chain, which doesn’t just comprise the abs, but also your hamstrings, lats, glutes, traps & hip abductors. Your core is the linking region between your upper and lower body. Your core muscles primarily help in retaining the balance. There are 4 major muscles in your core that you require for moving your torso while doing any exercise.
- Rectus Abdominis – This muscle group is the primary 6-pack abs muscle. It’s the long muscle that stretches from the rib cage to your lower abs. Toning and defining this muscle will help in building the packs along your frontal abs muscles.
- External obliques – Human body has 2 external obliques. They stretch at either side of the rectus abdominal muscles, starting from the 5th rib down to the 12th ribs. Shredding those muscles will also aid in losing your love handles.
- Internal obliques – your internal obliques lie underneath your external obliques. The muscular fiber of the inner obliques stretches perpendicular to muscular fiber of your external obliques.
- Transverse Abdominis – this muscle group lies deeply in your abdominal region. They act as a muscular sheet that runs along the abdominal wall.
While you are young & spry, the physical traits such as balance & agility are at their peak already if you take them for granted. For maintaining your balance and mobility you must develop strength in those muscles.
Benefits of the Core workouts for Men
As we have described earlier core workouts & core exercises done in your workout clothes deliver multiple advantages to the men, but there are many other benefits for performing these exercises. Strengthening of your midsection, will help you in retaining improved posture, & increase the agility, while eliminating the back pain. For the grown up males, pain in the spine region is consistent & a debilitating problem which keeps them away from performing even basic functions. By doing core-focused workouts, you will solve most of the back related problems. Core training also feeds your athletic endeavors. This holds true for the bodybuilders, for whom having a strong core is essential for retaining stability. Beside giving you a stronger base strengthened core also reduces the injury risks.
Core Weight Training Workouts For Men
1) Ab Wheel Rollout
Start this workout by grabing yourself the ab wheel & kneel on the ground. Make sure you keep the wheel at the dead-center underneath the shoulders, tighten the abs & roll forward till all the tension in your core has been eased. After that, roll back to the position from where you started. Keep on doing this exercise till you feel you are unable to perform the workout without breaking your form. You will feel the burning sensation by this right away, & that will be a good thing.
2) Medicine Ball Slam
For performing this exercise you will be required to have a “slam” ball as it will bring bounce. Keep the knees at a slightly bending position, then extend the arms & lift the medicine ball directly over the head. After that, raise the balls over your feet, then employ the core muscles while the slam ball rolls forward toward the floor, while you bend at the level of your waist. After that catch the medicine ball while it bounces then repeat this motion. This exercise will not only work on your abs but the whole torso.
3) Three-Point Plank
Thing about basic planks is that the body adjusts and gets adapted to them quickly, so you must incorporate variation for getting the best form of this exercise. A way of achieving it is performing the three-point plank, that involves removing the contact point from the ground. Start performing this exercise by getting into a plank position, while you do it keep the spine straight, after that raise the foot from the ground, while holding it at a place. Make sure you do not tilt in any of the directions & switch legs after 5 to 10 seconds.
4) Add weight overhead
Here’s a trick no matter if you are doing squats, knee lifts, lunges you can hold weight overhead, if that is highly challenging you can just keep the arms straight upright — for activating the abs & shoulders. These groups of muscles will work harder for keeping the spine at a neutral form so you won’t over-arch, while straining the low back.
5) Lift a limb in planks
It’s obvious and well known that planks target all of the core muscles. Picking up one arm, leg, or even both of them better gives you a bigger burn. Removing the base of your support causes the abs, back muscles & legs to work hard for keeping you aligned in a straight line. Same principle applies for push-ups. Pick a foot from the ground & your middle region will light up.
6) Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
Perform this workout by holding the dumbbell/ kettlebell at either of your side, after that lift your opposite leg while you keep standing on a knee while being slightly bent. Maintain the neutral position in your spine while you bend at the level of your hip, while extending the free leg at your back. Then start lowering the weight till the back gets parallel to the floor & after that return back to an upright position. Then switch sides & do the workout again. We would suggest you start by lifting lighter weights & fewer reps while you work your way up.
7) Butterfly Sit-up
Start doing this exercise by putting the legs in a butterfly position, eliminating the option of using your hip flexors, forcing an improved form. It can be modified easily in either of the directions. Lie with your face up by placing soles of the feet together, with both of your knees bent at the sides. Then reach the arms overhead. It should be your starting position. By using the core, restart rolling the body till you’re sitting straight. Bend forward for touching the toes. This is one rep. After that, lower your back slowly back to the position from where you started.
8) Body Saw
Start performing this exercise by putting the toes at the set of the gliders and get into the forearm plank with the forearms placed on the ground, both of your elbows placed directly under the shoulders, your hands facing forward in a way that the arms get parallel & legs are extended at your back. Then tuck the tailbone & engage the core, butt & quads. It should be your starting stance. After that push yourself slowly by using your forearms & elbows for sliding the gliders toward the wall at your back. Then try moving as far as you possibly can by keeping your core engaged. Also make sure that your hip does not sag at the back.
9) Jackknife
Start this exercise by lying face up with both of the legs extended & arms extended overhead, make sure you keep them closer to the ears. Then contract the abs for pressing the back on to the ground. This should be your starting position. Then point both of your toes, squeeze the thighs, squeeze the glutes & simultaneously start lifting the legs & upper back from the ground, in a way that your body makes a V shape.
10) Oblique crunch
It’s a fancier modification of average crunch. This exercise engages the internal & external obliques. Start this exercise by lying down at the right side with the upper body extended. Then bring the bottom leg closer & hook the heel under the bench, after that bring the top back while hooking the toes underneath it. Then stretch the torso down closer to the floor. Lift your left hand up so that your palm cups the head, place the right hand on the obliques, while hugging the torso so you are able to feel the contract. Then stabilize the legs, crunch the left elbow at the side, and bring the left hip high. Then lower yourself down to the starting position below the bench. And then repeat the moment.
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