Core Blimey – it’s that time already!
After weeks of is it or isn’t it(?), I think we can say that summer is here. Not least because it’s the time of year where in a matter of moments, the expat
crew will be evacuating off for holidays. Where did the time go? After weeks of routine involving desk sitting, school runs, grocery shopping, meetings and all the other things that go into making up the fabric of our lives, it’s time to shake it off, stretch out and break free.
Previously, at this time of year I’ve talked about trying new exercises and maintaining health over the heady days of summer. This time, instead of thinking about overall health and well-being, I’m going to target one very specific area… THE CORE.
Many people have a weak core and yet this is the foundation of nearly every movement; lifting, pushing, twisting, pulling. Having a strong core is the foundation to doing strength exercises well and, more importantly, being strong and fit to live your life. Make this the summer you strengthen your core, ready to come back from the summer fit for everything life will throw at you… except maybe airport delays, mosquitoes, returning to your desk and that first time you enter the supermarket in China, after weeks of strolling the cheese aisle in your home town. Nothing can prepare you for that.
So, how do you know if you have a weak core? Some indicators could be lower back-pain, poor posture, bad balance (can you stand on one leg, with your eyes closed for at least 10 seconds each side?), general muscular weakness when it comes to actions like punching, throwing and kicking (Try it now with your partner. Kidding). Finally, can you plank for at least 50 seconds? If you want to know what the correct form looks like, look up the guy who just broke the world record in China by planking for over 8 hours. That should give you enough time to work out how to do it properly. New mums, people with back problems and desk dwellers, be mindful and make sure you build up your core strength carefully and with an awareness of your posture, form and any pain.
For beginners and experts alike, Yoga moves are a great place to start building your core strengthening regime because they range in difficulty and can often be differentiated for different levels of flexibility and strength. I would highly recommend joining a yoga class wherever you find yourself, if you can. Even if you only go once, it will give you some base moves that you can practice on your own.
Once a week is not enough though. Aim for four times a week, five times a week is great. Three times a week is minimum requirement! Pick five exercises from this list and be sure to mix up the exercises each time. Do three sets of 20, or as much as you can do initially. Aim to extend your work out by one set a week over a period of four weeks. Finish your sets by doing a plank for as long as you can hold it! Make it a measure of how well you are doing by seeing how much you can add to your planking time over the 4 weeks.
- Bicycle Crunches
- Russian Twists
- Reverse Crunches
- Flutter Kicks
- V sits
- Windshield Wipers
- Bird Dogs (I’m not responsible for the names!)
- Glute Bridges
- Leg Circles
- Superman Plank (hold for 20 seconds each side)
- Star Sit-ups
You can literally do this anywhere…. so no excuses. Bash it out first thing in the morning before a shower and then it’s done and you’re free to go for your stroll down the cheese aisle. Have a great summer everybody!
