Isn’t core and abs the same? NO!
Abs, or six-pack if you wish, are superficial muscles which include rectus abdominus (aka six-pack), transverse abdominus (the super-deep muscles that wrap around the stomach), and the internal and external obliques (the muscles on the side of your abs looking like fingers.)
Core muscles include all the muscles in the pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdomen.
I rarely do the traditional sit-ups. Why? Because these moves involve spinal flexion (rounding your lower back to allow you to bend forward at the waist).
But that’s also the move responsible for people to “throw their back out” bending over to pick something off the ground. No, thank you!
If you keep doing sit-ups and crunches, remember 2 things:
- Repeated mechanism of sit-ups will cause a herniated disc in your lower back.
- You will NOT get a visible six-pack by doing crunches! A visible six-pack is made in the kitchen – meaning – you need to lose body fat.
We all have a six-pack. But for most of us it is wrapped in a cushy layer of body fat.
I encourage you to strengthen your CORE
This is how I do it.
Do each move for 60s and repeat.
Make sure you keep your abs tight the entire time. How? Imagine your belly button is touching your spine from the inside. This will prevent lower back injuries. Keep your abs tight, because tight is right!
Enjoy this free no sit-ups core workout!
- Floor Tuck Jumps
- Low Plank Side Punch
- Knee Push Extension
- Switch kick Punch
- Plank Toe Taps
- Low Plank Reciprocating Knee
- Sitting Ab Sprint (not my favorite)
- Triceps Push-Up Extension
- Ab Attack
- Snow Angel
- FireCracker Plank
- High Plank to Low Plank
- Plank Side Leg extension
- Lightning Bolt Plank
- Plank Jack