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Tighten That Core!

September 24, 2015

Yesterday Kendra and I designated our entire workout to core alone!  This workout will give you 4 movements you can do at your gym to get a serious abdominal workout.

Let’s start with rope crunches on the cable machine.

Grab some knee pads and the rope attachment for the cable machine.  For the first set, you may not want to add weight so you can get the proper movement down.

abs5

You’ll start with your head between the rope and fists by your ears.  As you pull down into the curl position, you want your hands and arms to stay in the same spot (by your ears).  Your core needs to be doing all the work, not your arms.

abs4

You want to pull with your core all the way to the floor.  The more rounded your back is, the more you target your lower abs.  If your back is arched, you may only hit the top part of your abs.

You’ll want to continue this motion for 15-20 reps and do 4 sets.  If you don’t feel the burning in your abs past rep 10, you should up your weight.

Next we’ll do the cable side bends to target your obliques.

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Make sure you are standing straight up with one arm behind your head or on your hip for balance.  This is another movement you want to be very careful with so you DO NOT use your arms to pull.  You want to use those obliques.

So stand up straight and begin to lean away from the cable machine.

abs7

Keep feet together and legs straight.  Keep the core tight and the movements controlled.  The slower you move, the more it will work the muscle.

Shoot for 15-20 reps and do 4 sets.  If you don’t feel the burn after rep 10, up your weight.

On to decline weighted sit ups!

abs1

If a regular sit up is boring to you or you want more of a challenge, do that sit up on a decline bench.  And if you’re feeling even more adventurous, grab a plate to keep on your chest!  We used a 10 pound plate here.

Once you feel secure on your bench, begin your set.

abs2

Lift yourself all the way up while keeping that plate tight against your chest.  The slower the movement, the more you work the muscle.  Shoot for 15 reps and do 4 sets.

And last but not least… The trusty ole plank!

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During a plank, you want to keep everything tight and squeeze.  Feet should be together and your back should never be arched.  Do it in front of a mirror if you need to check your form.  You can feel this in your core, shoulders, and legs.  What you want to do is hold this plank position tightly for 30 seconds and then relax.  Do this 4 times.

These are just a few of my favorite core exercises you can do on your next day at the gym.  They are movements that can continue to challenge you.  Whether its adding more weight, or holding that plank for a longer period of time.

I hope this core workout has been helpful!  Please share using the social media icons below!

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Welcome!

AvatarI’m Tamar, a registered dietitian living in Alabama, fascinated by food, fitness, and travel. My goal for this blog is to help people learn more about how to live a long, healthy, and peaceful life to the fullest. Read More…

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