Sit up and pay attention, friends.
UK-based personal trainer James Stirling, known on Instagram as @London_Fitness_Guyhas taken to the stage share his insights On what constitutes core strength and what does not.
Debunking the common misconception, he explained, “Doing too many crunches won’t help you build a strong core.”
Why is a strong core a priority? The core area, also called the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (LPHC), stabilizes the upper and lower body, improves posture, supports mobility and prevents injury.
Sterling shared that while many people think that a ripped midsection indicates core strength, the real deal goes deeper than that.
“A strong core actually refers to our deep muscles that are at least one layer below the surface muscles. Basically, if you can see a muscle, it’s superficial, and it’s not the primary core muscle.”
Superficiality has not stopped men from seeking six-pack surgeryThis “ab-etching” procedure, known as high-definition liposuction, involves sculpting the abdominal muscles through surgery and is growing in popularity.
As the name suggests, high-definition lipo does not provide the degree of definition provided by the traditional procedure, which removes fat and volume but does not deal with the underlying “anatomy.”
If you want to gain abs and build your core without cosmetic procedures, Sterling recommends a holy trinity of focused exercises.
dumbbell pulls
Sterling explained that dumbbell drags are “a really good exercise for building strength in your hips, glutes, and core.”
To start, assume a high plank position with a dumbbell, kettlebell, or other weighted object outside one of your hands.
Using the opposite arm, reach under your body to hold the weight. Keeping your hips and torso stable, lower the weight to the ground and out to the outside of the pulling hand.
Repeat on the other side and continue alternating for 40 seconds.
weighted heel tap
Heel taps can work your transversus abdominis, the deepest of the six ab muscles. according to Peloton Instructor Kristin McGeeBuilding it can help with your posture, spinal stabilization, and mobility in your hips.
Start by lying on the floor with your legs bent at a 90 degree angle. Holding the dumbbells above your head, tap each heel on the ground in turn.
This exercise can also be done without weight.
side plank
The final exercise for Sterling is a side plank. To start, lie on your side with your knees bent. Then, rest your upper body on your elbows and lift your hips off the floor. Tighten your core and glutes to keep your body straight and stable.
Harvard Health Publishing claims Planks are more effective than sit-upsSaying that they “create a better balance of the muscles in the front, sides, and back of the body than sit-ups, which only target certain muscles.”
Sterling recommends performing each exercise for 40 seconds and completing three sets as a circuit.
Research has shown that it is as low as 22 minutes of physical activity The negative health consequences of sitting for long periods of time every day can be avoided.
Despite Sterling’s enthusiastic recommendation, An obesity researcher argues Although you can build strength, you can’t use exercise Slim down certain body parts.
“Spot reduction is a myth – we can’t control where our body loses fat,” said Dr. Nick Fuller of the University of Sydney in Australia. Written for conversation in 2023“But we can get the results we’re looking for in specific areas by targeting overall fat loss.”
