The Importance of Doing Core Work Right From the Start
If you want to see changes in your body right away, choose exercises that engage your core. In general, your “core” refers to your body/torso, not your arms and legs. Exercises that engage your core/middle/torso tighten and tone your entire midsection, front and back. A strong core is what gives your body that long, lean silhouette that everyone craves. The major muscles of the core are in the belly area and the mid and lower back. These muscles are very important to strengthen after child birth because they assist in everyday movements and when they are strengthened they “whittle your middle” making you smaller and tighter throughout your mid-section.
“Planking” (not crunching) to a smaller dress size
Abdominal crunches or sit-ups alone will not flatten and tone a postpartum belly bulge. The whole core must be worked and engaged and stabilized in order to decrease that dress size! The “plank” is one of the classic ways to engage and strengthen your core. A plank position is the traditional push-up position (the push up itself is even optional!), making sure your back is flat (with tail-bone tucked under) and abdominal muscles are engaged. I would recommend getting yourself a stability ball if you don’t already have one, they usually come with positions and exercises for core strengthening. This website – http://www.brianmac.co.uk/corestabex.htm – also has a ton of Core Stability Exercises for you to try at home.
One of my favorite exercise videos for doing core work is Core Synergistics, by Tony Horton. It is part of his P90X program featured at beachbody.com. It is, however, quite advanced but VERY effective. I would recommend beginning with some easier but very effective core exercises led by Chalene Johnson in Turbo Jam. She is also featured at beachbody.com. What is so excellent about her exercises is, not only are they really fun and energetic, but she teaches you how to engage your core while accomplishing a cardiovascular workout with maximum calorie burn.
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