Your core is the interconnected system of muscles that make up the trunk of your torso and abs workouts are a great way to train your midsection. Working together, these muscles help to stabilise your spine, control the force that your body creates and act as a foundation for all functional movements and good posture.
Abs workouts are a great way to develop and strengthen your core. Top athletes such as Sara Sigmundsdottir train extensively to develop a powerful and functional core. Make sure you dedicate time to building yours. Optimise your health, performance and body with these workouts and the right equipment.
A strong core is a vital necessity for long term health. Think about almost every movement you make, from everyday tasks such as unloading a barbell to carrying shopping, your core will help you to control and support the necessary movements.
A weak core can and does lead to poor posture and an increased chance of injury. From Cross training to swimming, hill walking to skiing, any activity will be made easier with good core strength.
These abs workouts will also tone and strengthen the midline of your body. Remember that without an intelligent nutrition plan, you will never see the results of your hard work.
ABS WORKOUTS AND MUSCLES OF THE CORE
- The Rectus Abdominis stretches from your sternum down to your pelvic bone. They pull your upper torso towards your hips.
- Your Obliques are located either side of your waist. They are essential for you to be able to tilt and twist your upper body.
- Intercostals are located to the side of your rib cage. They function to elevate and depress the ribs.
- The Serratus is located between your abs and lats. Its function is to pull the scapula forward.
Building core strength brings balance between the musculature of both the front and back of your body.
Core strength is important not only for those abs but it provides support for your spine, lower back and supports better balance. Your core is designed to prevent the spine from going too far into extension. It also helps to prevent injuries and protects the inner organs and central nervous system.
OPTIMISE EVERY WORKOUT WITH NIKE PRO APPAREL
If you are too cold, or too warm when you train then you are not optimising your performances. The new Nike Pro Apparel range have been constructed from a new material called Nike AeroAdapt that is perfectly designed to counter this problem.
Generally, air flow decreases in apparel as you sweat because fabric becomes saturated, but with Nike AeroAdapt it increases. That’s because the moment AeroAdapt senses sweat, the material’s moisture-reactive yarns open the fabric to release body heat and let air in. The wetter the material gets, the more it opens.
As the moisture evaporates, the vents close to trap body heat, helping to prevent the athlete from feeling chilled or staying wet during a warm-up or cool down.
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The technology responds to whomever is wearing it, meaning things such as moisture, from both sweat and the environment, as well as personal body temperature, can impact when the vents open and how long it takes for the vents to close and the panels to dry.
ABS WORKOUTS TO IMPROVE CORE STRENGTH
Time to build indestructible core strength.
5. CORE WORKOUT
3 rounds, resting as little as possible between movements.
Rest 1 minute between each round.
- 15 Sit ups
- 15 Flat bench lying leg raise
- 15 Jack knife sit ups
- 15 Flat bench leg pull in
- 15 toe touches
- 15 crunches
- 15 reverse crunches
4. CORE WORKOUT FROM NIKE ATHLETE LAUREN FISHER
This is a tough workout from elite athlete Lauren Fisher. Take the appropriate time you need between sets in order to complete each round. Don’t aim for speed. Focus on good form and carefully controlling the movements of your body.
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- 5 sets not for time of:
- 20 V-Ups
- 15 Tuck Crunches
- 20 Second Hollow Hold
- 20 Second Arch Hold
OWN YOUR MOVEMENT
With these abs workouts you must move in a controlled and purposeful way. Efficient movement is paramount to achieving success.
Nike Pro Apparel, worn by top CrossFit Games® Athletes Sara Sigmundsdottir and Willy Georges, the fittest man in France, is designed to support and augment the natural movements of the human body. As an athlete yourself, you understand the importance of good, natural form when it comes to working out. Make sure you equip yourself for success.
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3. WORKOUT
7-minute AMRAP. Complete as many reps as you can in 7 minutes. Do not sacrifice form for speed.
- 10 Oblique crunches
- 10 Russian twists
- 30 Flutter kicks
- 20 leg raises
ISOMETRIC STATIC HOLD EXERCISES
Isometric static holds, as simple as they sound, are tough but extremely useful exercises to build full core strength and stability. Toes to bar will not be a problem if you dominate an L- Sit. Front squats and handstand walks will get easier, even Olympic lifts will feel more comfortable when your core is strong and functional.
Isometric static holds are exactly what they sound like: a static position held for a specified period of time. The engaged muscles do not change in length and the joints do not move during exercises. Basically, you train your muscles with no dynamic movement.
One of the main benefits of isometric training is that the body is able to activate nearly all the available motor units. Isometric exercises increase overall strength and even decrease high blood pressure.
- Plank – In general, the plank pose strengthens the arms, wrists, spine and abdomen. To maintain the plank pose, you have to draw your abdomen up toward your spine; this action targets the deeper muscles of the abdomen that support the spine.
- Side Plank – Another perfect exercise to strengthen your core is the side plank.
- Hollow Hold – Is one of the most difficult ab/core exercises around. The hollow hold or hollow body is important key exercise for developing stabilization and also for other gymnastics exercises such as handstands.
- Superman – A great way to strengthen your lower back and tone your glutes.
- L Sit Hang – This isometric exercise targets your lower abs and shoulder strength. Holding the L position works your entire body.
Try adding the following workout into your programming.
2. ABS WORKOUTS – L SIT CORE WOD
On the minute for 10 minutes.
- 20 Second L-Sit Hold (rings or parallettes)
- 20 Second Hollow Rock
- 20 Seconds of Sit-Ups
1. WORKOUT
8-minute EMOM.
- 10 hollow rocks
- 10 toes to bar
- 10 second plank
These abs workouts and core exercises will strengthen and transform your body. The Nike Pro Apparel collection will help to support the natural movements of your body, stop you from overheating or getting too cold and elevate your game stylistically. Raise your game now.
