When a 49-year-old woman with a body like Kelly Ripa tells you she usually does everything BUT crunches to get her tight core, you pay attention.
Specifically, you start doing fewer crunches, and more "everything BUT."
I always close out my cycling classes with 15 minutes of core work, but after taking Mindy Mylrea's "Core Power" workshop at the SCW fitness conference in Atlanta last weekend, my students and I are spending a lot less time with our backs and Badasses on the floor.
See, there are all sorts of things we do that work our core, even in daily life. Push the vacuum out far, pull it back in, and you're engaging your core. Pick up a box or grocery bag that's at your side and lift it up onto a shelf, and you just used your core. If your core is weak, even these simple tasks are difficult.
So why not do exercises that engage our core in a more functional and fun way? You might already be doing it but don't even know it. Mountain climbers, pushups, squats - you need your core to do them all properly and effectively.
With the right exercises and a few affordable 'fitness toys,' or homemade versions of them, you can strengthen your core and develop that washboard - and eliminate a lot of those boring crunches.
Here are a few to try:
Sliders: Using purple Gliders or paper plates, get on all fours. Place one palm on each disc. Position your knees and arms as if you were about do a pushup on your knees. Slowly, with control, push the discs out in front of you, keeping the core tight (belly button pulled in toward the spine). As soon as you feel the abs engage and lengthen, pull the discs back in. You will feel this in your core, and a little in your arms and back.
Gliding Mountain Climbers: Do a 30-second to 45-second mountain climber, but place your toes on the Gliders or paper plates. Pull your knees, one at a time, into your chest, at a steady faster-than-you'd-like pace.
Pull-in, Push-up: Get into a plank position, and place your toes on the Gliders or paper plates. Pull your knees in toward your chest, and as you slide them back out, lower into a push-up. If you're not ready for the push-up yet, just pull in and out and skip the push-up.
Partners Disc Psyche-Out: One partner gets into a plank position, but on the hands and with the feet wide apart. The second partner is behind, and quickly shoots Gliders or paper plates through the planking partner's legs. The planking partner tries to catch the discs with one hand, right or left, as the discs come flying. Every time you reach for the discs, your abs are firing. After several discs, switch positions with your partner and get a little revenge! This one is my new favorite - every class of students ends up smiling and laughing, even if it's while cursing their partners.
Ball Pikes: Get on top of a balance ball, stomach on the ball. Roll forward until the ball is just below your knees, shins resting on the ball. Using your core, pike up into a V. If this is too challenging for now (you WILL get stronger, no worries!), just pull the knees into your chest and back out from this position.
Seated Medicine Ball Twists: Holding a medicine ball, sit on a mat and lift your feet a few inches above the floor as you lean back, just to the point where you feel your abs engage. Now twist the medicine ball to the right, tapping the ball on the floor at your right side. Do the same thing on the left, for a total of 10 to 20 on each side.
Coming Friday: A few must-have moves to whittle those inner and outer thighs...