Why You Should Never Ignore Your Core

Why You Should Never Ignore Your Core

The core flat out gets more attention than any other area of the body, and for good reason.  It’s the center of your body.  All movements, both powerful and wimpy, involve the core in one way or another. 


Why You Must Work The Core
Uncommon to popular belief, this area consists of more than just the abs.  They are only one part.  The primary area of the core is made up of the rectus abdominis, inner and outer obliques, erector spinae, glutes and hamstrings.  The fact that this region encompasses such a large area is an indicator of its value.
If you were to ignore training the core, you can run through a battery of issues, such as lower back pain, postural distortions, poor sport performance and bad balance.  The postural distortions can range from rounded shoulders to excessive lower spine curvature to external foot rotation.  
Yes, your feet can actually get affected too. If your glutes are weak, they can cause the femurs to rotate outward.  This then transfers all the way down to the feet, causing the exact same thing to happen.  Have you ever walked behind someone who walks duck-footed?  Well now you know why. 
Getting up from a chair is just as important as walking.  Your core needs to be strong to keep your upper body erect while seated and when standing up.  This also applies to riding a bike.  If you have a weak core, you will not be able to stay upright for too long without experiencing scorching lower back pain.  
Force production is another thing to consider.  Let’s go back to the bike example.  It takes a lot of power to push hard when you are climbing a hill or opening it up on a straightaway.  If your core is mush, you will spend most of this time struggling miserably.  Your will also be challenged with a lack of stability. 
The power aspect doesn’t end with biking either.  Contact sports like football, mixed martial arts, ice hockey and even basketball require you to take and make hits, fend off opponents and remain balanced at all times.  If you neglect your core, don’t expect to win any trophies or titles. 
Baseball, tennis, racquetball, golf, volleyball and swimming all require strong core muscles as well.  Any time you are rotating from the hips, jumping in the air, throwing a ball or object, or reaching with your arms or legs, you need to enlist at least some part of your core.  Think about that the next time you place a box of Christmas ornaments on a high shelf in your basement. 
It’s only fitting that you know a good way to strengthen your core so you can avoid a lot of the pitfalls mentioned above.  And just for the record, ab crunches are not going to get the job done.  In reality, they are about one millimeter away from worthless.  The only muscle group they target is the rectus abdominis.  You still have the obliques, glutes, erector spinae and hamstrings to contend with.
Best Core Exercises
Keep ALL of these areas in mind when it comes to training. 
Perform your crunches, but, also add:
• Plank with leg raises • Alternating supermans • Squats • Stiff-leg deadlifts • Hanging knee raises • Medicine ball Russian twists • Side dips
This way you will get movement patterns in that simulate real life actions and you will ensure that all areas of your core will be targeted. 
As you can see, there are many good reasons to keep your core strong, fit and fantastic.  Focus on the right training protocols and you will never have to worry about injury or imbalances. 

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Why Kettlebell Training Is Better Than Other Workouts

The Top 10 Reasons Why Kettlebell Training Is Better Than Other Workouts 
The Kettlebell is one of the most coveted and widely used weight training tools around. Its design of a steel ball shaped weight attached to a steel handle allows for an abundance of different exercises that not only work multiple muscle groups at the same time, but, also allows one to get into an anaerobic state while working out. 
An anaerobic state is a workout “without oxygen,” where the person is literally gasping for air during exercise. This state is typically induced during interval training and Kettlebell workouts and is one of the most effective ways to burn fat and rev metabolism for 24 plus hours following a workout.
10 Reasons Why Kettlebells Are Better Than Cardio
1. 3 In 1 Workout - Combining weight training with a cardio workout, Kettlebell circuits improve heart health, build lean muscle mass and are highly effective at fat burning. That’s three birds killed with one stone of a great workout! 
2. High Calorie Burning - An hour spent on a treadmill or cross trainer will burn around 600 calories, but, training with kettlebells can help you burn up to 1200 calories in that same hour. 
3. Superiority To Barbells, Dumbbells And Other Weight Machines - Barbells, dumbbells and weight machines are all efficient muscle training devices, but they typically work only one muscle or a specific group of muscles at a time. Imagine how cumbersome it is to tone your entire body. Conversely, Kettlebell moves work multiple muscle groups at once which makes it the perfect full body workout to build essential lean muscle mass for both men and women.  
4. Superior Core Fitness - A strong core is more than six-pack abs. It is your body's power zone which lays the foundation for all movements. The core is vital for good posture, which, provides steadiness during everyday movement and improves performance in sports and everyday activities. Many Kettlebell moves work the core, and so that alone makes it a much better choice than other forms of cardio or muscle training that do not.
5. Economic - Kettlebells provide you a suitable and economical choice over expensive gym memberships, cardio machines and weight equipment. 
6. Mobile – A large space is not needed to do Kettlebell exercises and they are easy to store and transport, so you can even take one on long trips and vacations. 
7. Time Saving - Traditionally, for general fitness, people do cardio and muscle training on different days. Various Kettlebell circuits combine the two because as you do Kettlebell moves you not only tone and build lean muscle mass, you are also getting an effective cardio workout that benefits the heart and burns fat. 
8. Low Impact - A lot of cardio, such as aerobics and running are high impact on joints. But, Kettlebell training is low or no impact, therefore it saves the joints and opens the possibility for many to get a heart pumping workout who otherwise shy away from impact cardio.
9. Increases Flexibility - Kettlebell training provides workouts that improve range of motion and flexibility that serves good health in everyday life and into the senior years.
10. Never Get Bored With Diverse And Fun Workouts - Kettlebell moves and exercises are fun and unique. Various circuits can be created to change things up on a regular basis so you never get bored. A big difference from the boring walking or running on a treadmill or churning those exercise bike pedals for an hour.
Many people get bored doing the same exact workout repeatedly even if it is done only two or three times a week. Kettlebell Training lets you overcome that monotony by providing a range of diverse and fun moves. 
How To Get Started
Getting started with Kettlebells is easy with the many resources at hand. You can find various workouts online that will show you proper form and technique. You can also join a Kettlebell class in your area or local gym that will be led by a qualified instructor. There are also various Kettlebell training DVDs available to learn this unique form of cardio and weight training fitness. 
No matter which route you take it is important to learn proper form or else you will be vulnerable to injury. 
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