Strengthen Your Core With 5 Simple Exercises

Strengthen Your Core With 5 Simple Exercises

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health and Lifestyle report.

Your core is a complex network of muscles. It includes your abdominal¹ muscles, back muscles and the muscles around you pelvis. Basically, your core is all the muscles in your torso.

Harvard University’s website explains that a strong core is helpful for everyone. A strong core makes doing everyday activities easier. Basically, almost every movement of your body either begins or travels through your core.

So, a strong core helps you in many ways.

A strong core helps you bend over to pick up a child or reach high above your head to put something on a shelf. It helps your body move when you clean your home, fix your car or work in your garden.

Also, having a strong core can protect you from other problems. It can prevent back and neck injuries. A strong core helps your posture². It helps you to stand up straight and look more confident. But more importantly, health experts at Harvard remind us that good posture lessens³ stress on the spine⁴ and helps us to breathe more deeply.

But wait, there’s more.

Experts at the Mayo Clinic explain on their website that core exercises train the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips⁵ and abdomen⁶ to work together. This improves your balance and stability.

Strong core muscles also help to make all sports and recreational activities easier and more pleasurable -- whether you are hiking with your family, dancing with your wife or playing a sport with your friends.

So few would argue that a strong core is important. But with life’s busy schedules, how can we find time for core exercises?

The good news is, there are several simple core exercises. You do not need to go to a gym. You don’t need expensive equipment. You can strengthen your core with floor exercises. All you need is a comfortable space on the floor, a mat -- if you prefer -- and maybe a towel.

Five core exercises

These five exercises suggested by the Mayo Clinic target the smaller muscles in your core that are often overlooked in other types of exercise. These exercises are also static, meaning you get into position and stay there still for several deep breaths.

1. The Bridge

The bridge is a classic exercise to strengthen the core.

Lie on your back with your knees bent⁷. Keep your back in a neutral position. This means do not arch or round your back.

Tighten⁸ your abdominal muscles. Then raise your hips off the floor until they are aligned¹⁰ with your knees and shoulders. In other words, imagine drawing a line that connects your knees, hips and shoulders.

Hold for several deep breaths.

2. The Quadruped

The quadruped is another exercise that targets the core.

Start on your hands and knees. Place your hands on the floor directly below your shoulders. Align⁹ your head and neck with your back. Tighten your abdominal muscles.

Raise your left arm and your right leg at the same time. Then hold for three deep breaths.

Release back to your hands and knees. And repeat with your right arm and left leg.

3. The Plank¹¹ Pose

This pose is a foundation of many yoga exercises. It looks simple, but it is a full core workout.

Start on all fours, meaning on your hands and knees. Lower yourself down so that you are resting on your forearms. Stretch out your legs behind you.

Align your head and neck with your back. Place your shoulders directly above your elbows.

Tighten your abdominal muscles.

And hold for as many deep breaths as you can. You can slowly build up time as your get stronger.

The more advanced version is basically the beginning of a push up.

For an added challenge, raise yourself onto your hands. Your hands should face forward with your wrists under your shoulders. (If you have problems with your wrists, adjust your hands so they are comfortable.)

The body should be in a straight line from the top of your head to your heels.

Do not dip or raise your hips. And do not let your chest sink down to the floor.

Hold for several deep breaths.

4. The Side Plank

The side plank challenges your stability and improves core strength by working the muscles along the side of your body.

Lie on your left side. Raise yourself onto your left forearm. Place your left shoulder directly above your left elbow. Keep your shoulders, hips and knees in alignment¹². Rest your right arm along the side of your body.

Tighten your abdominal muscles and hold for several deep breaths. Then repeat on your right side.

For an added challenge, balance on your left hand. Raise your hips off the floor and extend your right hand toward the ceiling. Hold for several deep breaths. Then repeat on your right side.

5. The Superman

This exercise strengthens your lower back. It also allows you to pretend you are flying like Superman!

Lie on the floor on your stomach. Place a rolled up towel under your hips to support your back. Tighten your abdominal muscles.

Raise your right arm off the floor. Hold for several deep breaths. Lower your right arm and repeat with your left.

Then raise your right leg off the floor. Hold for several deep breaths. Lower your right leg and then repeat with your left.

For an added challenge, try this version.

Raise both arms at the same time. Hold for several breaths. Then raise both legs at the same time. Hold for several breaths.

Then try raising both arms and both legs at the same time. Hold for several breaths.

These are all simple exercises that most people should be able to do. But you know what is right for your body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. And, of course, if you have any health concerns, check with your doctor before doing any exercises.

Words in This Story

posture – n. the way in which your body is positioned when you are sitting or standing¹³

confident – adj. having a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something : having confidence

spine – n. the row of connected bones down the middle of the back

stability – n. the quality or state of someone who is emotionally or mentally healthy

abdominal – n. the part of the body below the chest that contains the stomach and other organs

pelvis – n. the wide curved bones between the spine and the leg bones

torso – n. the main part of the human body not including the head, arms, and legs

classic – adj. very typical

tighten – v. to make (something) tight or tighter or to become tight or tighter

yoga – n. a system of exercises for mental and physical health

arched – adj. something that has a curved shape

align – v. to arrange things so that they form a line or are in proper position

alignment – n. a forming in line

1 abdominal   

adj.腹（部）的，下腹的；n.腹肌

参考例句：

• The abdominal aorta is normally smaller than the thoracic aorta.腹主动脉一般比胸主动脉小。
• Abdominal tissues sometimes adhere after an operation.手术之后腹部有时会出现粘连。

2 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

3 lessens   

变少( lessen的第三人称单数 )； 减少（某事物）

参考例句：

• Eating a good diet significantly lessens the risk of heart disease. 良好的饮食习惯能大大减少患心脏病的机率。
• Alcohol lessens resistance to diseases. 含有酒精的饮料会减弱对疾病的抵抗力。

4 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

5 hips   

abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的

参考例句：

• She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
• They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 abdomen   

n.腹，下腹(胸部到腿部的部分)

参考例句：

• How to know to there is ascarid inside abdomen?怎样知道肚子里面有蛔虫？
• He was anxious about an off-and-on pain the abdomen.他因时隐时现的腹痛而焦虑。

7 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

8 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

9 align   

vt.使成一线，结盟，调节；vi.成一线，结盟

参考例句：

• Align the ruler and the middle of the paper.使尺子与纸张的中部成一条直线。
• There are signs that the prime minister is aligning himself with the liberals.有迹象表明首相正在与自由党人结盟。

10 aligned   

adj.对齐的，均衡的

参考例句：

• Make sure the shelf is aligned with the top of the cupboard.务必使搁架与橱柜顶端对齐。

11 plank   

n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目

参考例句：

• The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。
• They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。

12 alignment   

n.队列；结盟，联合

参考例句：

• The church should have no political alignment.教会不应与政治结盟。
• Britain formed a close alignment with Egypt in the last century.英国在上个世纪与埃及结成了紧密的联盟。

13 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。