Core exercises should be the staple of your workout

Many people spend time in the gym working on their abs but most do it for the wrong reasons. The core is necessary to remain upright, it stabilizes your spine in order to stand and maintain your posture. One reason people suffer from back pain is due to a weak core. That guy in the gym that has that ripped six pack may not actually have a very strong core but has simply killed the crunches over his time in the gym.

Try this exercise. This should be the core staple workout in everyones routine. This exercise has many variations to make it harder or easier and that is one reason it is such a great exercise. Its call the Plank and it works your entire core effectively. Heres how to do it.

Position yourself in a push up stance leaning on your elbows. Your elbows are bent at 90 degrees and you are leaning on them in a push up position. Make sure your core is tight and you are squeezing your abs through this exercise. Most importantly make certain that your back is flat and your hips are not dipping towards the ground. If your hips dip, that is your break point. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds, rest and repeate for 3 more sets.

Once you can do that with ease there are a multitude of variations. You can do sets consecutively, resting for 15-30 seconds in between or you can place your feet on a BOSUT ball. For those that don't know a BOSUT ball is the half exercise ball you see at the gym. Once this becomes easy there are even more variations so make sure to watch AWF for more core exercises.