Are you doing crunches or sit-ups trying to tighten your mid-section or get a six pack? STOP! The risk does not outweigh the benefits of crunches or sit-ups. This is the best way to tighten your stomach and get the abs you’ve always wanted!
Why crunches and sit-ups are bad for you
When you do a crunch or sit-up, you’re constantly hinging your lower back. This repetitive motion, maybe 100 times in a row, wears out your disc prematurely. It can also cause low back pain as well as neck pain if you’re pulling on the back of your head trying to lift higher!
Crunches may be one reason you’re experiencing low back pain. Your feet may be another source of your problem. I know it’s surprising, but try these foot strengthening exercises to find that low back pain relief you’ve been searching for!
And, stop doing those crunches! There are other ways to get the abs you want.
Best way to tighten your stomach
So, what’s my expert advice for abdominal muscles? TRX Training.
It stands for Total Body Resistance Exercise because it’s ALL CORE ALL THE TIME.
The core is always engaged trying to stabilize you when you do suspension training. The TRX uses your body weight as resistance. You move in toward or away from the anchor point to make the exercise harder or easier.
So let’s say you are trying to get your upper body stronger. While you are focusing on strengthening your upper body, the core has to stabilize to hold you into a strong plank position the entire time while you move through your upper body exercise.
Look at these 6 TRX bicep curl exercises. You’ll get beach ready arms but also beach-ready abs because you’re always the plank is a big part of these upper body exercises.
Just like there are variations of the sit-up, you’ll find the same options with the TRX. Much of what you do on the floor, can also be done with suspension training. Often, it’s more effective.
Mark Campbell of CORE Strong Fitness in Kansas City shows you how to progress the plank from the ground to the TRX. You’ll notice you’re working your core in so many new ways, that you can’t with a crunch.
You should already know that planks are the most effective way to achieve a stronger core, so imagine trying to move in the plank position while holding the plank as tight as possible!
At CORE Strong Fitness I believe that the key to successful functional training starts with the Plank. Finding your plank in ANY movement is extremely important in power, strength, and speed production. This is why I have based my entire programming around the TRX, because of its demand that you must hold and stabilize in that plank!
How to strengthen core fast
Finally, change your shoes if you want to strengthen your core! There’s a strong connection between your foot and your core.
Most of us wear shoes with a lot of padding and foam. However, you’re losing the essential connection of the bottom of your foot and that can make you less stable throughout the day and over time weaken your core. Perhaps you notice this when you’re exercising and experiencing less balance than you thought you had.
When your core is weaker, you may experience lots of other issues like low back pain. So, those crunches may be causing your back issues and your shoes.
By changing your shoes, you’ll have better balance and work your abs even when you’re not at the gym.
If you’re experiencing back pain, try these foot-strengthening exercises to get your feet stronger.
So do you want to tighten that midsection AND increase upper body strength, AND lower body strength, AND move better? Then TRX Training with CORE Strong Fitness will make it possible! Come find out how at Kansas City’s only TRX gym, located downtown. If you live or work downtown, it’s a gym near you!
“The Body Achieves What The Mind Believes“
