You probably agree that choosing the right form of exercise for yourself is very personal. Everyone prefers different flavors of ice cream; it’s the same with core training. Although the goal is always the same — to tone and whittle the waist and get a stronger back — you can accomplish that in some new and challenging ways. Here I share some of the ways that I find to be the most fun — and the best ones to help you forget about exercising in the first place!
Yoga
Yoga’s not for wimps! And people who think it is should take a class sometime just to see how intense it can be. Because yoga requires great strength to support the entire weight of your body as you hold a plank position seemingly for hours or hold your body straight in the air during a headstand, you will most likely walk away from any yoga class with a new admiration for anyone who practices it. Requiring more flexibility than a stretch class and more stamina than an aerobics class, yoga ranks right up there among my top five ways to get great abdominal strength and a really strong back (better known as your core).
Pilates
Pilates is a great core strengthener because all of its movements originate from your core. When Joseph Pilates first came up with his series of Pilates exercises, he created them to rehabilitate injuries of wounded patients during the war. With a system of pulleys and springs, he transformed hospital beds into a contraption used for physical therapy. The terms Pilates “reformer” and Pilate’s “bed” were derived from this system.
Wii Fit
Wow! New moms are in love with Wii Fit, and so are kids and their parents. And now I know why: It’s fun and very hip to do. Wii fit is a video game that helps you build and tone your muscles as you watch and play along on the television. How fun is that? It even helps you lose weight with all kinds of new programs that have you jogging in place and even doing yoga (one of the most popular ones with the ladies).
What Wii Fit really is, however, is just a clever way to get you to work out, disguised as a video game. You can choose from many options if you want to train your core, and you can even enter your individual fitness level. After you do, you’re given other menu items to chose from, which makes Wii Fit fun and engaging at the same time. And I know your friends will want to use it once they hear about it, because everyone wants to be in the know when it comes to something new, right?
Of course, the Wii Fit initial sell-out success across the country prompted a lot of press, but the real question is, does it work? If you haven’t made it out of the house to the gym or taken a walk lately, it definitely works! In other words, it’s better than sitting around thinking about working out, especially for busy moms who don’t have time to make it to the gym — it’s perfect!
For more information on Nintendo Wii Fit, visit www.nintendo.com/wii.
Training with a partner
If you’re anything like me, having someone waiting for you to work out helps because you know you have to show up! And a training partner who encourages you and depends on you is the perfect complement to any workout session. By helping you with your form or counting out your reps, a partner can help you get far more out of your core routine than you may be able to do on your own.
Good, consistent communication is the key to helping each other exercise properly, and so is knowing when someone has been pushed to his limits. Go slow, talk, and listen, and you’ll be amazed at the speedy progress you will make. Together you can encourage each other and try new exercises you may not be able to alone. Pair up and don’t disappoint the person waiting for you — use the buddy system!
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