The Secret to a Ripped and Super Strong Core: Stabilization

What if you could get your abs in incredible shape and strengthen your core to the max, without ever doing ONE exercise? Believe it or not, you can.

First of all, unless you are brand new to the exercise WORLD, you probably know one simple fact of life about your midsection. Working out your abdominals won’t give you a ripped midsection. Fat is a layer over the abdominal area and until you get rid of that, you could work out on just your abs all day long and still notice a huge difference. Once you get rid of that layer of fat though, you may be left with a flat, but less than exciting set of abs. You see, your abdominals are involved in just about every type of movement you make at least to some degree to you really have to work them to get them to grow and become defined. The good news is, the work you do doesn’t always have to be incredibly intense, but instead, be incredibly consistent and focused. This is where stabilization comes in.

Ok, so, you know how you see folks wearing weight belts when they are lifting or even picking up packages for those that are delivery drivers? Well, most of the time, those belts are useless. Why, you ask? Well, your core IS your weight belt so when you wear one, you are just saying “I will let my body have a break and let this piece of leather do the work.” This is wrong thinking. Our bodies are DESIGNED to protect us; we just have to develop them properly and then use them the right way. Let me give you an example. Let’s say I am going to pick up a heavy package. I could wear a weight belt, but then should I just let my lower back and abs be loose since I have a belt to help with the load? No! By STABILIZING your core, and contracting your abdominals and lower back, you can pick up that weight with no problem and stay safe. That is what your body is DESIGNED to do. Most people simply have underdeveloped core muscles AND don’t engage them properly when doing physical exercise. The cool thing is, just by engaging these muscles we work them at the same time!

To become an expert with stabilization takes a bit of practice, but it is fairly easy to do. Simply stand up (you can stabilize in any position, but standing up helps focus concentration initially). Now, focus on contracting your abdominal and lower back muscles WHILE breathing normally. It may seem a bit difficult at first, but here’s a little trick. Simply breathe IN through your nose out through clenched teeth so there is a HISSING sound. When you are doing this, push in your abs and you will feel them contract…focus on keeping them tight while breathing in and out.

Now that you are getting the hang of it, practice stabilization no matter WHAT you are doing. Walking down the street, picking up your kids, and of course, lifting weight and doing any type of exercise are just a few examples of how stabilization will support your daily activities. By contracting these muscles, you are forcing blood into them and actually exercising them at the same time. After awhile, you will notice increased definition in this area and your core will tighten immediately with very little thought to make it happen. Guess what? Now you have your OWN built in weight belt! Stabilization really is the secret to a fantastic set of abs and an incredibly functional core. Your core was made to protect this incredibly important area of your body. Make sure to practice this technique and you will stay health, and look much better!