New Core Exercises to choose from

WEEKEND CORE CHALLENGE – BC 44 WEEK 1

ABDOMINAL CRUNCH
ELBOW PLANK WITH ALTERNATING LEG LIFT
REVERSE CRUNCH WITH ONE FOOT ON FLOOR
PELVIC TILT
PRONE SWIMMER
DOUBLE LEG ABDOMINAL PRESS
SEGMENTAL ROTATION
SIDE BENDS
SUPERMAN
WOOD CHOPS

SUBTOTAL:
BONUS:

TOTAL:

***BONUS POINTS: Cardio
minutes!!! Remember Bob said that you can do all the crunches in the world, but
in order to whittle that waist away you need to burn fat! Without burning fat,
those nice ab muscles will be hidden! So give yourself a bonus point for every
minute of cardio exercise you do during the core challenge. Bonus only counts if
you do the core challenge! Get those hearts pumping!!

Try to work the
upper, lower and oblique muscles. Remember to concentrate on engaging those ab
muscles when doing these exercises. Even though you are trying to rack up those
reps, form is more important. Count each rep as one. For the exercises where you
do each side separate count both sides as 1 rep, not 2 (except side plank)!

ABDOMINAL CRUNCH
Begin on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees up. Support your head with one or both hands if desired, but keep elbows back and refrain from pulling on your head. Keeping your low back in neutral position, lift your head and shoulders from the floor, without “tucking” your chin to your chest. Return to start and repeat. Muscles worked: abdominals (BLC Fitness Tab-Core Exercises)

ELBOW PLANK WITH ALTERNATING LEG LIFT

Begin in pushup position, except with elbows and forearms on the floor, with
body in a straight line from ankles to shoulders. Lift one leg 4 – 6 inches off
floor. Return to start and repeat with other leg. Alternate sides. Muscles
worked: lower back, abdominals, buttocks, hips, hamstrings, upper back and
shoulders. ((BLC Fitness Tab-Core Exercises)

PELVIC TILT
Begin on
your back with feet flat on the floor and knees up. Contract your abdominals and
flatten your back into the floor Without lifting your hips off the floor. Return
to start and repeat. Muscles worked: abdominals and lower back. ((BLC Fitness
Tab-Core Exercises)

PRONE SWIMMER
Begin lying prone on floor with
both arms forward resting on floor. Lift one arm up while simultaneously lifting
the opposite leg. Return to start and repeat with opposite arm and leg. Continue
alternating sides. Muscles worked: lower back, abdominals, buttocks, hips,
hamstrings, upper back and shoulders. ((BLC Fitness Tab-Core Exercises)

DOUBLE LEG ABDOMINAL PRESS
Lie on your back with knees bent. Keep
your back in a neutral position, not arched and not pressed into the floor.
Avoid tilting your hips. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your legs off the
floor, one at a time, so that your knees and hips are bent at 90 degree angles.
Rest your hands on your knees. Push your hands against your knees while using
your abdominal muscles to pull your knees toward your hands. Keep your arms
straight. Hold for three (3) deep breaths. Return to start and repeat.
(http://www.mayoclinic.com/hea
lth/core-strength/SM00047&sl
ide=6)

SEGMENTAL ROTATION
Lie on your back with knees bent and your back in
neutral position. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Keeping your shoulders on the
floor, let your knees slowly fall to the left. You should feel a stretch, but
not pain. Hold for 3 deep breaths. Return to start position. Repeat the exercise
to the right.
(http://www.mayoclinic.com/hea
lth/core-strength/SM00047&sl
ide=8)

SIDE BENDS
Stand up straight with feet together and bend from the
waist to your left, then straighten up and do the same to your right side. Bend
only as far as comfortable and make sure you bend from your waist and to your
sides, not forward. Count both left and right sides as 1 rep

SUPERMAN

Lie on your stomach with a rolled towel or small pillow under your hips to
support your back. You might also use a folded towel to support your head.
Tighten your abdominals. Raise your right arm off the floor. Hold for 3 deep
breaths. Lower your right arm and repeat with your left arm. Raise your right
leg off the floor. Hold for 3 deep breaths. Lower your right leg and repeat with
your left leg.
(http://www.mayoclinic.com/hea
lth/core-strength/SM00047&sl
ide=13)

WOOD CHOPS
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold a
dumbbell or medicine ball with both hands. Bend at you waist and hold the weight
at your right side. Keeping your hips forward, sweep your arms up and across
your body in a diagonal until your arms are over the left side of your body. As
you perform this move, make sure you’re lifting from your core to produce the
rotational movement. Then repeat the move the other way. (BL Fitness Book, page
64)