How Can You Improve Your Fitness? Step 1: STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE!!!! (plus a video provided for each exercise level!)

• I will be posting fitness tips that will help you improve your daily lifestyle.  This is the first post in my series...
• Core-strength exercises strengthen your core muscles, including your abdominal muscles, back muscles and the muscles around the pelvis. Strong core muscles make it easier to do many physical activities. You can do core-strength exercises on a carpeted floor or mat. Breathe freely and deeply during each core-strength exercise. Focus on tightening your transversus abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle and the one you feel contracting when you cough. Repeat each of these core-strength exercises five times. As your core strength improves, build up to 10 to 15 repetitions. If you have back problems, osteoporosis or other health concern, talk to your doctor before doing these core-strength exercises.
• What does that mean, 'core strength'?  It means strengthening your muscles that help support your daily physical activities, including, but not limited to fitness, that include shopping, laundry, gardening, dusting, you name it!!!  Strong core muscles make it easier to do these physical activities. 
• You can do core strengthening exercises a carpeted floor or using a mat.  Remember to think about breathing.  Holding your breath can be dangerous, so keep it at a conscious level!  
• Repeat each exercise a minimum of 5 times, but then work up to higher repetitions.  

*if you have a back problem or any other concerns, please check with your doctor!


Click on the links below for videos to introduce each exercise for you!!!!  (Starting with basic moves and each video advances in intensity)

BEGINNER:

MODERATE:

A LITTLE MORE ADVANCED:

USING STABILITY TO ADD INTENSITY!!!

AND THE MOST INTENSE:

CLICK HERE FOR THE MOST INTENSE, ADVANCED AB WORKOUT ON THIS POST!!!

Remember, work your way up... get a strong and balanced core!!! 

Should you do ab exercises everyday?  You could, but switch it up... maybe one day focus on obliques, one day transverse and rectus abdominals, and lower back...