The road to washboard abs: Two basic exercises

According to personal trainer Ayden Hector, much of a person's strength and power comes from their core. Core muscles are made up of both the abdominals and lower back muscles. The physically strong individuals in the world, such as athletes, bodybuilders, soldiers, powerlifters, and the like, have powerful cores.

Here are two basic exercises that are sure to strengthen a person's core.

Crunches

Crunches are basically half-sit-ups. This exercise strengthens the upper and middle abdominals. All a person needs to do is lie down on their back with their legs bent at their knees at a 90-degree angle. They then proceed to lift their upper body up to perform a sit-up but stop with the back of their shoulders six to eight inches off the floor. They can modify this by holding this position for two to three seconds before lowering themselves and repeating the motion. Ayden Hector mentions that the slower the motion, the more tension the core feels, thus the more effective the exercise.

Leg Raises

Leg raises are a great exercise that focuses on the lower abdominals. To execute this correctly, a person should lie on their back with their feet together and straight out. Then they raise both legs until they form a 90-degree angle with the body. Ayden Hector notes that the back should stay straight and not arch. To help with this, a person can put both palms underneath their buttocks. Again, the slower the motion, the better.