Core-strengthening exercises

kpkitten

Hi all!

I need some ideas for core-strengthening exercises please. I'm obese with quite a big belly and thighs, and I'm not sure whether the reason I can't put my legs straight up in the air when I lie on my back is because there's too much fat in the way (seems unlikely because I can almost touch my toes) or because my core is too weak, or some other reason I haven't thought of.

I can do crunches, but I can't do bicycle crunches or reverse crunches or anything that involves lifting my legs up more than about 30 degrees, or having my bum and shoulders off the floor at the same time.

I don't know if it's OK to try to do certain exercises (like reverse crunches) with what is necessarily bad form, or if I need to build my strength in other ways first. I can manage about 5 or 6 "reverse crunches" where I lift my legs off the floor, then kind of roll them towards my chest/lift my bum off the floor, and roll back down before I have to relax and let them touch the floor again. Is it OK to do this until I have the strength to do them properly?

Breathing and not straining my neck is also really difficult in any kind of core exercise or floor work. I don't try to hold me breath, but I really struggle to physically push air out whilst I'm moving, almost like it takes all my concentration to use my muscles and I don't have any space left to think about breathing! I can sometimes do it, but it's hit and miss. And I feel like I strain my neck a lot, but I try not to. I always try to pull my tummy in, and push/pull with my back and around my ribs rather than my neck, legs or whatever else, but I can't "relax" my neck and shoulders, because I just collapse if I try to! So I end up tensing everything, even on just a basic crunch (although it's less a problem for a normal crunch than anything with my legs working too).

I've not got any medical problems, and although I'm definitely not very strong, there's no reason why I'd be weak enough that it makes sense that I struggle so much with these exercises.


Tl;dr: Is it OK to do abs/core exercises with poor form if "good" form is impossible for even one rep? If not, are there exercises I can do to strengthen my core so that good form becomes possible for the exercises I currently can't do properly?

Cherimoose

Don't worry too much about ab exercises at this point. They don't target the belly fat, and they miss all your other muscle groups. Focus on strengthening your entire body and strong abs will follow. Squats, for example, are considered a leg exercise, but they also work the abs. It's best to follow a good, pro-designed strength program, as opposed to creating your own. What strength equipment do you have access to?

kpkitten

I'm not too fussed about trying to target, I know fat will go ftom wherever and I can't control it.
I'm just a bit concerned that my core seems really poor compared to the rest of me.

I have 1,2&3kg dumbbells at home, a bar with up to 10kg and I'm trying to do bodyweight exercises at home. I also go to a gym but there's not much in the way of free weights, its mainly cables and cardio

Is there anything else like squats that will work abs alongside other muscles?

zipa78

Changing gyms would be my prio 1 in your situation. If you prefer working out at home, get a few kettlebells, maybe 8/16/24 kilos or 8/12/20 depending on how big and strong you are. Then do cleans, swings, getups, walks and whatever seems to work for you. Most every kettlebell exercise is a good full body workout that works your core the way it is meant to work, i.e. to stabilize you in motion and to transfer power from your legs and hips to your upper body.

AllanMisner

Never, never, never accept poor form.

Do squats. When you’re squatting, ensure you have good form, which will include holding your abs tight. When you’re able to graduate to using a bar or kettle bell, stick with front squats or goblet squats. They’ll affect the core more and are easier to keep form.

karen_fitzgibbon

If you're interested in strengthening your core, is it worth taking a pilates class?
I agree with the above comment. Never accept poor form. 1 correct exercise is much better than 5 incorrect ones.

kpkitten

I'm thinking of changing gyms when I've got a grad job (hopefully 3/4 months) but I don't want to tie myself in somewhere if I might be moving out soon - my current gym is monthly membership whereas the others near me seem to be annual contracts.

I could try to do pilates at home with videos if there are any good ones, but I can't do a class because I don't have a predictable timetable.

I'll stop trying to do things I'm not strong enough to do properly yet then, and see about getting some kettles. Kettlebells, more squats and pilates should keep me busy for a while!

Ysengrims

If you want to strengthen your core at home but are having trouble with your range of motion, you might want to try doing planks. That exercise also activates secondary muscles like the shoulders, chest, back, quads and glutes. You need to tense up a lot of muscles to hold a plank for thirty seconds, so it's a great compound exercise.

Just put yourself in the push-up position, but resting on your elbows and forearms instead of on your hands. Then simply hold your body straight, like a plank, parrallel with the floor. Imagine a straight line running from the back of your heels to the middle of your back, that's the proper form.

Hope this helps!

beachhouse758

kpkitten wrote: »

Hi all!


Tl;dr: Is it OK to do abs/core exercises with poor form if "good" form is impossible for even one rep? If not, are there exercises I can do to strengthen my core so that good form becomes possible for the exercises I currently can't do properly?

Poor form can put undue strains on other muscles and joints and *really* do some damage. Try Googling beginner modifications to the workouts that you are trying to do. If you are unable to find any modifications that are suitable, then try looking for alternate exercises that can help you get in shape for the more advanced moves.
There's no shame in doing modified exercises, and it is very rewarding to see your improvements over a period of time.
Sure, it takes time, but time will pass anyway.

EDITED TO ADD: It is impossible to say whether there are modifications that *you* can do, without knowing what exercises you are attempting and what your particular limitations are.

But you can Google things like "plank modifications" "ab workouts for beginners" What I do is get fitness DVDs that offer beginner modifications in the description, watch the video first (just watch, without doing it) to try to get the form down, and then try to do it as instructed.

Michael190lbs

AllanMisner wrote: »

Never, never, never accept poor form.

Do squats. When you’re squatting, ensure you have good form, which will include holding your abs tight. When you’re able to graduate to using a bar or kettle bell, stick with front squats or goblet squats. They’ll affect the core more and are easier to keep form.

I totally agree stick with the basics!!!

amitkatz0

The fact is that a lot of people can't put their feet straight up on the air when lying on their back, it has nothing to do with fat. It actually requires a lot of flexibility in your hips, hamstrings and calves to be able to do that.

kpkitten

amitkatz0 wrote: »

The fact is that a lot of people can't put their feet straight up on the air when lying on their back, it has nothing to do with fat. It actually requires a lot of flexibility in your hips, hamstrings and calves to be able to do that.

Is this flexibility something that I might be able to develop as I get fitter/stronger, or is it largely genetic?

@beachhouse758 I can plank OK, just can't hold it very long! I'll have a look at some modifications as well, but I might have enough that I can do without modifications if things like squats and planks actually work my core a lot too.

amitkatz0

Flexibility can be developed through proper stretching and strengthening of the muscles. It takes a while to build up.

AllanMisner

kpkitten wrote: »

Is this flexibility something that I might be able to develop as I get fitter/stronger, or is it largely genetic?

You very likely can develop more flexibility. Working on squats will help with that as well as it will help you see where your flexibility issues are.

Cherimoose

karen_fitzgibbon wrote: »

If you're interested in strengthening your core, is it worth taking a pilates class?

That's fine. Just realize that many pilates moves isolate the abs, instead of integrating them with the other muscle groups while standing.. which is how we tend to use our body in the real world. So pilates is not a substitute for a proper strength training program. When you're on a good strength program, pilates mostly becomes redundant.