We see it all the time: a fellow gym goer looking lost, not knowing exactly what to do next. A crunch here, a side plank there, but do we really know why we’re doing these exercises? As a follow-up to last week’s vlog, we’ve included a few tips on how to organize your own core routine:

1. Fit it in! First things first, you have to remember to actually do core exercises. Often times, these are the exercises that get ignored first. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends performing strength training exercises (including the core) at least two times a week. So, write it in your planner (or for those of you who are more technologically savvy, schedule it in your smart phone) and actually do them!

2. Incorporate all of the core muscles: rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, erector spinae, and hip flexors. In order to protect yourself from injury (and to get the most aesthetically pleasing core), aim to exercise each of these muscle groups at least two times a week. For sample exercises that work each of these muscles groups, watch our most recent vlog. So, rather than doing three different versions of the crunch (which primarily works the rectus abdominis), do only one type of crunch and incorporate two or three other exercises (ex: bicycle crunches to work the obliques and hip flexors and plank to work the transverse abdominals).

3. Listen to your body. The technique behind core workouts is similar to that of the rest of your body: if you don’t lift heavy or frequent enough, you won’t gain muscle and if you lift too heavy and too frequent, you’ll overtrain and increase your likelihood of injury. In general, it’s recommended to do 12-15 repetitions at about 60-75% of your maximal effort (6-7.5 on a 1-10 scale of effort, with 1 being sitting on a couch and 10 being that obnoxious guy in the gym who grunts so loudly, you can hear it through your headphones). However, if that’s too complicated or confusing for you, we recommend lifting enough weight or doing enough repetitions until your body says “that’s enough”. Being in tune to how your body feels is a really important step in resistance training, so start listening-you’d be amazed by what your body tells you. And lastly…

4. Have fun with equipment. The BOSU ball has got to be one of my favorite pieces of equipment, but there is also so much more out there (ex: medicine ball, dumbbells, cables, etc.). Below are some fun exercises you can do to work your core muscles: