Core Stability has become a very hot topic and with good reason. Really it has only been since the 1980's that serious research has been done in the area. Overall the results have been rather astounding and should be considered a bit revolutionary in regards to fitness, health, and athletics.

Generally speaking the spine is a rather weak point for the human body, when you consider the range of motion we constantly put ourselves through. Twisting, bending, or even maintaining a straight position while supporting large amounts of weight can put a lot of pressure on a small point along our spine. The worst thing about it is that an injury can develop gradually without much of a warning until suddenly something slips out of place.

Personally I had this exact thing happen to me. While I worked out regularly and played sports, I never focused very much on 'core stability'. Then one day when I was running, I stepped down off a curb and the impact of my foot on the pavement sent a jolt up to my spine. The next day I couldn't walk. From a big picture standpoint my injury was not that major and I was fully recovered in a few weeks. But the fact that I was so vulnerable to such an injury by doing something so simple caused a lot of concern.

Since that injury many years ago, core training has been a staple of my routines and I have not suffered any sort of back injury since then.

by Ulf Liljankoski

Core Basics


The core is comprised of all the muscles in the trunk area of the body. Everything that wraps around the midsection and supports the spine should be considered part of your core. Far too many people, myself included, simply focused on abdominal work and occasional lower back work. But that creates an imbalance in the core muscles. You need to have a relatively equal level of strength to create proper balance in the entire core which means working everything regularly.

All of these muscles combine to make a bridge between your upper and lower body. The bridge needs to be strong in all areas including connectors to the hips. Aside from preventing an injury, a strong core helps your balance, strength, and stability. Athletes from all types of sports have learned that a great core increases their performance in numerous ways. This added functionality helps in everything we do including keeping good posture.


Core Training


Ideally core training is very functional. It incorporates twisting, bending, stretching, and working the entire trunk regularly in variety of angles and positions. Personally I don't just train abdominals anymore. I do core exercises on 'Ab' days and constantly shift the exercises I do for variety. Then I target the lower back muscles on back day to go with deadlifts and other exercises.

It is highly recommend by fitness professionals that you should switch from doing just basic abdominal work to instead incorporating a regular core training routine that should be done at least twice a week. There are plenty of sample core routines you can find on this site. With an overwhelming amount of benefits from having a stable core, there really is no good reason not to include it in your regular training routine. On top of everything else, a well toned core is much shapelier and visibly appealing beyond what you get from just working your abdominals.


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One of the main reasons people go to the gym is to develop some muscles. Developing muscle fibre isn't as easy as one might expect. Without proper knowledge you could be wasting your time in the gym. Every weight trainer should  know how to maximize their muscle growth.

This article highlights some tips you should know before you start your muscle-making workout. These instructions will give you an understanding of how to utilize your time at the gym and what to consume so that you can get the perfect figure you have always desired.

To get your body energized, you must work on your body’s major muscles. This can be done with workouts like squats, dead-lifts and pull ups. These exercises are used the least by most gym users. They are a little more difficult than the others and require harder work, so they get the smallest amount of consideration from the weight trainers. Most weight lifters want to build up their visible muscles, such as their triceps and biceps. As a result, they wind up over training these muscles while not focusing on their major muscles, like the chest.


When you train your larger muscles, the smaller muscles automatically get a workout, so there is no need to work on them as intensely as your larger muscles. Also, there is often a fear of overtraining the minor muscles. This may lead to a further setback on days when you might not feel like going to the gym. Your muscles will become sore and you would have wasted your time.

Another Important factor in muscle building is your diet composition. Your body needs proper amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Proteins are generally considered as the main nutrition in gaining body muscles. Most of the nutritionists recommend eating more proteins, especially on a workout schedule.

Fats are generally considered harmful, but they are needed in order for the body to perform properly. This is even more critical when you are regularly training and working your muscles. All you should do is  replace the normal fats with healthy fats, such as Omega 3 foods. Avoid consumption of saturated fats as they do not support your workout.

Carbohydrates are also an important component in muscle growth. They provide the needed energy to burn fat and build muscle.. Also, they help in the healing of  torn muscle fibers.

You should eat about 5 to 6 portions of meals a day to ensure your body is never in starving mode. If your body has no food to break down as energy, it will acquire the necessary energy from your muscles. This is a situation that you do not want to face. Your time at the gym would have been wasted.

Once you have things in order, you will start experiencing muscle gain. Although this can be a slow and time-lagging game, have faith, you will achieve your desired size in no time.

To supplement your gym workout you might want to consider taking either protein shakes or creatine.

What exercises do you do at the gym? Get involved and add you comments below!

Combined With Cardio

Whether at home or in the gym, there are numerous leg workouts which you can do in order to strengthen your muscles in this area. One of the more obvious ones which you can do all the time is walking. Although primarily known for its cardiovascular benefits, walking stairs or steep inclines can work wonders for building up leg muscles.

In terms of the gym, a lot of cardio exercises can be tailored to have a real benefit and strengthen your leg muscles. The three main ones are the burning machine, which will work on whichever part of your legs you program it too as well as the buttocks, the cross trainer and the rowing machine. Even 15 minutes on each of these pieces of apparatus three times a week will deliver significant gains in leg muscle strength.

Weight Training

Obviously the quickest way to build muscle mass and strength with leg workouts is by having a strong focus on weight training. Gyms are loaded with equipment which can help you achieve the results you want in relation to your leg workouts.

Take advantage of the trainers who work there too, they’ll be able to give you a great deal of quality advice and direction with regards how best to perform your leg workouts, including intensity and intervals.

Doing It At Home

If you’re not a regular down at your local gym then there’s no need to panic, there are many exercises you can perform at home which will help build muscle and strength with effective leg workouts. There are a wide number of computer programs and mobile apps, as well as DVD’s which provide a wide range of exercises and ideas, some even give simple ideas you can do while sitting at your desk in the office all day.

Try a simple yet effective exercise such as standing squats. Five sets of 20 standing squats three or four times a week will work wonders for the strength and tone of your leg muscles.

The Other Stuff

Obviously working out isn’t the only way to increase your muscle size and strength. You will also need to carefully consider what you eat, as well as making sure you warm up and cool down correctly, in order to gain maximum benefit from the exercises as well as prevent an injury from occurring.

Take some simple steps today and start building those leg muscles with some effective leg workouts.
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