Your abdominal muscles and back are the core of your body, the power centre from which all movement originates. Strengthen them and you’ll move with more power and grace. Strong abdominal muscles also help to support and move your spine, protecting your back from injury.

Here are 7 ways to start strengthen your abdominal muscles and back.

1. Check Your Posture Regularly

Your abdominal muscles support your spine; strengthening them will help to improve your posture, which will in turn help to strengthen your abdominal muscles. So do a regular posture check.

Every hour, stop and extend your spine and neck, stretching the top of your head towards the ceiling.

As you do so, your lower abdomen should pull up and in towards your spine and your lower back should flatten slightly as your tail bone reaches down towards the floor.

2. Do Superman Fly

This simple exercise will strengthen your lower back. The steps :

• Lie on your tummy with your legs extended
• Extend your arms in tront
• Inhale as you lift your shoulders and feet, reaching your hands and feet away from each other
• Hold for 10 to 20 seconds

3. Calm Yourself

Whenever you are nervous, tighten and release your abdominal muscles over and over again.

You will strengthen your abs and at the same time, it also helps taking your mind off your anxiety!

4. Strengthening The Pelvic Floor

Tighten your abdominal and pelvic-floor muscles, the lowest part of your core. The steps :

• Starting with your pubic area, begin to tighten from the bottom up.
• Once you have squeezed your pelvic tloor, suck in your lower belly and then your upper belly towards your spine as you exhale.
• Hold for a count of five, then release
• Repeat 10 to 20 times.

Doing this exercise regularly helps to prevent incontinence and may even improve your sex life 😉

5. Squeeze Those Booty

If you walk for fitness, squeeze your bottom! When you are going for walks, imagine someone is poking you in the bottom with a sharp instrument.

Then, tighten your bottom muscles but don’t squeeze them together. As you firm and lift your bottom muscles, you’ll strengthen them.

You can also work your abdominal muscles as you walk by imagining you have a zip along the midline of your abdomen.

Picture yourself zipping up a tight pair of jeans. As you pull the zip up your abdomen, feel your torso lengthen and your abdomen firm up.

Keep your abs zipped up and your bottom tucked under throughout your walks and you’ll strengthen your core even as you burn fat.

6. Kill Time When Queueing

Whenever you find yourself standing in a queue, lift one foot off the floor and try to hold your balance.

You’ll feel the myriad muscles in your abdomen and back firing up to help to steady your body.

Be sure to alternate your feet.

7. Simple Back Stretch

For a simple, effective back stretch:

• Lie flat on your back
• Lift one knee to your chest, then the other, keeping your lower back on the floor
• Wrap your arms behind your knees, using them to support your legs and, if necessary, pulling them so that your bottom rises off the floor.
• Hold for 30 seconds, then release