Unfortunately, you can’t just do hundreds of crunches every day and expect to have really awesome abdominal muscles. If you’re looking to strengthen your core then compound movements like squats, deadlifts and even the bench press (yes, really) require you to engage your core to correctly perform the movement.

If you’re looking to incorporate a little isolation training at the end of your workout, then the following core exercises are the best ones you can perform for your body!

1. Plank

The plank is a fantastic and beginner-friendly exercise for your abs that, when modified, can work every single abdominal muscle. Once you’ve progressed onto and are comfortable with a traditional plank, variations like side planks work the often-neglected external and internal obliques.

2. Cable Crunch

Exercising in the gym is built around the idea of progressive overload, where over time you lift heavier, run further or simply do more reps. It can be difficult to overload your abdominal muscles, primarily because they’re used to supporting your bodyweight all day long! This is where the cable crunch comes in – by adding weight you’re able to overload the muscles, resulting in growth.

3. Ab Wheel Rollout

Ab wheel rollouts are another exercise that has progressions from beginner all the way to advanced levels and can work all abdominal muscle groups through variations. Although this exercise can be a little demanding, if you stick with it you’ll gain additional benefits like stronger shoulders and increased lower body flexibility.

4. Bicycle Crunch

Aside from being one of the most effective core exercises in hitting your abs from all angles, it’s also one of the easiest to perform. People spend a lot of time sitting with hunched shoulders, which a basic crunch exaggerates. Alternatively, bicycle crunches require you to keep your lower back and shoulder blades on the floor, taking pressure off your back whilst still working your core!

5. L-Sit

Although they appear relatively easy, the l-sit requires strength, flexibility and control making them no walk in the park. This classic gymnastic move is considered by many to be the only core exercise you’ll ever need – and for good reason. Despite being a static hold, l-sits place a huge demand on your lower abs as well as strengthening your triceps and your shoulders.

With the exception of the bicycle crunch, all of the above core exercises have multiple progressions if you can’t perform the movement straight away. It might take a bit of grit and determination to get there, but in the end you know it’ll be worth it!

Cheers,

Andrew Pallett is a qualified personal trainer and fitness author. You can find more of his health and fitness articles on his website, Sometimes I Train.

I was non weight bearing in a cast, for those who know you loose muscle very quickly and my calf shrank. I remained non weight bearing for 10 weeks, virtually housebound and bored. I can quite easily say that I did a lot of orthopaedic research and found lots of stories on the Internet, all different and whilst I tried to work out how quickly I would recover and regain previous function I could not identify a clear pathway, what I did find was the plethora of rehabilitation equipment available to support recovery.

When my cast was removed I hoped that I would be walking normally, but my aspirations were dashed due to pain, weakness and loss of muscle. I was using 2 crutches initially, and struggled with walking any distance.

I was lucky to have good physiotherapy support and following their advice obtained some equipment from 66fit, the aim being to restore strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. We know that ankles are exposed to many stresses, we often stand for hours daily and when running our ankles are subjected to four times our body weight, therefore we can not ignore the importance of maintaining ankle stability so that we can reduce the risk of injury. The use of this equipment is not only supporting my rehabilitation and recovery but also providing me the the tools I require to reduce the risks of future injury.

One of my initial regimes was regular foam rolling with a hard foam roller, this enabled me to work on my soft tissue by gentle sustained pressure to eliminate pain and restore motion, this helped my muscles recover from the work they were doing. This treatment is supported by the 8cm soft spiky massage balls which I use on my feet to relive muscle tension trigger points. These are really handy and can be transported in your handbag. I even take them into the office and use them during the day to help reduce pain and discomfort.

The 66fit trampoline is sturdy and able to take the pressure off my joints whilst exercising on it, it can be safely used indoors and is easily taken down by removal of the legs, then can be stored flat.  I have found that this not only supports my ankle recovery but is assisting with my cardiovascular health as I would be unable to run without it flexibility and cushioning. The spring protector fully covers the springs hooks and frame and provides protection from any injury.

The balance pods are made from plastic and are of good quality, I did order 1 set but should have got 2 to assist with balance pod walking vary the instability level. They are really easy to move and store, versatile and great to use for any fitness level. They have a sticky surface and best used on hard floors such as vinyl or wood.

The 66fit balance core trainer assists in improving proprioception, it’s  easy to inflate and to date has not required any additional air. This has helped me improve my ankle stability and function by challenging my ankle on an unstable surface with the aim of developing better ankle control. This is not only useful for post injury but also we know that ankle stability is important for everyday functions and training it can reduce the risk of injury. The balance core trainer can be used on either side and there are many exercises you can do on it, the dome remains inflated but if any air loss noted it’s easy to reintroduce. The unstable surface forces your ankle to work the whole time your standing on it.

There is a wide range of rehabilitation equipment available from 66fit, the equipment is good value for money and of high quality.

Functionally I’m improving and using the equipment daily, without it I would not be progressing as quickly as I am. For those who have had injuries having the correct equipment at home supports recovery.

So we are back with another exclusive interview this time with Annie Foulds who is applying her knowledge of health & fitness across London and the web with Sweaty Betty getting people into the shape of their life’s!

1) Can you tell the 4everfitness readers a little more about what you do?

First and foremost I am a Mother of two boys (Jack and Harry), I work as an Advanced Personal Trainer/ Running Coach and have been in the  fitness industry for over 20 years gaining my experience in dance (14 years), athletics (County level) and fitness competitions (Miss Galaxy), I am currently  studying for a BSc in Psychology. Working in this industry has lead to me being an Ambassador for Sweaty Betty and Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. In my spare time I like to run taking part in Marathons for over 13 years and more recently Ultra Marathons for the last 3 years.

2) Some of our readers are at college studying to be a personal trainer can you explain a typical day in your life as an trainer?

A typical day for me starts very early at 5.30 am. Shower, followed by a quick breakfast of fruit and cereal. Then dress and out of the door by 5.50 am for  my first session at 6am – 7am. I have eight clients a day and l leave 15 – 30 minutes max  travel time between each one, therefore making my day about 14 hours long. Some days are shorter, but generally I sit down at home at 8.30pm.  I don’t have a long break for lunch. So I prepare good healthy snacks (nuts and fruit) to eat in between sessions and bottled water. Lunch roughly works out at around 2pm or 3pm.

I am a mother too – so I make sure I have time to collect my son from school at 4.30pm – 6pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays then I return to work for an evening sessions at 6pm or 7pm.  Mondays and Fridays are fully packed through until home time.  My daily sessions vary from running, kickboxing, Pilates, conditioning and dance sessions. Some days I can have three running sessions back to back. So, I feel very fortunate that my main hobby is running marathons. As my sessions are so varied, I make sure my training bag is packed with new outfits the night before, as I could have up to five changes in one day.

3) How do you manage your own fitness along side working to get others fit?

I manage my own fitness by being very strict on myself. If I have a gap in my day – I will make sure I go off for a run. I try and run at least for an hour about five times during the week, obviously, if I am really short on time, I just do what I can and run harder and faster. Maybe find a hill or add in some stairs.  I always do a long run on Sundays – because I love it and it is a really great  way to make sure I am keeping up my mileage. I think conditioning is very important too – so I try and add my own conditioning sessions in twice a week. I use my own body weight so I do this at home.

4) What is it like competing in an ultramarthon in desert conditions?

To compete in the 100km Del Sahara was an amazing athletic adventure and one of self discovery.  It was extremely challenging both psychologically and physically. Ten days thousands of miles away, four days of constant running in the Sahara. This was my first ever Sahara race, let alone Ultra distance. I was worried about the possibility of falling ill at any time or during the race. As I have never ran for four days consecutively before let alone in the Sahara desert. Carrying my food and supplies during the day and trying to sleep in very cold conditions at night. We even had one night run, which was an amazing experience.

We were all assigned tent numbers, we had six people in each tent.  It was a very international field, but luckily I meant the other Brits and some wonderful guys from Iceland. Our living conditions were very basic. No loos or hot water. So if you dared take off your several layers to wash it was in cold water in the middles of the desert.

We also suffered gales at night – so it was very cold and half the tents were blown away. Running along the sand dunes was an amazing experience. I quickly learned a special technique – running along the side and across the top of the sand dune was the best way to assure you didn’t get stuck half way up. Some of the other competitors had been before and I quickly followed their style and pathways. I also picked up tips on how to save my feet from being totally covered in blisters. Great fitting socks, gaiters and light shoes – are a must! The organisations was fantastic and I felt safe the whole time. During the day we ran hard and in the evening we chatted and danced to drums near a burning fire.  This was my schedule.

• Monday

• Wake up at 7.30 am, breakfast in the Hotel and transfer to Ksar Ghilane by bus for the opening ceremon
• Arrival in the oasis, accommodation in the tent camp equipped with common rest rooms and showers
• Lunch at the camp with local food specialities
• 3.00 pm opening of the shop “merchandising 100 km del Sahara”
• 5.00 pm designation of race bib numbers and assignment of tent groups, 6 people per tent
• Dinner made by the Zitoway staff and overnight stay in the tent of the oasis

• Tuesday, – 1st leg 23km

• 06:30 am – Wake up and breakfast
• Start of walkers at 7.30 am
• Start of the 1st leg at 8.30 am
• Lunch (open) at the camp start from 1.00 pm, accommodation in the Berber tents, relax in the afternoon
• Dinner in the camp and overnight stay

• Wednesday, 2nd and 3rd stage 26km + 9km (night stage)

• 7.00 am breakfast and baggage delivery
• 7.30 am start of walkers
• 8.30 am start of the 2nd leg
• Arrival at the camp, open lunch, relax in the afternoon
• 7.00 pm dinner at the camp
• 9.00 pm start of the night leg
• Overnight at the camp

• Thursday, 4th stage marathon 42km

• 6.00 am breakfast and baggage delivery
• 6.30 am start of walkers
• 7.00 am start of the 1st group
• 8.00 am start of the 2nd group
• 9.00 am start of the 3rd group
• Arrival at the Hotel****Sahara Douz, end of the race
• Lunch by the hotel restaurant
• Relax in the afternoon

• Friday

• Wake up and breakfast
• Transfer to Djerba, lunch at the hotel
• Afternoon in relax by the pool
• 8.00 pm dinner in the hotel and slide show of the race
• Overnight in hotel

• Saturday

• Wake up and breakfast
• Transfer to the Airport of Djerba, on the way free lunch
• After lunch transfer in airport for the flight back

5) How hard was your prep this run?

Although, I had been running marathon for 10 years – I wanted to train specifically for the event. Therefore,  I hired an professional coach, Susan Nowell. She had actually won the event – so I knew was in excellent hands.  We became great friends and hope to do many more events together.  The training was concentrated on building strength in my ankles particularly and balance. I already did a lot of ab  and condition work -but I had to make the training more  appropriate. I ran six days a week to the demands I would be putting on myself through in the Sahara. Obviously, I built up to this level of fitness and mentally strength.  15, 7, 19, 40, 20ks = 101km  was the target for my training schedule. I had to  get myself use to the same distances I would be facing in the Sahara.  I also did a lot of cross training on easy days or rest days – heart no higher than 150.  You still work pretty hard at that level – believe me.  The great thing for me was to have Susan there to discuss any difficulties and anxieties before the event via Skype, as Susan was living in Italy at the time. Susan was there to meet me and another athlete from the States in Paris and it was such a relief to have her alongside and at the end of every race.  She is a top physio, so she was there for the aches and pains afterwards and so re-assure that all was fine. My total mileage topped one hundred miles in one week leading up to the event. However, I began to find that the easiest part of the training. It was the hill and leg work that I found the hardest.

6) Explain a typical day in your diet?

My typical breakfast is half a banana, white Americano and granola with honey and milk at 5:35 AM at about 10:30  at 10:30 I will have a handful of nuts and Apple with another half a banana. About 2 to 3 I will have the salmon salad from Pret, or Salmon and veggies at home. At around 5:30 or it could vary to 8.30 pm  I will have a fish (cod) and  vegetables with juice and I will probably have some walnuts. In between my meals I will drink at least 2 litres of water.

7) What’s your favorite type of exercise ?

My favorite type of exercise is to dance, honestly, but I also love to run for about an hour. I am a natural free spirited person – I love getting out and about.

8) What supplements do you use?

I don’t use supplementation really. Just  Vitamin C and Zinc. I use gels when I am running a marathon.

9) What’s been the biggest eye opener in the health and fitness industry for you in the last few years?

The biggest eye opener for me is literally the increase in  the amount all trainers, and how the industry itself has taken off over the last 10 years  in the UK. I am delighted that sport as become a recognised profession of quality. I have always been into sports which has led me to feel I’ve been training my whole life because of this. The new things come and go but the fundamentals always remain in industry. For me – wellbeing is important – everyone should be active – it make you feel great!

10) Finally what would be your top 4 tips for anyone wanting to make improvements to their health & wellbeing in 2015?

1. Set small goals
2. Be realistic
3. There are no quick fixes – make changes that are life long
4. Be consistent

Thank you.
Best regards,

Annie Foulds
+44 (0) 7885 140751

http://facebook.com/Foulds007

www.anniefouldspersonaltrainer.com

Do you feel lethargic as soon as winter hits? Are you constantly thinking about your bed and finding it hard to concentrate on simple, everyday tasks? Well, you’re not alone, seasonal tiredness and Seasonal Affective Disorder is now recognised as a common disorder, affecting up to 10% of some parts of the US. Winter tiredness is mainly caused by the reduced sunlight hours and the consequent reduction in melatonin, the ‘sleep hormone’. This promotes sleep disruption and upsets the normal balance of metabolism and your internal body clock. If you feel particularly fatigued or sluggish during the winter months these tips can help restore some order to your daily rhythm. If this can’t help you, private clinics such as Blossoms Healthcare and the NHS carry out wellbeing check-ups to assess your health conditions.

1. Maximise Sunlight Exposure

For some, an early start and late finish to the day means completely missing the sun in the morning and evenings. If this is the case for you, avoid staying indoors with artificial light during the office hours and try to make the extra effort to go for a walk on your lunch break. Even on dreary, overcast days the UV rays from the sun still get to you.

2. Maximise Vitamin D Intake

Vitamin D is synthesised in the skin with the help of UV rays from the sun, therefore, if your sunlight hours are really at a minimum, you may be lacking vital vitamin D. Make sure your aim to get as much dietary vitamin D as you can by eating lots of oily fish, eggs and meat. Supplements are also advised to ensure your levels are kept to a maximum.

3. Stick to a sleep schedule

When you set a sleep routine and make sure you get up as well as go to bed at similar times, your body begins to adjust to these sleep movements. It will take some time, but soon you will naturally begin to wind down as it nears bed time and wake easier in the mornings. This will make the early morning wake up a much better experience and you won’t feel like you’re being torn away from your favourite spot in the bed.

4. Maintain an active lifestyle

Sitting at a desk 8 hours a day is unavoidable in some jobs, but be sure to break up the length of time you’re sat at your desk. Make sure you get up and go out for a lunch break. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Use the toilets on the floor below or even just keep a water bottle at the end of the room. Little breaks will not only help with concentration and productivity, but it will also keep the mind and body active and prevent it from drifting off into the land of nod.

5. Avoid high sugary foods and drinks

For some a can of Red Bull is as vital to their day as breakfast. But these sugar-filled drinks might give you an initial boost, but it will bring you down as rapidly as it brought you up. Natural sugars in fruit and vegetables taken in the form of light snacks between meals will keep your energy levels high as well as keep your hunger at bay.

Thanks,

There are countless excuses for skipping the gym classes. When you exercise at home, however, you can no longer complain about getting hungry, about missing your favorite TV show or fear that other people will point finger at you because of your weight problem. Also, if you are the super-busy type you will realize it can take only 20 minutes to go through a good workout session, without wasting time on getting from one place to another, getting equipped, preparing for the gym and so on. Here you will find ideas for small and big homes and tips on how to get a beneficial workout.

The Easy Slimming Solutions for Small Interiors

If your house is not too generous in terms of available room, you can include in your home gym arsenal some of the smaller but very efficient devices. Kettlebells are like small bowling balls with handles, used for fast trimming and toning. They help burn many calories, up to 20 a minute, which is quite a joy to the overweight. Swinging kettlebells works the big muscle groups. You may add a jumping rope, suspension nylon straps, cheap weights and so on. You can use your couch, armchair, table or chair edge as a handrail for barre work. This is what dancers frequently do, and they sculpt their body to look tones and lean. Many exercise studios feature handrails. Get a fitness mat that you can roll and unroll easily, it will be great for yoga as well as for many exercises that you will learn online.

Ideas for the Bigger Homes and for More Efficient Workout

Using home furniture such as chairs and couches for your home workout is an effective solution, but it can take much of your time, as you will mostly be training one group of muscles at a time. To ensure a better strength training and a less time consuming workout, you can invest in various devices that work for you. The good news is that, after you have tested these at a gym, you can have them in your home through a hire service. For starters, it is the easiest to hire exercise bike, as this will ensure the basic part of a workout routine, the cardio. When you have a bike at home and pedal away, time flies and you will have completed one training round more quickly. As this cardio routine I set, you will have to enrich your training through complex exercises that focus on building the muscular mass. For really complex sessions, you may hire a rower. These ensure that your entire body gets a workout, as you use your legs, arms and the big muscle groups in between. It will burn calories effectively and will also improve posture. Fitness balls and treadmills are also available to hire if you have enough room for them.

As you plan which equipment to hire, think of your fitness goals and choose accordingly. Cycle the exercise types and, if you get one or two pieces of big equipment, don’t forget the small ones. Diversity is something to look for. A home gym will help you reach your fitness goals much quicker.

Thanks for reading and stay healthy!

We believe that social media plays a vital role within any organisation, which is why 4Ever Fitness are on Twitter and Facebook! We speak with people on a daily basis about what we are doing or what they have planned in the coming weeks. We always post and tweet our articles once they have been written and we encourage you all to re-tweet or comment on them.

Thanks again for the support,