Core Exercises For Men

By: Nina St. John

Break Studios Contributing Writer

The core exercises for men outlined below focus on that all important midsection. This is the area that holds up everything else, including your back. An aching back is oftentimes the result of the lack of a strong abdominal wall to support the back. Thus, core exercises for men take it to the house with attention given to the lower back, the abdominal section and your hips. Looking good is merely icing on the cake.

  1. Plank Hold: This one of the core exercises for men is a pretty traditional workout. Various exercises can be executed from the plank position. For this one, rest on your forearms in a plank position. Keep your body parallel to the floor and your abdominal muscles contracted. Keep your weight on your toes and forearms. Hold this for about 45 seconds or more. Hold that spine up!
  2. Burpee: Crouch down and place your hands on the floor. Throw your legs back into a plank. Do a push up, then return to the crouched position. Jump back up to a standing position. Repeat. This is one of those core exercises for men that will make you feel like you're in boot camp. Keep at it, you'll get swifter as time goes by.
  3. Overhead Squats: These are done with barbells. You raise the barbell over your head as far as it can go, and lunge forward with one leg. You can also simply squat down. Although, the word 'simply' might be misleading. The form is simple, but the execution is a challenge with this one of the core exercises for men. It's a challenge you're ready to take on. Do about three sets of ten repetitions. Feel good.
  4. Suitcase Squats: This one of the core exercises for men is done with a barbell in one hand. You do a leg squat as if you were setting the barbell down while keeping your back straight. Do this on each side with about three repetitions of ten.
  5. Plate Raises: This is done with a weight plate held at hip level and your knees slightly bent. Ease the weight plate up and out until it reaches shoulder level, then lower it again. This one of the core exercises for men can also be performed using toddlers instead of plate weights. Play with the kids, and get your core ripped. Life is good.
Posted on: Feb. 22, 2011