When you are self-employed, it is easy to get so caught up in work that fitness falls by the wayside. However, a strong, fit body is an essential part of a strong business. Doing core exercises regularly helps to create a strong foundation for all your private and professional activities.
If you’ve got a heavy workload, it’s tempting to make sport the first thing you strike off your to-do list. After a tough day, rolling out your yoga mat to do a few little exercises seems like an impossible task. However, it’s worth taking the time to take care of your body. You are not going to perform well as a business owner if you are unfit, unwell, or in pain.
Why should I do core exercises?
Cardio (e.g. running, cycling, swimming, tennis, rollerblading) is an essential part of keeping fit. But doing core exercises brings benefits for all kinds of activities. They don’t just boost your ability in other sports – they also help you to perform a range of everyday activities like carrying the shopping home or playing with your kids. The core muscles include the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques. They wrap around your middle like a corset and support your spine, spinal cord (and therefore the central nervous system) and internal organs.
Everybody wants six-pack abs, right? In truth, having the “washboard” look is only one part of core health. To have a truly strong core, you should do exercises that target the deep muscles and build core stability as well as those that target core strength. Doing core exercises regularly will help to protect you against injury, help to alleviate existing pain, and improve your quality of life.
The best core workouts
These exercises take a maximum of 25 minutes and are easy to fit into your day. Done regularly, they can be the first step towards improved core strength, mobility, and performance – personally and professionally!
Total core exercises
- Heather Robertson (25 minutes) – core strength workout, no repeats
2. MadFit (22 minutes) – total core workout, no equipment
Ashley Conrad (10 minutes) – core exercises circuit
Plank workouts
Planking is one of the best exercises to do if you want to stabilise your core. Working the abs, back, chest, arms and legs, planks are great for building all-round core stability and improving posture. Here’s a couple of workouts to try:
- BowFlex 3-minute plank challenge
For the advanced (or the true masochists)…
2. Pamela Reif 7-minute plank challenge
