Build Your Core to Build Lean Muscle

Overall body strength begins with a solid and strong core, but what do you need to do to build and develop that solid core? You could go to a gym and try a variety of trendy workouts designed to develop core training, but the simplest solution is easy and starts at home. There are really three tried and true core exercises that provide the heart of training; one that works your abs and obliques, one that develops leg strength, and one that develops upper body and back strength – and I’m sure that you’ve heard of them all. To develop your core, you need to do sit-ups (or crunches), squats and pull-ups. These three exercises that are a part of every middle school gym class are all you need to know.

Sit-ups (or crunches) are an amazing abdominal exercise that you can do just about everywhere. I know they seem bland compared to fancy ab routines, but they are still around because they work. They develop core muscles that are needed in almost every other sport or activity. Sit-ups also develop muscles for posture and spending time working sit-ups helps you in just about any other activity you can imagine, from walking
and running to strength training. Sit-ups are the exercise that develops your midsection.

Next up are squats, and like sit-ups, these are the generic core exercise that never goes away. The main emphasis of the exercise is on the quadriceps and the glutes, but it also involves the hamstrings, the calves and the lower back. Not surprisingly, the squat has the potential for bigger and faster muscle growth than many other exercises. Spending a short amount of time each day will develop your lower body and leg strength faster than any other exercise you can imagine.

Pull-ups (or chin-ups) will round out the three exercises to develop your core by giving you the best upper body workout for strength training. Again, these are exercises that never seem to go out of fashion – because they work. Pull-ups focus on the triceps, deltoids and large muscles in the back, and chin-ups put focus on the biceps and pectoral muscles.

To maximize your core training on these three exercises, I recommend drinking a post-workout whey protein supplement. These might seem like simple exercises, but push yourself do to pull-ups until exhaustion and you’ll feel like you’ve been urn over with a truck. The protein supplement will help deal with that soreness by providing your body with the nutrients and building blocks necessary to repair the damage caused by the exercises. Whey protein also promotes the development and growth of lean and strong muscle. This will help provide a solid and toned core to serve as foundation for further strength training or exercise.

Note on Variations: there are many variations of each of these exercises, and most of the variations are worth doing. Before jumping into them, make sure you can do a reasonable amount of reps in the simple exercises; the variations are designed to target smaller less-used muscles. The standard exercises target the larger muscles, and before you can develop the less-used ones, make sure the larger ones are up to the task.

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