HOW TO TURN YOUR WALK INTO AN AB TONER?

You will have noticed, while out on your walks, there are more people out pounding the bush tracks and pavement. 

Our Rancan Sisters Fitness 5km a Day Challenge creates the habit and helps you stick to your New Year plan.

Walking is the unsung fitness hero, because it connects you with nature, it clears brain fog, it gives you a burst of energy and all you need is a pair of running shoes. 

In order to get the most out of your walk and turn it into an ab-toning workout, it's important to focus on engaging your muscles in your core, both before and during your walk.  

During your walk, you're typically targeting your glutes, quads and thighs.  When you simultaneously engage your core, you stabilise your spine, which allows you to pick up your pace. 

The core is much more than just your abdominals......

Your core is what keeps your body stable during any movement or exercise, and it includes dozens of muscles both in the front and back of your abdominal area, around your hips, pelvis and lower back. 

Engaging your core means you've tightened the muscles in the midsection.  Imagine somebody trying to lightly push you....if your core is activated, your body would barely move, and you would remain upright.  If it's not you would tilt or fall to the side. 

How do you get the core firing? Do these exercises before and after your walk (see diagrams above)

1. FOREARM PLANK: Get down on the ground on your elbows and toes, with your body completely straight. Have your elbows directly below your shoulders and hands in line with your elbows.  Hold the plank for 1 minute without dropping your hips.  The sign of your strong core is if you can hold the plank for 2 minutes or more with good form.  Another variation is supporting yourself on your hands  instead of the elbows. 
   
2. WINDSHIELD WIPER: Lie on the ground on the back, spread your arms to the sides in a T-position, pushing your palms to the ground.  Lift your legs, bend at the knees.  Let the legs slowly drop to the right side until you almost touch the ground.  Don't relax completely, lift the legs back up using your core.  Arms and shoulders should stay on the ground at all times. 20 Repetitions.
   
3. BICYCLE: Lie on your back with straight legs and hands supporting your head.   Lift your feet slightly off the ground and keep them in the air during the entire set.  Bend the left leg and bring the knee towards your chest, while crunching and twisting your upper body to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.  Touch them together while extending your right leg forward close to the ground but not touching.  Hold the contraction for one second.  Then switch sides to touch the right knee and left elbow.  Perform the movement slowly and controlled.  Always push the lower back into the ground.  Start with 20 repetitions and work yourself up to 100.
4. PLANK WITH A HIP TWIST:
   Get into plank position on the forearms.  Twist your hips to the left and gently touch the ground.  Make sure both your elbows remain on the ground at all times.  Return to the middle position.  Twist to the other side.  Repeat 20X.