Fit Tip Thursday: The Three-Minute Ultimate Core Workout

I have a simple rule when it comes to working the abs: Most people should spend no more than ten percent of their total workout time performing abdominal exercises. That's it. This means roughly six minutes spent sculpting the six-pack within an hour-long workout, three minutes for a thirty-minute session.

Just three minutes of core exercises performed several times a week can dramatically improve our core strength and function. Here is one example of a great core workout:

Spending ten to fifteen minutes or more performing endless crunches is simply an ineffective use of your workout time, time that could be much better spent strength training or burning calories through cardio. Ab exercises will not flatten the stomach – Healthy eating and burning excess abdominal body fat through cardio are the number one and number two most important factors in achieving flat abs. Ab exercises come a distant third and serve to sculpt, not flatten.

We also need to shift our focus away from simply having flat abs to the importance of having a strong core. One is for vanity alone while the other is for improving our quality of life. We also need to emphasize the quality of our core exercises rather than quantity and then strive for consistency with these sessions.

Want more health and fitness video tips just like this? Watch more Fit Tip Thursdays for great tips to help enhance your workouts.

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