Hey Ladies! The holiday season is over, and it is time to seriously consider your workout routine for the spring/summer season. We asked Laura Williamson, personal fitness trainer at the Sportsclub/LA Boston, to create a fabulous core workout for those sexy summer abs. This is a 5 part series, so stay tuned! Enjoy.

Power House to Brick House

Every house must be built on a solid foundation.  How solid is your power house?  You might ask what is a power house?   Your power house is indeed your foundation.  The power house is also known as neutral spine, the core and deeper abdominal muscles.  There are many names, but let’s keep things simple.  The power house is what supports us standing upright and keeps us balanced throughout activity and movement.  More importantly it is the area that most of us are always aiming to improve.  Developing a strong power house will help you lose belly fat and obtain flatter and stronger abdominals.

Exercise 1:

Single Leg Stretch

Goal: Strengthen upper and lower abdominals

How to Do It:

1. Lie on back

2. Pull knees into chest

3. Hold below right knee with left hand and hold right ankle with right hand

4. Extend left leg to 45 degrees

5. Lift head up

6. Lengthen neck forward looking past the belly button

7. Change legs and hands pulling in left leg

Repeat

Do 5-10 sets.

Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Do not arch in spine
2. Press ribcage in the floor
3. Keep abdominals contracted
4. Tighten bottom

NOTE:  If your back continues to arch during the exercise lift the legs higher they may be too close to the floor.