Ab and core workouts

Exercise equipment: a piece of machinery that is best at collecting dust and often used for decorative purposes only.

If that's your definition of exercise equipment, you're not alone. People go out and waste thousands of dollars on treadmills, ellipticals, and weight machines and rarely (if ever) actually use them. You don't need exercise equipment to get a good workout - especially if you're just starting out!

Before you do anything else to build your muscles, you need to start with your core. That includes your stomach (abdominals), your lower sides (obliques) and lower back, and your bottom (glutes); without strength in those areas, you'll have a difficult time building up in other places.

You should work out your core areas several times a week; shoot for three or four times for each group. Every group needs time to recover, so don't work them out on back-to-back days. By breaking it up and having a little variety, you're also more likely to enjoy your workouts. You don't want to feel like you're in a rut, because that will kill your motivation. Start small...read full story