Forge An Iron Core
Washboard ABS turn heads, but for many guys the dividends stop there. "That's because they train their abs in isolation instead of thinking about how they're meant to be used — as stabilizers" says Budd Coates, fitness director at Men's Health's parent company, Rodale.
So Coates developed the CoreSlider, a pair of hand paddles that glide easily across any surface, forcing every muscle in your torso to work in synchrony to stabilize your body.
The result: a killer six-pack that also provides real-world power. The CoreSlider creates "an excellent shoulder workout, too." says Coates, a 2:13 marathoner who regularly does the following routine to build a stronger, more balanced body.
The gym isn't the only place you can throw your body out of whack. Slumping over a keyboard all day can do a pretty good job of that as well, says David Jack, director of Teamworks Fitness in Massachusetts.
Detect upper-body imbalances with the wall slide. "If you can't perform it with a full range of motion, that's a sign of a weak back and tight chest muscles," says Jack.
HOW TO DO IT: Stand 6 inches from a wall and lean your head, upper back, and butt against it.
Place your hands and arms against the wall in high-five positions, your elbows bent 90 degrees and upper arms at shoulder height.
Keeping your elbows, forearms, and hands pressed into the wall, pull your elbows as far down toward your sides as possible. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Pause, and then slide your arms up the wall as high as you can to form a Y.
THE NEXT STEP: Didn't pass the test? No problem. Do 12 reps up to 3 times a day to improve your posture and shoulder function. (Stop if your shoulders hurt, and see a doctor before resuming the exercise.)
Also, in order to bolster your back and balance your body, add more pulling moves (pull-ups or rows, for example) to your workouts.
WITH YOUR BUSY LIFE, finding time to hit the gym can feel like a minor victory. But when it comes to lifting, you might be 4 reps away from ruin.
"Many popular moves are also the most dangerous," says Nick Tumminello, director of Performance University in Fort Lauderdale. "Others are just ineffective."
Odds are that your workouts are riddled with both. Here are four moves to purge now and four replacements to put you back on track.
Resources for Bodybuilders:
So Coates developed the CoreSlider, a pair of hand paddles that glide easily across any surface, forcing every muscle in your torso to work in synchrony to stabilize your body.
The result: a killer six-pack that also provides real-world power. The CoreSlider creates "an excellent shoulder workout, too." says Coates, a 2:13 marathoner who regularly does the following routine to build a stronger, more balanced body.
The gym isn't the only place you can throw your body out of whack. Slumping over a keyboard all day can do a pretty good job of that as well, says David Jack, director of Teamworks Fitness in Massachusetts.
Detect upper-body imbalances with the wall slide. "If you can't perform it with a full range of motion, that's a sign of a weak back and tight chest muscles," says Jack.
HOW TO DO IT: Stand 6 inches from a wall and lean your head, upper back, and butt against it.
Place your hands and arms against the wall in high-five positions, your elbows bent 90 degrees and upper arms at shoulder height.
Keeping your elbows, forearms, and hands pressed into the wall, pull your elbows as far down toward your sides as possible. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Pause, and then slide your arms up the wall as high as you can to form a Y.
THE NEXT STEP: Didn't pass the test? No problem. Do 12 reps up to 3 times a day to improve your posture and shoulder function. (Stop if your shoulders hurt, and see a doctor before resuming the exercise.)
Also, in order to bolster your back and balance your body, add more pulling moves (pull-ups or rows, for example) to your workouts.
WITH YOUR BUSY LIFE, finding time to hit the gym can feel like a minor victory. But when it comes to lifting, you might be 4 reps away from ruin.
"Many popular moves are also the most dangerous," says Nick Tumminello, director of Performance University in Fort Lauderdale. "Others are just ineffective."
Odds are that your workouts are riddled with both. Here are four moves to purge now and four replacements to put you back on track.
Resources for Bodybuilders: