Banish “Paunch Belly” With This Cool Kettlebell Core Exercise

http://www.theshapeshifterblog.com/banish-paunch-belly-with-this-cool-kettlebell-core-exercise/

We’ve got a great core exercise for you today. All you need is a kettlebell to do it.

But before we get started, we should talk about what exactly IS your core? And why should you care?

The “core” is often confused with the “abs.” Many people think they’re the same, but your abdominal muscles are actually part of your core. You can think of your core as everything from about mid-thigh all the way up to the top of your rib cage in the front, and up to your shoulder blades in back.

This region encompasses the abs, the lower body muscles that attach to the hip, the low back muscles and the scapular muscles. You could also refer to this vast symphony of muscle as the trunk or the torso.

But why is it so important?

Your core is the “nexus” for pretty much every movement in your body. Force created by any of your limbs is either transferred through or rooted by your core. And if your core’s not functioning properly, every movement you make will be like trying to shoot a Tomahawk missile from a rowboat!

To really understand core function you’d have to extend your examination down to the glute muscles and up to the region of the shoulder blades. But today we’re focusing exclusively on the abdomen and low back.

What are your “core” muscles?

To simplify things, it’s easiest to divide the core into two categories of muscle based on function. We’ll put one group into the stabilizer category and the rest will go into the mover category.

The movers are the muscles everyone talks about. They’re the six pack. The ones that are visible when you drop enough body fat and do enough abs training:

• Rectus Abdominis
• External Oblique
• Internal Oblique

The stabilizers are often less well known, despite the fact that they play a vital role in your health, your risk of injury and even your appearance. Yeah, that’s right. Your core stabilizers can make you look better naked—no matter how much body fat you’re carrying.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the paunch belly, right? You might even know someone with a drooping lower belly that never seems to go away, no matter how much weight they lose or how much “abs” training they do.

Well, it’s not going away because they’re ignoring the stabilizers—specifically the TVA (Transversus Abdominis). The TVA is like a weight belt that wraps around your entire midsection. If the TVA is not functioning properly, your stomach’s gonna sag. And that’s one of the biggest culprits behind the paunch belly!

Here are some of the other muscles that make up your core stabilizers:

• TVA
• Multifidus (runs along the lower spine)
• Pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragm (breathing muscle below your lungs)

And that brings us to today’s exercise: the Kettlebell Halo.

This one’s great for activating the TVA to stabilize your core during the entire movement. But you have to follow the cues and make sure you’re doing it right to get the full benefit of the exercise.

The Kettlebell Halo is also great for stimulating the Rectus Abdominis, which runs down the middle of your midriff—the famous 6 pack muscle.

Have a look at the video, and then we’ll run through some of the main coaching cues.

Here are a few take-home reminders:

• Start with your elbows tucked close to your body
• Hold the kettlebell in a Goblet Squat position, but with the weight upside down
• Untuck one elbow and drive the kettlebell over that same shoulder
• Circle the kettlebell behind your neck as you untuck the other elbow
• Make sure your core stays tight, with belly button slightly drawn in
• Low back stays neutral—no arching
• Glutes stay tight to help stabilize the core
• Continue the kettlebell movement through to the other side
• Tuck the elbow into your side as the kettlebell clears your shoulder
• Draw the other elbow into a tight and tucked “rack” position

You can also try this movement with a dumbbell or weight plate, but we prefer the kettlebell. The kettlebell has much better ergonomics for this move—it fits the grip and movement pattern quite naturally. Also, because it has a shifted centre of mass you’ll get much better core activation, which is the name of the game in this exercise.

What about you? Have you tried this exercise? Do you have your own favourite “core” exercise you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments section.