Weekend Challenge: No-Crunch Abs Toner And Balance Booster

Did you know that you don’t have to do annoying crunches and sit-ups to strengthen your abs? This weekend’s challenge, the No-Crunch Abs Toner And Balance Booster, shows you how to effectively tone your core and back muscles to protect your spine and improve balance without lifting your shoulders off the floor.

I also share with you recent research that shows the benefits of core muscle exercises on balance, particularly in seniors. And that’s not all – certain foods can actually improve balance as well, so today’s challenge includes a delicious recipe rich in a balance-enhancing compound.

Why:

Strong core muscles are central for balance and posture, whether you’re moving, standing, or sitting still. But there’s even more to core muscle strength than balance.

Improved gait and motion are clear gains from having strong core muscles. If they are weak, then your arms and legs will do the lion’s share of the work when you walk, work in your garden, throw a ball, swing a tennis racket, and so forth. Strong core muscles kick in to share the load and allow for greater endurance and enjoyment.

Lower back pain can be caused by weak core muscles that don’t support the spine. As a result, the muscles of the lower back compensate for the lack of support by tightening. Such weakness puts you at risk for injury as well. When you exercise and stretch the core muscles, it improves flexibility, mobility, and protects the lumbar vertebrae.

Everyday tasks are safer when your core is strong. This ties in with balance, of course – so many daily tasks, from carrying groceries to reaching for a file in the office, involve balance and a strong core. Your core is where your center of gravity is found, and these are the muscles that “kick in” when you almost fall but keep yourself upright.

Posture is an important aspect of bone health, as Savers know. Being able to stand tall (and sit up straight) with your spine, shoulders, hips, and legs in alignment is crucial for staving off kyphosis (Dowager’s Hump) and vertebral deterioration. Proper posture also enhances deep breathing, which helps alkalize the body and promote bone renewal.

The No-Crunch Abs Toner offers all these benefits, plus when practiced regularly, it’ll give you toned abdominal muscles. Here’s how to do it.

How:

Use an exercise mat or carpeted floor for comfort.

1. Lie on your back with your hands at your sides.
2. Lift both legs to create an inverse “L” with your shins (your thighs will be almost perpendicular to the floor, and your lower legs at around a 45 degree angle from the floor).
3. Lower one leg slowly down, keeping it bent at the same angle, and gently tap the floor with your toes. Bring your leg back up to the starting position. Keep the non-moving leg in the inverted “L” position.
4. Repeat 10 to 20 times, making sure you don’t go beyond your comfort level.
5. Switch legs and repeat 10 to 20 times.

Study Shows Core Exercises Enhance Balance In Seniors

I’m sure you’re aware that balance is of utmost importance in avoiding falls that could result in a fracture (or fractures). So it makes sense that balance-enhancing exercises like the No-Crunch Abs Toner And Balance Booster would be included in a fracture-prevention program like Save Our Bones.

What’s so hopeful about this is that science clearly shows that seniors can improve their core strength and therefore their balance when they practice exercises like this regularly.

In the study, 32 seniors were assigned either to a control group or participated in regular, progressive core instability strength training (CIT) for nine weeks. The ability to balance was measured in both groups before and after the CIT.
Here’s the researchers’ inspiring conclusion:

“CIT proved to be a feasible exercise program for seniors with a high adherence rate. Age-related deficits in measures of trunk muscle strength, spinal mobility, dynamic balance and functional mobility can be mitigated by CIT.”¹

This is great news! Science proves that you won’t lose (or that you can regain) the youthful balance, trunk muscle strength and general functionality if you regularly practice targeted, core-strengthening exercises like today’s challenge. Just because you’re in a certain age group does not mean your body isn’t capable of responding to exercise with improved balance, posture, and strength.

It’s not just exercise that promotes excellent balance in all age groups. Balance has a neural component, too, and as you’ll learn next, certain foods contain a substance that prevents neural deterioration.

Resveratrol From Foods Improves Balance And Reduces The Risk Of Falls

Resveratrol-rich foods like blueberries, bilberries, red grapes, and cranberries decrease the incidence of neural cell death. This is the likely reason why, in a study involving mice, older mice improved their balance when fed blueberries to the point that their balance was on par with that of younger mice.

It’s important to note that raw foods are best to get the most resveratrol. According to a 2003 study, heating resveratrol-containing foods to a temperature of 190 degrees Celsius (374 degrees Fahrenheit) destroyed almost half the resveratrol in the food.²

So any dark-skinned fruits that have been baked, sautéed, boiled, etc. will not have nearly the resveratrol content of these same food raw.That’s why today’s recipe uses raw blueberries.

Try these scrumptious snack nibbles this weekend to enhance the effectiveness of the No-Crunch Abs Toner And Balance Booster.

What You Eat Before And After You Workout Accelerates Your Bone-Building Results

If you have the the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System, then you know that in addition to the 52 moves, it includes a free comprehensive Eating Guide. It explains in depth the nutrients you need before and after you exercise to maximize your bone-building results.

For example, prior to working out, it’s best to eat foods with a low glycemic load, so your blood sugar remains stable and you can maintain antioxidant levels (exercise increases the number of free radicals in your body).

The Densercise™ Eating Guide also reveals, among other things, which is the best protein to consume after you Densercise™, so you’ll have the building blocks your muscles need to prevent breakdown of muscle tissue and promote muscle protein synthesis.

Please let us know how the No-Crunch Abs Toner And Balance Enhancer works for you. Personally, I found it to be easy starting out, but as I continued I could really “feel the burn” in my abs…the perfect “balance” between simplicity and challenge!

Have a great weekend!

References:

¹ Granacher, Urs, et al. “Effects of Core Instability Strength Training on Trunk Muscle Strength, Spinal Mobility, Dynamic Balance and Functional Mobility in Older Adults.” Gerontology. 2013. 59(2): 105-13. Doi: 10.1159/000343152. Web. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232738271_Effects_of_Core_Instability_Strength_Training_on_Trunk_Muscle_Strength_Spinal_Mobility_Dynamic_Balance_and_Functional_Mobility_in_Older_Adults

² Lyons, M.M., et al. “Resveratrol in raw and baked blueberries and bilberries.” J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Sep 24;51(20):5867-70. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13129286