To work your core you need to work your stomach muscles and your back. This will help you tone these large muscles and get them burning fat for your whole body. In the end you will get a leaner body that is looking the way you desire.

Engage Abs

When you are working your core you need to feel your abs working. This is called engaging your abs. When you feel your muscles tighten then you know they are working. Some ab exercises actually stem from simply engaging the abs. Just holding these muscles in a flexed manner helps build them up.

The Plank

Fitness experts swear by the plank. The plank is an exercise that fully engages the core. To do the exercise you have to use all of your abdominal muscles and back muscles to hold the position and form of the exercise.

To do the plank you will get into the position you would for a push up. Instead of holding your body up on your hands you will drop your arms so your forearms are on the ground and parallel to each other. This is the plank position. You simply hold this position for the exercise.

It may seem easy but once you get into the plank you will how difficult it is.

Best Routine

The best routine to really work the core is a combination of the plank and different types of crunches.

Start by holding the plank for 90 seconds.

Then do 30 seconds of regular crunches.

Do the plank again for 60 seconds.

Do 30 seconds of reverse crunches.

Hold the plank for 30 seconds.

Do 30 seconds of side crunches.

Hold the plank for 30 seconds to finish.

You should also add in some aerobic work. Do your core workout three times a week with at least one day rest in between workouts. You could do the core routine on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and do your aerobic workout on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with a day of rest on Sunday. Do whatever works for you but having that day of rest between core workouts is important so your body can heal and build muscle.