Firstly, if you’ve had that “I’m doing sit ups every morning” feeling this week to compensate for the weekend, it’s time to reassess your choice and look to build a stronger core long term.

Our core muscles are the foundation block for movement. It’s our central pillar that provides a connection between the upper and lower body. If that pillar is strong, energy is transferred efficiently during movement, we have greater balance and stability, better posture, and fewer injuries. However, if that pillar is weak, energy will be lost, our movement breaks down and injury risk increases. Not only is a strong core key to getting results in the gym, but it is important for activities of daily living, for long term health and a high quality of life.

Sit ups and crunches are often go to core exercises, but there are far better choices out there to bulletproof your core. A great way is to master the ‘anti’ exercises – anti extension, anti lateral flexion and anti rotation. Anti extension exercises help prevent excessive arching of the lower back, anti lateral flexion helps prevent the spine from bending to one side during movement and anti rotation helps prevent rotation through the spine and the hips.

Why not try a combination of these anti core exercises, aim for four sets of each circuit, with 30 seconds rest between each set.