IncreaseYour Athletic Performance

  "I play basketball three times a week. Do I really need to work my abs too?"

  This is an all too common question to trainers, coaches and sports medicine specialists and the answer is always the same - "You bet you do!"

  Sports are exercise specific and each sport works your body in a particular and unique way that every fiber in your body adapts to in time.

  Let us look at basketball for a minute.

  NBA players are incredibly fit. Their sport demands intense and constant cardio output as well as taxing movements like jumping and taking shots. They make it look easy, even the fluid movement of the Slam Dunk looks effortless.

  Basketball is an excellent all over exercise. The cardio aspect is a great work out for the heart and burns a ton of calories. It works both halves of the body at once. Leg muscles do the majority of the work with the upper body assisting with momentum while running and jumping. Shooting is upper body, shoulders, chest and arms all get a solid workout.

  But what are the abs doing throughout the game?

  Considering the intensity of basketball, abdominals do not get the workout you would expect. The obliques, the abdominal muscles on the sides that assist in turning and twisting, are the hardest working muscles in the group as basketball definitely involves a lot of side to side and twisting movement. They flex to help support the back and to take the brunt of any impact that may happen. The jump shot requires the abdominals to contract and engage but how many opportunities does a player get to take one per game?

  Even though basketball is one of the best sports for an all around workout, the abs are barely used and there is another important aspect to consider - to improve, all muscles need to be challenged. Without increasing the intensity of the workout, your body will adapt to that level and remain there.

  An easy example of this is weight lifting. Once the specific exercise stops challenging the muscles, more weight is loaded onto the bar until that is no longer difficult and again an increase is necessary.

  But let's go back to basketball for a minute.

  A beginner will see the increases of strength, endurance and tone in leaps and bounds as their game improves and as they continue to play. At some point, though, the improvement slows down and eventually stops. Their body has adapted and no longer needs to develop to meet the demands of the sport.

  To become a better player and continue to see an increase in their fitness level, they have to challenge their body once again. They take up running to improve their cardiac output, lift weights to increase their endurance and begin working their abs because they feel they should, not because they are expecting to see a direct improvement in their game from the exercise.

  Then it happens after a few weeks of working their abs, they notice their jump shots are higher and the accuracy of the throw has improved. Weaving through opponents while dribbling the ball becomes more fluid and they have better control. And the best part is their back no longer hurts in the morning after a big game!

  It is amazing what can happen when you strengthen, tone and increase the endurance of your abdominal muscles.

  And you may not believe me but this works the same for every sport. If you want to improve your performance, start with the abs.

  Still need more proof? Back to the NBA again.

  At the end of the season, players take time off to recover from injuries, relax and spend time with their families. They may not touch a basketball for three months never mind run or lift weights.

  At the end of the three months, they begin their pre-season conditioning and guess what? Very little of that is spent on the court. It is spent running, lifting weights and training their abs in preparation for another tough season! Their coaches and trainers know that without a strong foundation, their game will suffer and the risk of injury goes up exponentially.

  Do you want to become a better swimmer, cyclist or runner? Or maybe you are thinking of stepping it up a notch and start competing in triathlons.

  Maybe you want to improve your golf game or beat your longtime rival at tennis.

  You row to relax but your back is sore when you get back to the dock or after a tough stint in goal, your back feels as hard as the ice you have spent the last two hours skating on.

  Or maybe you want to be able to carry your toddler without feeling every single pound they have grown since you carried them for the first nine months.

  Start with the abs!

  Every day of your life requires you to put them to use and they are the foundation to every sport in which you participate. Fifteen minutes a day four or five times a week and you will see your game improve and your life become easier guaranteed!


About the author:

Jake Berlin is the creator of "Ab Workout" and knows exactly what it takes to get your abs in shape.

Having played soccer for most of his life he knows from experience how much an impact a strong stomach has on his game.

For more information on Jake and how he can help you increase your core strength and dramatically improve your athletic performance, visit:

http://www.killer-ab-workout.com