Core? What Core?

So this week on The Juice there has been a lot of talk about abs and your core and how to build your core, causing me to do some serious twitching just thinking about it.  I have absolutely nothing to contribute to that conversation because I don't have one.  A core that is.  Well I don't know, maybe I do but I don't think it's working for me like I think it should.  I'd better pay attention to the tips provided around here because I just checked and I'm slumped over this keyboard like I've got an elephant on my back.  

Jennifer Pattee from Basic Training explained in this week's video that your core is more than just your abs. It's your glutes, abs, shoulders and back with everything being connected.  Here are her top three tips:

1.  Strengthen your core to prevent injuries

Hmmm, I have sciatica and well that might not be classified as an injury it sure as heck hurts like one.  Time to start sitting up straight.

2.  Tighten your abs until you feel the washboard

Huh?  The only thing I'm feeling is my muffin top.

3.  Work wall squats into your chores

Well okay, time to figure out how to incorporate some wall squats into my organizing frenzies.  Shouldn't be too hard to bend and squat with my baskets to hold me up :)

Jennifer demonstrated the rock-climbers exercise which I'm familiar with through Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred DVD and I'd have to agree, it really does work.  But trust me it's not as easy as it looks.

All this time I've not really been conscious of my core and why it's important.  These next couple of days I'm going to concentrate on one small thing.  My posture.  It's terrible.  I'm not mindful of it and I need to be and let's face it sitting up straight is way easier than any torture Jillian is going to put me through.  I should be able to handle this one.

Just to be sure, I'd better follow some of these tips given by Think Simple Now, Don't Break Your Back!  Tips to Healthy Posture 

AND Betty Beguiles makes me happy by sharing a video that explains Four Simple Posture Tricks to Lose 10 Pounds in Less than 5 Seconds.  Woohoo, count me in! 

How about you?  Do you have an elephant on your back?