Health: Solid To The Core

Got strong biceps? Great. But don't forget to build your trunk muscles too

Spend enough time at a health club or gym these days, and you're bound to overhear someone discussing core strength. The idea behind this new exercise buzz word is that the muscles surrounding your trunk--the ones that help you breathe and hold up your spine--need to be every bit as strong as your biceps or quadriceps. Indeed, says Wendell Liemohn, an exercise scientist at the University of Tennessee, "if you don't have a strong core, then moving your arms and legs won't be as efficient."

What that means in practical terms depends a lot on how physically active you are. Star...

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