if you want to build your abs and back muscles and struggle to feel them while doing core exercises like Russian twist, windshield wiper, side bend or side crunch, side cycle or side bicycle, and etc, watch this video so you understand the formula for targeting the core muscles. in this video, I give three examples of different ab exercises, rated from easy to hard, and also give links to a few other videos about core activation that if combined in your training routine, will target the entire core.
no matter what core exercise you are performing, there are a few notes you should keep in mind:
1_ do not bend the neck. neck, head, and chest move with each other.
2_ do not breathe in while contracting. that is going to cause abdominal distention or looking bloated and swollen. that is due to overstretching and deactivating the transversus abdominis muscle which we talk about in this video.
3_ do not breathe out while pushing your stomach out. that again causes distention of transversus abdominis. make sure you suck your stomach in while you are breathing out(we talk about it in the video).
4_ if you have disc issues or spine ailments, avoid extension/flexion on either front and back or side to side or spine rotation if it is painful. make sure you consult your doctor before doing the exercises in this case.
5_ avoid raising the hip so high that all the pressure is placed on your neck. in exercises like lying leg raise or windshield wiper, you need to raise the hip a little bit to contract the core better but make sure you do not exaggerate it.
6_ do not perform core exercises fast. this rule is true for any kind of exercise or workout which is anaerobic(meaning intensity is higher, mainly because the force required is high for the muscles involved), but it needs to be taken more seriously when it comes to your core and spine.
7_ train based on your flexibility and personal capability. if you carry a lot of fat in your abdomen, it is not possible to go through a full range of motion but still, you can perform the exercise to some degree.