Core Training on Universal Machines
Universal exercise machines allow you to effectively train the muscles that make up your core. Your abdominal, oblique, lower back and hip flexor muscles are important to strengthen, especially if you compete athletically. Utilizing the flat bench, cable crossover and lat pulldown stations that come standard with most universal machines allows you to train your core with weight resistance.
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Features
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Universal machines feature different exercise cables and stations. At the flat-bench station, you can strengthen your abdominal and lower back muscles by performing sit-ups and back extensions. You can train the obliques with core rotations at the cable crossover station. Grasp the handle of the lat pulldown bar with an underhand grip and perform crunches for an upper ab workout.
Considerations
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Universal machines offer a wide range of exercises. Be creative at each station when training your core, so you can maximize all of the machine's core-training benefits. Hanging leg lifts at the pull-up station and oblique side bends at the bicep curl station are additional core exercises you can perform with a universal machine.
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Using Variety
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Training your core at different angles will strengthen your core overall and thus increase your overall body athleticism and fitness level. Your core is the foundation of any athletic movement. Each major movement incorporates the core muscles of your body. To competitively run, jump and dive, athletes need to maintain a strong core.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit gym man image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
