Performing endless abdominal crunches isn’t the only – or even the best – way to sculpt a rock-solid core. Multi-muscle exercises, such as the braced squat, help you build a stronger foundation for your body and more muscular legs, says Alwyn Cosgrove, author of The New Rules of Lifting.

The Benefit
The braced squat looks like a lower-body exercise, but its primary goal is to overload your core, says Cosgrove. The movement helps you develop a stronger midsection, which improves stability, performance and strength. A stronger core will pay off on the court or the field.

How To Do It:
1. With your feet shoulder-width apart, hold an 11kg plate in front of your body at shoulder height with your arms outstretched.

2. Keeping your arms straight, squat as low as possible. Hold the position for 4 seconds.

3. Return to the starting position by pressing through your heels. Make sure that the only changes in your centre of gravity come from the lowering and raising of your body, not any backward or forward movement. Aim for 1 to 2 sets of 10 to 12 slow reps, with 60 seconds of rest between sets.

Our Expert’s Tips
Work your arms by doing a curl at the top of each rep: Stand with arms outstretched and curl the plate towards your upper shoulders. Extend your arms as you lower your body.

From Dec 2008 issue of Men's Health Singapore    

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