Barbell squats to work core?

Shelga

Hi there, I'm a 25 year old girl looking to lose about 5kgs and tone up my midsection, pretty standard stuff. A trainer at my gym advised me that people emphasise situps too much, which I sort of knew already, and that barbell squats are a great way to work your core.

He advised I start with 15kgs and aim for 3 sets of 15, approximately. Is this better than standard crunches for toning your core? Along with the non-situp exercises of cycling motions and leg-balancing exercises while lying on your back. I don't know their real names

And if it is a good technique, does 15kgs sound about right for a 66kg female, or a pathetic amount, or what? I know nothing! Obviously combined with good diet, interval cardio etc.

Thanks in advance!

Zombienosh

Shelga wrote: »

Hi there, I'm a 25 year old girl looking to lose about 5kgs and tone up my midsection, pretty standard stuff. A trainer at my gym advised me that people emphasise situps too much, which I sort of knew already, and that barbell squats are a great way to work your core.

He advised I start with 15kgs and aim for 3 sets of 15, approximately. Is this better than standard crunches for toning your core? Along with the non-situp exercises of cycling motions and leg-balancing exercises while lying on your back. I don't know their real names

And if it is a good technique, does 15kgs sound about right for a 66kg female, or a pathetic amount, or what? I know nothing! Obviously combined with good diet, interval cardio etc.

Thanks in advance!

I think there you mean flutter kicks and "the bridge" as I know it. Combine them with the squats or use some simple "planking" and it'll be a great core workout.

Chancer3001

do whatever weight YOU can do.

forget about what random people on the net are doing. Do something that challeneges you i.e you can do at least 5 but not more than 15

Zombienosh

I think she was more interested in Crunches VS Squats for core workouts.
And forgetting about numbers and weights. Squats are far superior than crunches and situps.

Hanley

Crunches and squats are both crap for your core. Do some actual core work if you want to strengthen your core.

Stench Blossoms

Hanley wrote: »

Crunches and squats are both crap for your core. Do some actual core work if you want to strengthen your core.

Can you give the OP some examples?

Mars Bar

Plank. Plank all the way!

I was under the impression that squats are good for core work? I've been doing kettle bell squats and I feel it in my legs and lower back and depending how I'm holding the kettle bell, my upper back.

Zombienosh

Mars Bar wrote: »

Plank. Plank all the way!

I was under the impression that squats are good for core work? I've been doing kettle bell squats and I feel it in my legs and lower back and depending how I'm holding the kettle bell, my upper back.

So was I, I can feel it in my core doing squats. So combing something like that with plank and plank variations is a win in my book.