Hard "Core" Abs I

About the Book

The first of a three part series. Most abdominal books or magazines show pictures of exercises that are meant for the advanced or people who do not suffer from lower back pain. But, I have taken a different approach. I picture the body as a house; there are certain steps to take to ensure that a house stays strong and sturdy for many years. You must develop the foundation before you can build the walls. The same goes for the CORE.

About the Author

Being active and being fit have been important to me since I was four years old and starting to play sports. However, I did not realize the importance of conditioning until I became involved in sports in high school. In high school I excelled at football and track and field. I was an all-star in football and set many records that still stand today. In track and field, I excelled in the one hundred-meter sprint, where I also set a provincial record for my age group, and the four-by-one-hundred-meter relay.

When I finished high school, I moved to Calgary, Alberta to pursue my football career. This plan was falling into place until I was rear-ended at a red light on the way home from work. I tore several muscles in my neck and was told by the doctor that I would never play contact sports again. This situation was hard for me to swallow, but I knew that many athletes had successfully faced similar challenges. At that point in my life, I made a very important career decision. I decided to further my education and start training for bodybuilding.

I was not sure where to start. At first I trained in massage therapy. After a couple of years of hard work, I completed training as a Massage Practitioner, Reflexologist and as a Sport Massage Therapist. I also took classes in relaxation and hydrotherapy. I was finally figuring out what I wanted to do to make a difference in the lives of people.

I started to work with a few sports teams and was amazed at the amount of lower back injuries that I encountered. I was curious and wanted to learn more about why so many injuries were occurring. My curiosity led me to one conclusion: core strength. I put my practice on hold and enrolled in the Mount Royal Personal Fitness Trainer Certification Program. This course was challenging and exciting-I just could not learn enough about the human body and the importance of personal fitness!

My personal fitness work has given me the opportunity to work with all types of people with all different levels of fitness and personal training needs. I have developed training programs for a wide variety of people, including older people with limited levels of flexibility, and professional football players who are already very fit. They all have one challenge in common: strengthening the abdominal muscles. I have taken up the exciting challenge of developing an abdominal fitness class that will work for all levels of fitness. I have compiled over 100 different exercises that people with almost every level of fitness will find challenging. Interest in my abdominal classes has been most exciting and encouraging! So, I have taken the next step: I have developed a handy manual that people can take anywhere! So here it is - HARD "CORE" ABS I ENJOY - AND REMEMBER: HAVE FUN, BE FIT AND WORK THAT CORE!