Core is like the foundation of your “house”. In order to build muscle you must first have a strong foundation in which to build upon. Your core muscles are the muscles of your back and abs that support your spine and keep you stable and balanced. Having a strong core helps prevent back pain or alleviate existing back pain associated with chronic conditions, strenuous activity and weight training. Also the more muscle we have, the more fat we burn at rest.

Step1
A PLAN: It is very easy to talk yourself out of working out. One of the reasons people come to train with me is accountability. A great way to avoid this is to have a pre written workout plan. This way when you are in the gym you can focus on the plan, rather than trying to think up your exercises on the spot, taking too much time and then leaving early due to the laundry and mile long TO DO list you have.
Make a list of the focus muscle groups and exercises you intend to do. It may also be helpful to put what weights, balls or other things you will need for each.
Step2
STENGTH TRAINING AND THE CORE: A great way to be working your core muscles while training other body parts is with a stability ball. Rather than doing chest presses on a bench where you are transferring your weight, use the ball and create a bench out of your body. This way you are using your core muscles at the same time you are working your chest. Also sitting on the ball while doing this like bicep curls or shoulder presses rather than a chair works well too.
Step3
ABS: There are hundreds of ab exercises than you can do. The more unstable the environment, the more your core has to work. Crunches on the stability ball increase your range of motion and create that instability. There are several variations to target the different muscle groups. (Tip) Whenever on the ball the rule of thumb is the wider apart your feet are the more stable you are (less core has to work), the closer together the more unstable. Find where you are. If you are new and relatively unbalanced, start with wide feet. Then by your third workout move your feet in closer.
Step4
CORE FOCUS: At the end of a workout I like to do a few core specific exercises. They are very low impact but work to isolate and target the area. Again there are a number of different exercises you can do. EXAMPLE: PLANK in which you are face down on the floor, propped up on your forearms and toes holding your body in a completely straight line from your neck down. Do not have your butt too high or too low. Squeeze your belly button to your spine. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat.
Step5
EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES: There are a number of things we do each day that we can transform into a core workout. One is sitting at our computer. Rather than use a chair, use the stability ball. You will notice over time much better posture and much stronger core! You can also do this while watching tv or reading a magazine! Also standing on one leg. Raise your right leg so your foot is beside your left knee. Extend your arms out straight. Hold your belly button to your spine. DO this for 30 seconds, then switch. Repeat 3 times. This can be done while waiting for food to cook, watching tv or anytime at all!