The expert: How to strengthen your abdominal muscles

A strong core is important for the whole body.
You will improve your posture, avoid back problems, and become stronger.
Here, a professional personal trainer shares her best exercises.

Reader question: After carrying and giving birth to two children, I have realized that I have no abdominal muscles at all. I sit still all day at work and often feel pain in my back. My posture has gotten much worse; I slouch when I walk and stand. What are your best exercise tips for better posture and stronger abdominal muscles?

The expert answers: Strengthen your core

– My best tip for you is, as you yourself suggest, to strengthen your core. The core is the center of the body, our midpoint. A strong core helps you achieve better posture, increases stability and balance in the body, can alleviate back problems, and gives you much more power and strength when you exercise. But above all, strong core muscles will make everyday life easier for you, says Elin, personal trainer.

A very good and simple way to train your core is to perform the plank exercise in different ways. The classic version is when you stand in a push-up position with your elbows and forearms on the floor. You can also do the plank on your side and do one side at a time. Or you can make it a little more difficult by climbing up and down with your hands while standing in your plank position.

Exercises with a Pilates ball are also great for strengthening your core muscles, as they also challenge your balance. For example, you can do the plank (and lots of other exercises) with the ball. Just get into position but place your elbows on the ball instead of on the floor. Tighten your stomach and push your shoulders forward. Hold the position without losing your balance or posture.

Another tip is to strengthen your back muscles to improve your posture, which you can do at home with a rubber band by attaching it to a door handle and doing rowing exercises.