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Q&A for: 13-Feb-06

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Ask Mike Your Fitness Question:

1325. Q: reply to 1324, so do u recommend i add some hyperextensions to my workout? how do squats help your core, arent they for legs. also, what do u think about that machine thing where you rest your legs and stomach, then you have to pull your upper body up, i think its for lower back.

A: If you'd like, go ahead and add some hyperextensions, but they are not essential if you already do deadlifts and squats. You are correct that the squat is primarily a leg and lower back exercise, but believe it or not it also does work your abs, as do deadlifts, lunges, and cleans. All these exercises require you to stiffen stabilize your core and abs play an integral part in that. You can never do dedicated ab work (such as crunches), but as long as you do the big compound exercises, your abs will be strong and (assuming your body fat levels are low) you will still have a sixpack.

I would advise against using any machines to train lower back. Deadlifts are by far the best lower back exercise and really the only one you need. Plus you do squats and maybe will start hyperextension too. Even more importantly, many of such machines are poorly designed and can lead to injury which is the last thing you want. I can't think of any reason why you'd want to use a machine for lower back when there are so many great freeweight and bodyweight exercises you can do.