Your Personal Best: Core strengthening exercises

Keeping your core strong is imperative, especially as you age. It’s important for balance, stability, mobility and posture.

Dr. Milady Murphy has two simple exercises that can be done in a chair that will help improve your core strength. Here’s how you do them:

Seated twist:

• While seated in a chair, bring your arms and elbows up in front of you, elbows bent at a 90-degree angle (think “I Dream of Genie”)
• Gently twist and turn, and hold for 1 second before bringing yourself back to center
• Repeat on opposite side

Knee up:

• While seated, grab onto the sides of your chair
• Holding your stomach in, bring you knee up at a 45-degree angle and gently pulse your knee 10 times
• Repeat on opposite side

If at any time you feel pain, stop immediately. If the pain persists, consult with a doctor.