Don't Go Soft

By Lara Rosenbaum

Tone your midsection with these easy moves

A toned midsection will do a lot more than help you slide into that cocktail sheath or simply look hotter. Strengthening your core can improve your overall health by:

Correcting your posture and reducing your risk of injury.
When your core is strong, those muscles can help protect your spine and keep you properly aligned. And when your spine is lined up and you move correctly, you're less likely to fall and injure other parts of your body.

Boosting your energy. "Strengthening your core improves your respiratory efficiency because proper alignment allows you to breathe deeply and therefore maximize your oxygen intake," says holistic health practitioner Paul Chek, founder of the Chek Institute in San Diego and author of How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy.

Clearing your head. When you don't have solid core strength, especially in your chest and upper back, your neck will tilt back and pinch, which can cause headaches and even foggy thinking.

Making you look leaner. "When you properly work your core, you can create more space between your vertebrae and stand half an inch to an inch taller," says Mimosa Gordon, principal Pilates instructor at re:Ab Pilates studio in New York City. "You're maximizing your natural height, and having proper posture will make you look taller and thinner,"she says.

Although many yoga sequences can help tone your midsection, you don't always need a mat or a gym to shape and strengthen; core training is completely portable. Work your middle in the middle of the day with these tips from Ana Forrest, creator of the Strength and Spirit DVD, and Paul Chek .

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