Trade in the Corset for the Core Class

I thought the Victorian corset was a tradition that’s long gone. I mean, who in her right mind would want to wear an instrument of torture that cinches your waist to the point that you can barely breathe?

Turns out, the corset is back. It’s called the “waist trainer” and it’s a favorite of celebrities like Kim Zolciak and the Kardashians. Believe it or not, this is a thing. 

Of course, it’s not a permanent fix and your waist will go back to its normal shape the minute you take the thing off. An article in Health magazine reports there's no evidence that the waist trainer delivers anything more than temporary results. Doctors have also sounded the alarm about potential health risks associated with not being able to breathe (like passing out!) and squeezing your ribs and organs that tightly. 

In other words, pain but no gain.

What does work to shape your core? Eating right and exercise. There are no shortcuts.

Jazzercise offers a special class format that focuses on the core, from the warm-up to cool-down. I tried a Core class taught by Lindsay. (By the way, she has a tiny waist. No corset involved!)
 
Even the cardio portion of the class features choreography that emphasizes core work: twisting, leaning, rotating, reaching. As usual, you’re working hard but you don’t realize it because the music makes it feel like the dance floor, not the gym. If you pay attention, you realize you’re challenging the core, far beyond planks and crunches.

Every single move is planned by some clever choreographer. One of these days, I want to find out how they work their magic behind the scenes and I'll blog about it. 

 

But if you just want to get carried away on the dance floor, rest assured that your core is working hard even while you're workin' it.