What exercises do you do to keep your core area strong?

I understand that trying to keep your balance works your core muscles. The main way to do this is by using an exercise ball. If you just sit on it and try and keep your balance will you lift your legs or lean back slightly and sit up again, you will also be trying to keep your balance on the ball and therefore using your core muscles. There were some other exercises on balance with and without the ball that help the core, but I can't remember them. When you are struggling to keep your balance you tend to tense up all your muscles, especially the core.

you can check my blog for some exercise tips http://www.blogchex.com/urbancitycrew but heres a good exercise for your stomach you have different stomach muscles so this one works them all the stomach muscles are round your front, sides and back, are stomach crunches you lie on the floor with your knees bent (keep your legs bent in and feet on the floor if youre new to this start with your knees close to your body and as you get better move them further away - keep your hands behind your head and then lift up to your knees as much as you can when you begin you dont have to lift all the way up just as much as you can do 20 to your knees (try keeping your stomach muscles in) then cross one leg over the other legs still bent and do elbow to knee for 20 then on the other side if you get tired or are in too much pain at any time just curl up and grab hold of your knees rest for a minute and start again

Even since having kids my abs have never been the same!! I would do 500 sit-ups every day, and it would keep me from getting bigger, but it didn't help tone up or anything. Everyone says you have to do cardio to get rid of the fat and then you will be able to see the definition in your abs. This is something I just started and if you feel your stomach while you are doing it you can feel the muscles working!! I will try my best to explain it!! Lay down on the floor on your back with you feet laying on the floor also. Then you can bling your legs up until the are straight up in the air, then lower them. It is really hard not to sit-up =) And also amother one is to lay on the floor with your feel out and then bring one in at a time like you are making a table with your leg so it is at a 90degree angle I guess =) Then switch legs, as you are bringing one leg in stretch the other one out, don't let it touch the floor though. It really works your sode muscles (love handles). Good luck and if you have any questions let me know!! I will try to help =)