Functional Core for Women

Are you ready to show off a strong, supple midsection? Functional Core for Women: Targeted Training for Glutes and Abs helps women of all fitness levels improve strength and bodily aesthetics with an original and effective approach to working and reshaping the core muscles.

Written for women by a woman, 2022 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year Kia Williams sets the stage by breaking down the core’s anatomy to show how the abs and glutes work together and which muscles are best targeted for discernible change. She will then help you establish your goals and develop a program that helps you strengthen and engage these major muscle groups.

You will learn how to perform more than 45 ab and glute exercises that are proven to improve physique, function, and strength. Derived from a variety of disciplines—including traditional weight training, Pilates, barre, and yoga—the exercises feature step-by-step instructions, variations, equipment options, safety cues, and progressions and regressions. You’ll also find 6 sample workouts to quickly get you started, along with the guidance you need to create and customize your own program.

If you’ve struggled with building a stronger core to improve your fitness and enhance your self-confidence, it’s time to transform. With Functional Core for Women you can challenge your existing fitness level and change the way your body looks and feels.

Audience

Women who want to build a strong and functional core, and fitness instructors or personal trainers who work with these clients.

Part I. Understand the Core
Chapter 1. Core = Glutes + Abdominals
Chapter 2. Core Functions

Part II. Plan for Results
Chapter 3. Identify Personal Goals
Chapter 4. Develop Your Core Program

Part III. Exercises and Pre/Post-Workout Moves
Chapter 5. Standing Exercises
Chapter 6. Floor and Seated Exercises
Chapter 7. Warm-Up and Activation
Chapter 8. Post-Workout Stretches

Part IV. Workouts
Chapter 9. Abdominal-Focused Workouts
Chapter 10. Glute-Focused Workouts
Chapter 11. Combo Workouts

Kia Williams, MBA, MS, RYT 200, is a global presenter, program specialist, business leader, and podcast and web-series host. She was honored with the IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year award in 2022.

An ACE-certified group fitness instructor, Williams (@kiawilliams.fitness) is recognized for her ability to incorporate innovative and progressive exercise techniques that result in improved functional fitness, enhanced physique, and fun workouts. She has been certified and licensed to teach over a dozen fitness formats and is actively creating content and new formats for children and adults.

Williams has served as an executive board member and chairperson for many health-focused organizations, including the Fort Worth-Tarrant County chapter of the NAACP, in which she is the health chairperson. Williams has managed several fitness and wellness programs and facilities and uses her transferable professional skills and business experience to mentor professionals, champion groundbreaking ideas, support multicultural engagement, and make fitness accessible, inclusive, and feasible for the masses. Kia is committed to helping others live a creative, sustainable, gratifying, and healthy lifestyle.

“Functional Core for Women is a significant book dealing with the importance of the core muscles. It’s a valuable tool for women who want to develop a strong core.”
—Billy Blanks, Creator of Tae Bo® and International Fitness Icon

“You can always count on Kia Williams to deliver relevant, innovative, and impactful content; this book is no exception. Any woman looking to integrate top-level and accessible core training into her fitness program should look no further than Functional Core for Women. The training principles and exercises included here are revolutionary and presented in a way that is easy to understand and with the engaging flair only Kia can provide.”
—Ryan Halvorson, Director of Event Programming for IDEA

“Aren’t you tired of trying to perfect the newest overly complicated fitness fad, only to lose motivation after a couple of weeks? I’ve built my training practice on three words: ‘keep it simple.’ That’s exactly what Kia has done in Functional Core for Women. She brings us back to the foundations of fitness, with exercises geared to strengthen your body, increase your mobility, and not only build your muscles but also build your confidence! We all have personal goals when working out. Whether it’s functional strength, muscle development, aesthetics, or making your ex jealous, Kia reminds you that when you start small, focus on building a solid functional foundation, and intentionally build off of that foundation, you will get the results you are looking for.”
—jarreau bowen, MA, NASM-Certified Personal Trainer

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Core endurance-focused workouts
Core training myths
Standing core exercises for glutes and abs
 Pilates roll-upPilates roll-up, continuedSide crunchSide crunch, continued