No matter how you feel about crunches, core strength is important. A strong core means a stronger upper body; it takes the stress off your joints and other muscles, and can even help alleviate upper and lower back pain and tension. If you’ve just made the decision to get fit: congrats! Use these moves to help you get started on strengthening those inner core muscles. If you’re back from taking break a break or just sick of your usual ab routine: congrats to you as well for getting back in the game or for mixing things up and pushing through. Now let’s get started!

1. The Anti-Crunches Workout 

This workout posted by Daily Burn is simple and crunch-free because, well, who really enjoys doing a million crunches anyways? There’s a better way! Daily Burn is giving us six crunchless ab exercises, all described in vivid detail. They let you know what areas specifically each exercise targets, and offer modifications so you can complete each move no matter what your level or physical limitations. Simple, informative, and crunchless? Sign us up!

2. Easy [Basic] Ab Exercises 

These easy ab exercises from Ask Men can be done in the comfort of your own home, and are as effective as they are convenient and simple. They’re pretty basic, featuring crunches as their number one easy ab exercise. And let’s face it, they are effective. If you don’t mind dropping and doing a few every day, you’ll be well on your way to tighter abs. But they include other suggestions in this article as well, like torso twists and standing side bends.

3. Simple Belly-Blasting Workout 

Health.com’s Simple Belly-Blasting Workout features four fun, easy moves you can do at home to trim your waist, flatten your belly, and tighten your abs. A healthy fitness routine is all about finding what’s right for you, and having fun with it. These easy moves are designed for anyone to be able to do, and once you’ve mastered them, you can amp up your routine.

4. 5-Minute YouTube Workout

This short, five-minute workout by YouTuber HASfit has gotten rave reviews. The comments section is filled with YouTube users touting their results after adopting this workout into their daily routine. Any easy ab workout producing such phenomenal results is definitely worth a shot!

5. 15-Minute Crunch-Free Workout

We started this article off with a crunchless workout, and we’re ending it with one too. Because we figure if you’re a beginner, it’s likely you’re dreading crunches. And trust us, we understand. This article insists you’re better off without them anyways, and features exercises guaranteed to work your entire core, as opposed to the small amount of midsection typically worked by crunches. They suggest doing this routine three days a week for quick results—sounds like a good deal to us!

We hope these easy workouts get you on your way to tighter abs! Need to stock up on workout attire for the occasion? Check out Athlete Beyond.

The benefits of regular yoga practice are boundless. Yoga has been known to reduce stress, increase flexibility, build muscle, improve posture, and increase blood flow. It can help you focus, sleep better, breathe better—the list goes on .

Daily exercise is already a great way to reduce stress, but yoga in particular has a strong effect on the body and mind by creating mindfulness through awareness of the breath. If you’re skeptic, “mindfulness” and “awareness” might just sound like silly fad words. But even psychologists point to mindfulness as a way to better cope with major and minor life events by observing experiences without judging them as good or bad.

If you’re interested in the calming effects yoga can have on the mind and body, you might benefit from giving it a try. We’ve compiled a list of 10 yoga poses to relieve stress to help you get started:

1. Child’s Pose

Child’s pose calms the mind and helps relieve stress and fatigue. It also stretches the hips, thighs, and ankles, and can relieve back and neck pain. 

2. Corpse Pose

Corpse pose is a great pose for mindful meditation. It relaxes your mind and body, relieves mild depression, lowers blood pressure, and can help ease headache, fatigue, and insomnia.

3. Legs Up the Wall Pose

This deeply relaxing pose calms the nervous system and aids in digestion. Combined with deep rhythmic breathing, this pose can help quiet the mind and get you ready for sleep.

4. Cat-Cow Pose

Cat-cow is actually a combination of two poses in a gentle flow. It warms the body, brings flexibility to the spine, opens the chest, stimulates the kidneys and adrenal glands, and relieves stress and anxiety.

5. Tree Pose

Tree pose helps develop balance and mind/body awareness. It calms and relaxes your central nervous system, while it strengthens your thighs, groin, shoulders, core, calves, and foot muscles. Find how to do it here.

6. Extended Puppy Pose

This pose helps relieve tension in the shoulders, spine, upper back, and arms. It can help ease chronic tension, insomnia, stress and anxiety.

7. Seated Forward Fold

This toe-touching pose provides a deep stretch to the entire back of the body, while calming the nervous system and emotions, and stimulating the reproductive and urinary systems.

8. Eagle Pose

Eagle pose focuses on balance and eases tension in the legs, shoulders, and back. (https://yogainternational.com/article/view/eagle-pose-step-by-step)

9. Reclining Bound Angle Pose

This pose helps relieve stress and mild depression, as well as symptoms of menstruation and menopause. It stimulates the abdominal organs and increases blood flow, and provides a stretch for the inner thighs, knees, and groin (http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/reclining-bound-angle-pose/).

10. Cobra Pose

Cobra pose opens the chest, improves circulation, and reduces fatigue and stress. It also has the added benefit of toning the abdomen while stretching the entire back and shoulders.

Ready to throw on a pair of yoga pants and get started? Check out Athlete Beyond for athletic apparel to keep you cool and comfortable throughout your practice.

Here’s the great thing about athletic wear: it’s super comfortable, so you can wear it any time you want, not just when you’re working out. And it’s stylish too. Nowadays, athletic wear and casual wear tend to go hand-in-hand. Leggings are in, crop tops are in, and slouchy tank tops are in. That makes Athlete Beyond your one-stop shop for athletic wear and casual apparel.

And it makes sense, right? Our clothing is finally beginning to match our active lifestyles. People are getting out and moving, and starting to understand the value of comfortable clothing. It’s a step in the right direction, if you ask us. So, how can your rock athletic wear as casual wear? Let us show you:

Women

1. Women’s Ria Crop Tee

This gray crop top is perfect for a day around the house, running errands, or even a sweet coffee date downtown. It’s breezy and comfortable, and it’s flattering as well. Paired with black leggings or blue jeans and sneakers, this top offers a casual but athletic look. It’s laid back, but says “I’m ready for anything,” and you are!

2. Women’s Poly Two-Way Crop Pant

Whoever says “leggings aren’t pants” is just bitter. Let’s be honest. Everyone should wear leggings—they’re comfortable and they go with everything. Did you wear those to sleep last night? Nobody knows. Did you just come from yoga class? Maybe. Are you going to wear them out tonight? Yes. You know the value of a comfortable pair of pants and refuse to be restricted by denim and a zipper. Good for you.

3. Women’s Air Relaxed Versatile Two-Way Tank Top

Last but not least, this relaxed-fit tank top is just as perfect as that gray crop top for mixing things up. It’s casual, fun, and sporty. No one has to know this, but it is odor resistant, so this top would be perfect for a day spent walking around town, or at the beach, or maybe even the zoo. Who knows? What we’re trying to say is that you could rock this top anywhere and look easy-going and chic doing it.

Men

1. Men’s Compression Base Layer Long Sleeve Top

Trying to think of a creative way to woo that girl you met at the gym? Indulge your competitive spirits and invite her over for a video game playoff. This long sleeve shirt would be perfect for the occasion. You’ll have all the flex and mobility you typically enjoy at the gym to show off your Super Mario skills, and you’ll look laid back and effortless doing it.

2. Men’s Premium Mid-Weight Running Tights

These tights aren’t just for running. They’re perfect for around the house, and even better for traveling. They’re comfortable, flexible, and ease muscle stiffness. Sounds like something you’d want to wear sitting on a plane for a few hours, right?

So, there you have it. Those are our casual wear highlights at Athlete Beyond! If only we could get this trend to move into office wear—leggings and loose-fitting tank tops in the office? Maybe we would be too comfortable to be productive…or maybe we would be so comfortable productivity would soar! Let’s go with that. Spread the word.

Alright, men. Let’s get serious about athletic wear, like you’re serious about your workout. Whether you’re losing weight, toning up, or building muscle, the appropriate attire is where it’s at. In order to get the most out of your workouts, you need performance clothing, not just any old pair of sweatpants. With the right clothes, you’ll feel better about your workouts, and you’ll start seeing better results as you’re able to push yourself further. Athlete Beyond’s Men’s Apparel is here to save the day. Here’s why:

Get Your Best Workout

Without the right workout clothes, some workouts that could be great fall flat. You don’t feel motivated, or you’re overheated, or you’re just uncomfortable. Sometimes the standard old sweatpants and a t-shirt just don’t cut it. You have to dress for the workout you want. When you’re wearing athletic wear by Athlete Beyond, every workout is your best workout. Our performance fabric is designed to move with your body and keep you cool, and when you’re comfortable you’ll do great things.

Feel Great Getting in Shape

Take our Men's Compression Base Layer Sleeveless Top for example. Made with high filament polyester yarns and nano carbon technology, these compression tops are lightweight, moisture-controlled, and odor-controlled. You’ll feel like you can do anything in this top, and you’ll surprise yourself when you exceed your own expectations at the gym.

Push Yourself Further

When you’re on top of the world, why have a mediocre workout? In a top like our Men's SPIRIT Collection Two-Tone (Mesh Fabric Back) Long Sleeve Top, Loose Fit, Style FT07, you’ll feel motivated to keep going. Not to mention, most of our tops boast 40+ SPF, so if you’re working out outside, you’ll be able to stay in the sun longer; you can push for that extra mile, another set of pushups, one more game.

Exceed Expectations

You’ve got the perfect storm of motivation, comfort, and mobility up your sleeve; how can you be surprised when you exceed your expectations after every workout? Our lightweight fabrics won’t weigh you down, so you can work longer, harder, and more efficiently on your goals. Of course you’re going to see improvement—it only makes sense!

Never Let Them See You Sweat

Our performance fabrics work hard to keep you feeling fresh and looking good. Not only are our men’s athletic tops stylish, but they’re all made with lightweight fabric that wicks sweat off your body, and maintains your body temperature. You’ll look good at the gym, and stay feeling good throughout your entire workout. Check out our Men's Lightweight Compression Base Layer Short Sleeve Shirt, Style A02 for a classic with all the right benefits: it’s perfect for layering, durable, and has all of those qualities we’ve so highly praised, including odor-blocking technology, sweat-management, and 40+ SPF.

So, there you have it. The right workout apparel will work like magic to improve your workouts, and Athlete Beyond has just what you need! Check out the “For Him” selection and pick your favorites.

Ready to hit the beach with a six pack? Here’s how you can get great abs:

Losing Weight

The first step to building six pack abs is to lose some belly fat. This is, of course, within reason. If you’re already pretty slim in the abdominal region, you can probably skip this step and start building muscle. Otherwise, skimming off a bit of fat is going to be necessary to see results.

Find a routine that works for you, and as always, set realistic goals. Losing weight takes time: the safest amount of weight you should be losing per week is 1-2lbs. It’s tempting to crash diet and work out excessively to try to get faster results, but not only is this method unhealthy, it’s usually not effective in the long-run. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you’re going to need to change your lifestyle. Losing weight means cutting back on your caloric intake—usually about 500-1000 calories per day. Educate yourself on healthy eating, and start doing some cardio exercises to burn some of those calories.

Eat Smart

Getting great abs isn’t just about the killer workout regimen—it’s about eating smart. If you’re killing yourself in the gym and then hitting the drive-thru for a cheeseburger and fries afterwards, you’re doing it wrong. You need to be focusing on protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Protein

Eat lots of protein. Lean protein helps you build muscle and burn body fat like no other. This is because lean protein has the highest thermogenic effect on the body, meaning your body burns more calories breaking it down.

Carbohydrates

Don’t let anyone tell you to cut carbs. You won’t be doing yourself a favor. Good carbs provide your body with healthy, natural energy, and a good helping of fiber to boot. But you have to stick to the good stuff, like healthy grains and starches. Meanwhile, stay away from the bad stuff, like pastries, white bread, and white pasta, which have been stripped of their natural fiber.

Healthy Fats

Good, healthy fats are 100% necessary to cutting unnecessary belly fat. Fats help you absorb vitamins A, D, and E; and they help lower the risk of heart disease. Reach for avocados, almonds, cashews, peanut butter, olive oil, and canola oil for a healthy serving of fat.

Work out

Now for the good stuff. You’ve probably heard that in order to get a decent rack of abs you need to do about a million boring crunches, but fret not because that’s not necessarily the case. In fact, you’re probably better off doing a variety of complex ab workouts to feel the burn and see results. Check out some different workout routines and mix it up a bit. Just remember to keep moving and push yourself to achieve maximum results. Here are some good ab workouts to try:

• Health.com’s 24 Fat-Burning Ab Exercises
• Men’s Fitness’ “The 30 Best Abs Exercises of All Time” 
• Fitness’ Top 10 Ab Exercises 

Now that you’re ready to work on those abs, stock up on some sweet workout apparel from Athlete Beyond and stay motivated!