A six-pack may look strong, but looks can be deceiving. If you’re focusing only on the muscles you can see in the mirror, like the rectus abdominus and the obliques, you may be setting yourself up for bad posture and lower back pain. For a strong, functional, and attractive core, you also need to include exercises that strengthen deeper muscles, like the transverse abdominis, or back muscles, like the erector spinae group and the latissimus dorsi.

Stop ignoring these crucial parts of your core with a more balanced approach today. To keep your lower back feeling as good as your abs look, add in exercises that focus on stability and mobility.