This curved bar’s mission: Good posture to the core

Core muscles, located in the body’s midsection, continue to be the focus du jour. The reason? These muscles help keep the back strong, promote good posture and aid in maintaining balance. Disciplines such as yoga and Pilates emphasize core strength, as do products such as stability balls -- and the Katami Bar.

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Katami Bar: This lightweight, slightly U-shaped bar was developed by Los Angeles-based fitness instructor and trainer Paul Katami, who teaches a class using the device at Crunch in West Hollywood. He seized on the idea while working with men and women who had undergone physical therapy and found it difficult to use a straight bar in abdominal and twisting exercises. A curved bar, he discovered, fit the body better and made it easier to rotate and do other exercises such as abdominal crunches, lunges and squats. “You’re utilizing different planes and different muscles,” says Katami.

Price: The Katami Bar and instructional video are $59.99; available at www.katamibar.com or by calling (800) 774-2044.

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-- Jeannine Stein