When following an exercise plan, a common mistake that people make is focusing on cardio workouts but neglecting core and strength exercises. Unfortunately, weak core muscles and poor flexibility increase a person's chances of getting hurt. Even those who do conventional weight lifting may be vulnerable to injury, since this type of exercise tends to isolate muscle groups and train them in a manner that is not naturally functional. In other words, the workout does not mimic everyday activities, and it usually neglects the core muscles.

As a result, an increasing number of people are heading to their doctors with complaints characteristic of boomeritis: Lower back pain; rotator cuff pain; hip, knee, wrist, ankle, and neck pain; tennis elbow; Achilles tendinitis; and shin splints are the most common ailments cited. The good news is that almost all of these are preventable.

In his South Beach Supercharged Fitness Program, Dr. Arthur Agatston, leading preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet Supercharged, places as much importance on core strengthening exercises as he does on cardio conditioning. Here's why:

Functional core-strengthening exercises are similar to movements you execute in your daily life, and they require you to use several muscle groups in one fluid movement. A quality core-strengthening program will develop the muscles in the back, abdomen, pelvis, and hips, and promote stability, strength, and flexibility. For these reasons they are essential for preventing injury and therefore maintaining a healthy weight.

It's important to know that even if you're diligent about cardio workouts, you still need something more to further improve muscle tone and bone density. That's why, in addition to the cardio conditioning provided in the Interval Walking plan, the South Beach Supercharged Fitness Program emphasizes functional fitness in the program's Total Body Workout, which is designed to strengthen your core and peripheral muscles. This will help you maintain strength, good posture, and balance.

The Supercharged Fitness Program doesn't require more than a chair without arms or an exercise bench; a mat or thick towel to protect your back and knees during floor exercises; optional light hand weights; and an optional exercise step, also called an aerobic step or a home exercise workout step.

The core functional exercises featured in the South Beach Supercharged Fitness Program don't require you to buy equipment like balance boards and pulley-type machines or to join a gym in order to see results.