One of the reasons people focus on core muscles is for appearance. You’ll have a flatter stomach and posture that makes you look dynamic and more in control. There are other reasons to work these muscles. If you have strong core muscles, you have better balance. Strong core muscles can reduce pain and make everything easier, from walking to doing jumping jacks. Core muscles are those muscles in your trunk. They keep your abdomen flatter and strengthen your back. Doing core muscle exercises consistently helps your entire body.
The plank has been a key exercise for centuries.
The high and low plank both strengthen core muscles. The muscles it works depend on the form you use. To do a high plank, lay on your abdomen with the palms of your hands beneath your shoulders, your body straight, and your toes on the floor. Push your body upward until it forms a straight line from your head to your heels.
Your core is more than just your abs.
Your core muscles are more than your rectus abdominis, the abs. They’re all the muscles in the front, back, and sides of your trunk. They even include the back muscles and the diaphragm. For a strong core, you must work more than just the abs. You must work the core in all directions. To work the obliques at the sides, hold a weight in one hand with the other placed behind your head. Then, lean to the side that isn’t holding the weight. The twisting actions of the Russian Twist also target the obliques.
Make a bridge to build abs and back muscles.
Start a bridge lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Your arms should be at your sides with your palms down. Using your glutes, lift your midsection off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold, then lower your body. If you want to modify it to make it more difficult, lift one foot and straighten your leg, then return it to the original position before lowering your body back to the floor. Bridge exercises help relieve back pain.
- If you have a stability ball, you can modify many exercises to help build abs. Kettlebell workouts are also good. They both have a changing center of gravity to make core muscles work harder.
- When doing chores at home, work your core muscles by doing walking lunges as you work. Take a long stride forward, bending the knee of your back leg, then pushing upward to step that leg forward.
- Have fun with the kids and build core muscles. You can do hula hoop challenges. You’re moving core muscles to keep the hula hoop spinning and up around your waist. You can also use jump ropes and do high knee jumps.
- Riding a bike works core muscles. You can stay off the streets and do bicycling crunches at home. Lay on your back with your hands behind your head and legs slightly off the floor. Twist your body, bringing one elbow forward as you bend the knee on the opposite side and touch it to the elbow.
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