A strong core is just not good for looking nice and shredded. It is also important for improving your exercise performance and movement. Stronger core muscles allow you to lift heavier weights, and improve the movement of your spine, pelvis, and rib cage. The core is made up of four muscles the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Training your core requires a targeted approach to these muscles.
Core exercise does not need any equipment, just your strong motivation. In this blog we will understand 10 best ab exercises that will help to strengthen your core.
Here are the Best ab Workout Exercises
1. Plank
Why: Plank is a popular core exercise that can be performed anywhere anytime. Plank gets your core firing by forcing you to support your body weight on your forearms and toes.
How: get in a press-up position and rest on your forearms. Keep your back straight and tense your abs and your glutes. Hold without allowing your hips to sink. Hold this position for 2 mins to put your core muscles under stress. Add weight and movement to your plank position once you are comfortable holding the plank position.
Benefits: Plank helps to strengthen the core muscles by working several muscles at once, such as the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis. A toned and sculpted abdomen can be achieved with regular plank practice (1).
2. Glute Bridge
Why: A strong core needs a strong set of glute muscles. Strengthening your glutes will help you over a long period of time. They are good for rectus abdominis, transverse abs
How: Lie flat on the floor and bend your legs. Keep your heels firm and push your hips upwards as far as you can go, before pausing and returning to the start position.
Benefits: Glute exercise targets the glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles, improving strength, stability, and mobility in the lower body. They also help alleviate lower back pain and improve posture.
3. Dead Bug
Why: Dead bud is a good core exercise for beginners. It is a great way of knowing your core strength. It is good for transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques, and hip flexors.
How: Lie on your back with your hands above you and feet up so your knees are at 90 degrees. Straighten your leg until your heel is an inch from the floor and lower the opposite arm so it's parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg and arm.
Benefits: Dead bug helps to strengthen and stabilise your core. It also helps to improve balance and prevents wrist and back pain (2).
4. Flutter Kicks
Why: Another easy exercise to strengthen your core is flutter kicks. It is excellent for transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques, and hip flexors. This position is excellent for those who suffer from back pain.
How: Lie on your back, keep your legs straight and hands under your glutes. Lift one leg off the ground while keeping the other slightly raised. Switch legs in a scissoring motion, engaging the core throughout the movement. Repeat in a controlled manner.
Benefits: Flutter kicks effectively target the lower abs, obliques, and hip flexors, enhancing core strength and stability. They are also good for flexibility and coordination. Flutter kicks help you to sculpt and define the abdominal muscles for a toned and chiselled appearance.
5. Sit-Up Elbow Trust
Why: Sit up elbow thrust is an effective way to strengthen your core. It is good for your obliques, transverse abs, rectus abdominis.
How: Lay on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Perform a sit-up, then twist your torso to one side at the top, driving your elbow towards the opposite knee. Return to the starting position and repeat the same motion multiple times.
Benefits: Sit-Up Elbow Thrusts help to engage multiple core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and hip flexors, providing a comprehensive workout for the abdominal region. It also promotes strength, stability, and definition in the core, contributing to a toned midsection.
6. Russian Twist
Why: Rotation movement is part of almost every sport like boxing, rowing, running or football. Russian twist is a classic core exercise that not only helps to strengthen your core but also improves your movement.
How: Sit on the floor with knees bent, heels on the ground, and lean back slightly. Rotate your torso to one side, then to the other, while keeping your spine straight. You can also use a weight or medicine ball with both hands, arms extended in front.
Benefits: Russian twists target core muscles like obliques, enhancing their definition and aiding in sculpting the sides of the abs. Russian twist also improves rotational strength and stability, contributing to overall core strength and balance.
7. Dragon Flag
Why: Dragon flag is just not a good exercise for abs it also involves your upper-body, hip flexors, glutes and lower-back.
How: Lie back and put your hands behind your head. Bend your knees and kick your legs up towards the ceiling. Return to the starting position slowly, then do it again.
Benefits: Dragon flag is an excellent exercise for your core. It you develop proper straight-body alignment, which can help with other skills like the back lever and planche.
8. Bear Crawl
Why: Don’t worry about looking silly while performing this exercise, it is one of the best exercises for core strength. It is also helpful to build full body strength, balance and coordination. It is good for oblique muscles.
How: Put your palms on the floor and rest them on your toes with your legs raised off the floor and your back flat. With your feet and knees kicking out slightly wider than your hands to create speed, crawl forward on your hands and toes from this point. Then, to get back to the beginning, push backwards with your hands and toes.
Benefits: This exercise works all the major muscle groups in the body, including the shoulders, chest, back, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and core. It engages your back muscles, abdominals, and obliques to support and stabilize your body.
9. Hollow Rock
Why: Hollow work is an advanced core exercise that works the entire core. This exercise helps your torso, abdominals, obliques, and spine.
How: Lie flat on your back and press it firmly into the floor to activate your core. Lift your legs and shoulders off the ground, extending your arms overhead. Adjust the height of your legs to ensure your back stays flat and your core remains engaged. If your lower back begins to arch, raise your legs slightly higher. Once stable, lock this position and use controlled momentum to rock your body forward and backward. To make the exercise easier, bend your knees and extend your arms in front of you.
Benefits: Hollow rock helps to strengthen and improve your core stability. This exercise also helps to avoid any joint pain.
10. Mountain Climber
Why: Moutain climbers is a staple workout in any athletic training. The key is to perform them slowly, you will put your abs and obliques under intense pressure. This helps to build core strength and stability.
How: Keep your shoulders and your body locked in a straight line from your head to your heels. Twist one knee to meet the opposing elbow after bringing it close to your chest. To repeat on the opposite side, reverse the motion and go back to where you were before.
Benefits: This exercise works in multiple muscles groups, including the shoulders, arms, chest, quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Helps to strengthen core along with improving flexibility and mobility.
Conclusion
We hope this blog has helped you understand the best exercises for core strength. A strong core is important for good posture, stable spine and maintain balance. It even improves your exercise performance. Include these exercises in your fitness routine and let us know in the comments how those abs are coming along.
FAQs
1. What is the best exercise for core strengthening?
The best exercise for core strengthening is plank.
2. What are signs of a strong core?
The signs of a strong core are improved posture, stable spine, reduced lower back pain and improved balance.
3. Should I do core training every day?
Yes, you can do core training every day.
4. How to test core strength?
To test your core strength, perform plank exercise for as long as you can.