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Best core exercises: 18 moves for beginners and fitness enthusiasts
Building a strong core is essential for strength, balance, and stability. Perform these beginner-friendly exercises 3–4 times weekly as part of your fitness routine, ensuring proper form and gradual progression to build core strength effectively over time.
A strong core provides numerous health benefits, including:
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A strong core provides numerous health benefits, including:
Improved posture
A robust core keeps your spine aligned, reducing slouching and enhancing posture. A 2015 study in the Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies confirmed core training improved participants’ posture.
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Better balance and stability
Core strength improves balance and stability, making daily tasks like walking, bending, and standing more efficient and controlled. By engaging the muscles in your abdomen, lower back, and pelvis, you can enhance overall coordination, reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
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Reduced back pain
Strengthened core muscles alleviate lower back strain. A 2015 study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science found core training more effective than resistance training for managing low back pain.
Plank:
To perform a plank, lie face down, lift your body while balancing on your forearms and toes, keep your body straight, engage your abs, and hold for 20 seconds, repeating three times.
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Hollow body hold
To perform a hollow body hold, lie flat with legs extended and arms by your sides, engage your core to press your lower back into the floor, lift your legs slightly, raise your head, extend your arms backward, and hold for 30 seconds; repeat for three sets.
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Side plank
To perform a side plank (knee down), lie on your side supported by one forearm, bend your bottom knee, straighten your top leg, lift your hips to form a straight line from shoulders to knees, hold for 15–20 seconds on each side, and repeat 2–3 times.
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Mountain climbers
To perform mountain climbers, start in a push-up position, bring one knee toward your chest, switch legs slowly, and repeat for 10 reps per leg.
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Dead bug
To perform a dead bug, lie on your back with arms and legs raised toward the ceiling, lower your right arm and left leg toward the floor while keeping your core tight, return to the starting position, switch sides, and repeat for 10 reps per side.
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Bird dog
To perform a bird dog, start on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips, extend your right arm and left leg straight out, hold for 2 seconds, then return to the starting position and switch sides.
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Best core exercises for intermediate
Plank shoulder taps:
Begin in a push-up position for plank shoulder taps, tapping your left shoulder with your right hand, then switching sides, keeping hips stable; complete 10 reps per side.
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Jackknife sit-up
Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs straight. Lift your arms and legs simultaneously, reaching for your toes, then lower them slowly. Perform 10 to 12 reps.
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Side plank (leg extended)
Lie on your side, supporting your body on your forearm and the side of your foot. Lift your hips to form a straight line, holding for 20 to 30 seconds per side. Repeat 2 to 3 times.
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Bicycle crunches
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and legs lifted. Bring your left elbow to your right knee while extending the left leg, then switch sides. Do 12 to 15 reps per side.
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L-sit hold
Sit on the floor with your legs straight and hands beside your hips. Lift your body off the ground while keeping your legs extended. Hold for 10–15 seconds and repeat 3 times for core strength.
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Hanging leg raises
Hang from a pull-up bar, keeping your arms straight. Lift your legs until they’re parallel to the ground, then lower them slowly. Perform 8–10 reps for effective core strengthening and better results.
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Best core exercises for advanced
Plank with arm/leg raise
Begin in a forearm plank position. Lift one arm or leg, hold for 2 seconds, then switch. Perform 8 reps per side to effectively engage and strengthen your core.
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Side plank with hip dips
Begin in a side plank position. Lower your hips toward the floor, then lift them back up. Repeat for 10 to 12 dips per side to strengthen the core and enhance stability.
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Ab rollouts using wheel
Kneel on the floor with a wheel or barbell in front. Roll forward, maintaining a tight core, then return to the starting position. Perform 8 to 10 reps of this effective core exercise.
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Hanging knee raises
Hang from a pull-up bar with arms straight, then pull your knees toward your chest and lower them slowly. Perform 8 to 10 repetitions.
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I’m Manas Ranjan Sahoo: Founder of “Webtirety Software”. I’m a Full-time Software Professional and an aspiring entrepreneur, dedicated to growing this platform as large as possible. I love to Write Blogs on Software, Mobile applications, Web Technology, eCommerce, SEO, and about My experience with Life.
