Do Core Exercises

Your core, often called your “powerhouse,” consists of the muscles between your diaphragm and your pelvic floor. These muscles stabilize the spine and pelvis and keep your body steady during forward kinetic movement. A strong core also means a sleek waistline and a reduced chance of back injury.

Steps

Use an Exercise Ball

An exercise ball, also called a Swiss ball or a stability ball, was first used in a physical therapy clinic in Switzerland. No matter what exercise you perform with an exercise ball, you will help to stabilize and tone your core muscles. However, these exercises specifically use the ball to target and deeply work your core muscles.

  1. Do-Reverse-Sit-Ups-With-an-Exercise-Ball. This exercise is similar to performing basic crunches. Instead of placing your feet on the floor, you rest your feet on the top of an exercise ball. This engages your lower abdominals because you will have to work to keep the ball stable as you perform the exercise. However, this exercise primarily targets your upper abdominals.
  2. Do-a-Reverse-Plank-With-an-Exercise-Ball. To make this exercise more challenging, add individual leg lifts while you are in the plank position. You can also try the regular plank and the side plank as variations on this exercise.
  3. Do-Pilates-Roll-Ups-With-an-Exercise-Ball. This exercise will challenge both your lower and upper abdominal muscles. As you gain control, try to keep your legs still. Use your abdominal muscles to pull yourself up rather than using momentum from your hip flexors and lumbar spine to roll your body into a sitting position. If you can’t raise yourself from the floor into a sitting position at first, place a small stability ball or a cushion under your back until you become stronger.
  4. Do-Leg-Crosses-With-an-Exercise-Ball. These leg crosses will work your oblique muscles, which are the muscles that run down the sides of your abdomen. Keep your glutes and your hamstrings engaged throughout to give yourself added stability and to keep your movement fluid. You’ll also feel engagement in your lower abdominal muscles.
  5. Do-a-Lying-Leg-Rotation-With-an-Exercise-Ball. Use slow movements during this exercise and engage your abdominals so that you don’t injure your back. Try to keep your arms and your upper body as still as possible while you rotate your lower body to either side.

Perform Floor Exercises

These floor exercises for your core muscles are perfect if you have access to minimal equipment. Make sure that you have a mat underneath your back, and make sure that you keep your neck and spine aligned to avoid neck strain and pain.

  1. Do-Upward-Facing-Leg-Extensions. The leg extension exercises in this article keep one foot on the ground. To make this exercise more challenging, start with both knees bent at a 90-degree angle so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your calves are parallel to the floor. Extend one leg, pull the leg back in, and then extend the other leg. To make the exercise even more intense, lower your legs until they almost touch the floor.
  2. Do-an-Upward-Facing-Hip-Rotation. During this exercise, you’ll need to keep your abdominals engaged to avoid putting too much strain on your back. This exercise adds the benefit of working your glutes and thigh muscles as well as your core. Keep your hips on the ground while gently doing the rotation to create a nice stretch in your spinal column.
  3. Do-an-Upward-Facing-Hip-Flex. This article teaches you to do the hip flex with alternating legs while lying on your back on a floor mat. To increase the challenge, try performing the same exercise while you are balanced on a Roman chair. Also, you can lift both legs at the same time. Lift your pelvis off of the floor for an even deeper abdominal workout.
  4. Do-Side-to-Side-Crunches. To isolate your obliques during this exercise, imagine that you are trying to touch your hip with the opposite shoulder as you crunch inward. You can increase the challenge by raising your legs at a 90-degree angle during the crunches, or you can perform the crunches on a decline bench. You can also lift the opposite leg off of the floor as you contract your abs and pull your shoulder across your body.
  5. Perform-the-Medicine-Ball-Sit-up-Exercise. Performed with a partner, this exercise that involves the use of a medicine ball will add an extra dimension to your core workout. To make the exercise more challenging, you can use a heavier medicine ball or sit further apart. Make sure that you upper back comes all the way to the floor between sit-ups. Otherwise, your abdominal muscles may be only isometrically involved.

Do Pilates

Pilates was designed for dancers with the specific function of strengthening core muscles. Some of these moves are challenging, but you can do simpler versions of the movements before progressing to the actual poses or movements themselves.

  1. Do-the-"Hundred"-Exercise-in-Pilates. The hundred is one of the core Pilates exercises. As you pump your arms, imagine yourself pushing down a pile of sand with your hands. You will do 5 inhalations and 5 exhalations per set for 10 sets, which is why the exercise is called the hundred.
  2. Do-an-Open-Leg-Rocker-in-Pilates. This exercise is more for the intermediate or advanced Pilates student. If you are not able to complete the rocking motion, then simply work on balancing yourself on your seat in the “V” position without rocking back and forth. When your core becomes stronger, then you can add the rocking motion to the exercise.
  3. Do-Cris-Crosses-in-Pilates. Cris crosses are similar to side-to-side crunches except that your legs move into your body as you cross your upper body over. During this exercise, make sure to keep plenty of space between your shoulders and your ears. Do not scrunch your neck into your shoulders or lift your back up off of the floor. If needed, practice the movements without your legs elevated until you are strong enough to perform the exercise with the leg movement.
  4. Do-the-Boomerang-in-Pilates. As you roll up and down on your mat while doing this exercise, try to think of yourself raising and lowering one vertebra at a time. Switch crossed legs every other repetition to work both sides of your core equally. Again, some practice holding yourself in a “V” position might be necessary before fully engaging with this exercise.
  5. Do-up-Down-Side-Kicks-in-Pilates. If lifting your leg to a 90-degree angle is challenging at first, then start by lifting your leg to hip height and holding it in position before lowering it. Gradually increase the height of the lift as you grow more accustomed to the exercise. Imagine that a spring connects your ankle to the ceiling and that, as you raise and lower your leg, you are applying resistance against the spring. This will make your movement more fluid.

Perform Yoga Poses

In addition to providing stability for the lower back and pelvis, many yogis believe that a strong core is the seat of balanced emotions because these muscles provide support for the 3 lower chakras. A strong core can make you feel not only physically confident but also emotionally grounded and secure, according to yogic philosophy.

  1. Assume-the-Locust-Pose-in-Yoga. The locust pose requires you to lift your chest and feet up off of the ground, using your core to stabilize your body. To give yourself added support, place your hands beneath your thighs with you palms facing upward. Use your fingers to push your legs up off of the floor until you become strong enough to keep your legs up without the added support.
  2. Do-the-Full-Boat-Pose-in-Yoga. This yoga pose lifts your back and heels off of the ground, relying on your core to keep you stable and balanced. If you have difficulty lifting your feet, then wrap a strap around your arches and pull on the strap as you lift your back off of the ground. You can also have a partner press against your back so that your shoulder blades have something to push against as you raise your sternum.
  3. Do-the-Peacock-Posture. This exercise requires you to support your weight with your hands, but you actually use the core muscles to keep your body aligned as it lifts off of the ground. If you’re having difficulty keeping your elbows tucked in, then you can bind them together with a strap so that they better support your weight. You can also support your forehead or your ankles on a block or a cushion.
  4. Do-the-Revolved-Half-Moon-Pose-in-Yoga. Make sure that you have warmed up your core muscles before you perform this pose as it places a strong demand on your abdominals and lower back. If your hip isn’t strong enough to support your weight, then place some blocks under your shoulders and lean your extended leg against a wall to support your weight.
  5. Do-the-Table-Pose-in-Yoga. In addition to strengthening both your core and your arms, the table pose provides a great stretch for the front of your body. This pose restores balance to your body after sports that require forward motion, like tennis or swimming. It also counteracts the effects of a day spent hunched over a computer at work.

Tips

  • Strong abdominal muscles will help you to maintain good posture while sitting or standing and will help to protect your back while you are lifting heavy items.

Warnings

  • Be especially careful with core strengthening exercises if you have a current or previous back injury. Talk to a fitness instructor about how to modify the exercises so that you can continue to strengthen your core without aggravating your injury.

Things You'll Need

  • Exercise ball
  • Yoga mat
  • Medicine ball
  • Strap (optional)

Related Articles

References

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wQW-RKnTX0

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