Five of My Favorite Core Exercises
When many people think of the core, they think of the abdominals. But, the core is made up of so much more including the obliques, glutes, hip flexors, erectors, lats and more! Your core also moves and resists many movements like lateral flexion, extension, rotation and flexion. While I feel people are getting more educated on strengthening their core, still some people I work with think of doing sit ups first to gain strength. Here are my favorite core exercises that work all movement patterns.
[mp_row]
[mp_span col=”12″]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
1.) Master the plank first.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”907″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_text]
You can do a plank anywhere and it doesn’t require any equipment. Many people know of this exercise, but it’s a great exercise because it works many areas at once – your abdominals, quads, glutes, shoulders, and more! Here are a few tips.
- Keep your elbows under your shoulders
- Keep your eyes looking in between your fists
- Squeeze your glutes and engage your quads
- Relax your shoulders
- Drive your heels slightly back towards the floor
- Breathe through your belly
- Hold as long as you can (goal is 60 seconds)
Once you can hold this exercise for 60 seconds, you’re ready to move on to different plank variations. To make it more challenging, lengthen your plank even more. In the picture you can see my shoulders are slightly back behind my elbows.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
The Plank Drag (progress)
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[/mp_span]
[/mp_row]
[mp_row]
[mp_span col=”12″]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”908″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_text]
I love this exercise. The goal is to resist rotation through the torso. Here are a few tips.
- Keep your hips and shoulders square to the ground. It’s easy for your right hip to lift and open up as you pull with your right hand.
- Squeeze your glutes
- Reach underneath your body to pull the weight (this can be a dumbbell also)
- Keep your feet wider than your shoulders
- Complete 6-12 reps each side.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
2.) The Roll Out
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”917″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”916″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
I consider this an advanced exercise. If you have never done this before, try the roll out with the stability ball first.
- Starting position is key: Begin with your hips pushed forward and the wheel underneath your shoulders. Return back to this exact position as you roll back.
- Squeeze your glutes. Your glutes protect your low back. If you feel any pressure in your low back with your roll out, most likely you aren’t engaging your glutes.
- Roll out enough until you feel your abdominals fire. Don’t worry about extending out as far as the picture. Find what you can do with good control.
- Complete 8-15 reps.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
The Stability Ball Roll Out (Option 2)
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”924″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_text]
If the wheel roll out isn’t working, try it with a stability ball.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
3.) Side Plank
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”909″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_text]
A great exercise for working resisting lateral flexion through the spine.
- Line your elbow up underneath the shoulder
- Squeeze your right side and right glute
- Engage your upper back and the muscles around the shoulder blade. This should be your support system. If you feel any pressure in the front of the shoulder, adjust your position.
- If this position feels hard to get into, bend your top knee and place the foot in front of your hip.
- Hold for up to 60 seconds.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”925″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_text]
Side Plank (Advanced)
Need it to be more challenging? Elevate your feet. I will usually do this in a TRX.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
4.) Dead Bug
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”919″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”920″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
Sometimes this exercise gets people mentally working too 🙂
- Starting position: make sure your low back is in the most comfortable position. It should not be arched (thinking I can slide my hand underneath your back). For most people, it helps to eliminate that space and keep it still as you move your legs.
- Keep your knee over your hip. It’s easy for your knee to come closer to your belly button.
- Move your opposite arm and leg together (right leg, left arm then left leg, right arm)
- Complete 8-12 each side.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
Stability Ball Dead Bug (Advanced)
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”922″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”921″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
This is a fantastic exercise if you do it correctly. Key tip: can you bring you one leg up to 90 degrees? If you can’t, this exercise will not work for you and you will compensate somewhere in your body to attempt it. Notice in the first picture, both feet are at 90 degrees (ankles over hips)
- The difference between this exercise isn’t much technically (follow the first three tips above), but you will also want to focus on not letting the stability ball move. It should stay still as you drop one arm and one leg.
- Focus on doing this by actively pushing your opposing hand and foot into the ball strong. This will fire your core even more!
- Also, focus on tucking our chin so you aren’t straining your neck.
- Complete 8-12 reps each side.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
5.) Sprinting
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_image id=”910″ size=”full” link_type=”custom_url” link=”#” target=”false” caption=”false” align=”left”]
[/mp_span_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”6″]
[mp_text]
Sprinting might be my favorite core exercise. I’ll do this at least once a week up a hill (like the picture) or on a flat surface like my driveway or a track. The goal is to go as fast as you can for a short period.
- Keep your shoulders away from your ears as you sprint. Many people can hike their shoulders up.
- Pump your arms and hands and don’t cross them over your mid section.
- Stand up tall after you’ve gained your top speed.
- Workout: 5 sprints to the first mark, 3 sprints to the second mark, 2 sprints to the third mark.
You can find landmarks in your neighborhood or whatever area you’ve chosen to sprint. After sprinting at 100%, walk back to your starting mark and rest as long as you need to so you can sprint at full speed every interval. Your workout should last 15-20 minutes. Warm up with light walking, high knees, butt kickers, lateral shuffles, and stretching before sprinting.
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[mp_row_inner]
[mp_span_inner col=”12″]
[mp_text]
Core exercises are important to do every week. I usually incorporate them into my strength training after warming up. If you’re a beginner, complete at least 2 exercises for 2 sets, 2-3 days a week. If you are more advanced, complete 3 sets for 3 days a week (with a day of rest in between each workout).
[/mp_text]
[/mp_span_inner]
[/mp_row_inner]
[/mp_span]
[/mp_row]
