10 Best Core Strength Exercises

Core Strength Exercises

A strong core is undoubtedly a very essential positive feature of the human body. When your middle body is well-built, you can perform all the physical activities more efficiently. Furthermore, a stronger core helps to improve body posture, overall balance, and alleviate backache. As there are multiple muscles in this region, you need to work on each muscle to strengthen it. These muscles include rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, erector spinae, and obliques. Thus, we have prepared a list of the 10 best core strength exercises that are recommended by fitness experts.

The Plank Pose

Targeted Muscles – Abs, Back, Core, Hamstring Muscles, and Glutes

Plank is one of the most effective full-body exercises that help in strengthening the core too. While it might seem like a simple exercise, it’s quite difficult to hold the plank pose for a long time. Furthermore, this amazing exercise also helps in improving body posture by maintaining the alignment of the bones.

How To Do The Plank Pose?

1. Get down on the floor on all fours i.e. your knees and arms.
2. Bend your arms to place your elbows on the floor, right under your shoulders.
3. Extend your legs backward to get into the initial pushup position, such that your whole body is in a straight line.
4. Squeeze your core, glutes, and quadriceps while holding this position, without letting your middle body dip down.
5. When you can’t hold it any longer, return to the initial position and then try again after regaining energy.

Dead Bug

Targeted Muscles – Ads, Lower Back, Hips

Dead Bug is another gem in the list of most effective core strengthening exercises. This is an excellent workout to alleviate backache, improve posture, enhancing body balance, and coordination. However, you need to perform it correctly to obtain all the above-mentioned benefits.

How To Do Dead Bug Exercise?

1. Lie down on the floor on your back and lift your arms straight up in the air.
2. Now lift both your knees, such that there is a right angle between your core, thighs and lower legs respectively.
3. After that, you need to simultaneously drop your left arm and right leg towards the floor while keeping them straight.
4. Return to the initial position, and repeat the 3^rd step with the right arm and left leg.
5. Repeat these steps 10-15 times on each side per set.

Glute Bridge

Targeted Muscles – Core, Hips, Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Minimus, Quadriceps

Glute Bridge is a great core strengthening and lower body toning workout. This exercise is great for people suffering from backache, knee pain, or hips pain. Furthermore, it helps to improve body posture, balance, and tones lower body areas like buttocks.

How To Do Glute Bridge?

1. To do a glute bridge, lie down on the floor on your back and bend both your knees.
2. After that, place both your palms on the floor near your buttocks.
3. Then, lift your hips lift your hips off the ground to bring your back, buttocks, and thighs in a straight line. Thus, you will be balancing your body on shoulders and feet. Also, your lower legs should be at a right angle to the floor.
4. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds and return to the initial position.
5. Repeat these steps twice or thrice times daily.

Mountain Climbers

Targeted Muscles – Abs, Obliques, Lower Back, Glutes, Legs, Shoulders, Back, Triceps

Mountain Climbers is one of the favorite core strengthening exercises of many top fitness experts. This amazing full-body workout is great for toning and strengthening the core, lower body, and upper body too. Furthermore, it helps in boosting stamina, improving body balance, enhancing agility, and weight loss.

How To Do Mountain Climbers?

1. To do mountain climbers, get down in the initial pushup position i.e. on your toes and extended arms.
2. Make sure that your head, back, hips, and legs are in a straight line.
3. After that, pull your right knee towards your chest and back to the initial position.
4. Immediately after that, repeat the 3^rd step with your left leg.
5. Repeat these steps 15-20 times with each leg per set.

Crunches

Targeted Muscles – Abs, Obliques, Core, Lower Back

Crunches are one of the most commonly recommended exercises for toning and strengthening the core area. Also, this exercise is great to eliminate belly fat and you can do this exercise anywhere.

How To Do Crunches?

1. Lie down on the floor on your back and bend your knees to bring your feet closer to your buttocks.
2. Now place both your hand behind your head with fingers tangled together for better grip.
3. While exhaling, lift your upper body to bring your chest towards your bent knees and hold for a second.
4. Return to the initial position while inhaling.
5. Repeat these steps 15-20 times per set.

Bicycle Crunches

Targeted Muscles – Abs, Obliques, Quadriceps, Hamstrings

Bicycle Crunches are a more intense variation of the standard crunches exercise. This exercise is very beneficial for the toning and strengthening of the core and lower body. Bicycle crunches also help in boosting stamina and the ability to perform various physical activities like athletics.

How To Do Bicycle Crunches?

1. Lie down on the floor on your back and lift both your legs one foot above the ground.
2. Now place both your hand behind your head and interlock fingers for a stronger grasp.
3. After that, lift your upper body and twist your right elbow towards the left knee. At the same time, bend your left leg to bring the left knee towards the right elbow.
4. Return to the initial position and do the same steps with the opposite leg & arm.
5. Repeat these steps 15-20 times per set.

Bird Dog

Targeted Muscles – Core, Abs, Back, Hips

Bird Dog is a simple yet highly effective exercise for toning and strengthening the core. Furthermore, this workout is great for improving stability, stronger back, and alleviating backache. Also, it helps in improving body posture and flexibility.

How To Do Bird Dog?

1. Get down on the floor on all fours, i.e. arms and knees with a straight back.
2. After that, you need to simultaneously lift your right arm and left leg to extend both in opposite direction. Thus, your left arm left leg, and back will be in a straight line.
3. Hold this for a second while squeezing your core and return to the initial position.
4. Now do the 2^nd step with the left arm and the right leg.
5. Repeat these steps 15-20 times per set.

Hanging Knee Raise

Targeted Muscles – Core, Abs, Obliques, Hip Adductors

Hanging Knee Raise is an excellent workout to tone and strengthen the core and abdominal muscles. Furthermore, it helps in improving stability, flexibility, balance, and body posture. However, this is an advanced-level exercise that you’ll be able to do after gaining good arms and core strength.

How To Do Hanging Knee Raise Exercise?

1. Grip a high pull up bar firmly with both your hands at a wider distance than your shoulders. Thus, your whole body should be hanging on your arms strength.
2. Now keep your feet together and lift both your knees towards your belly while squeezing your core.
3. Hold for a second and return your legs to the initial position.
4. Repeat these steps 15-20 times per.

Reverse Crunches

Targeted Muscles – Abs, Obliques

Reverse Crunches are an incredible core strengthening exercise that doesn’t hurt your back like standard crunches. This workout is very effective for reducing belly fat and building strong abs.

How To Do Reverse Crunches?

1. Lie down on the floor on your back and bend your knees to bring your feet closer to your buttocks.
2. Now lift your feet from the floor to form a 45-degree angle between your legs and the floor. Also, place both your palms on the floor near your buttocks.
3. While squeezing your core, bend your knees and bring them towards your chest.
4. Extend your legs back to the position in step two.
5. Repeat these steps 15-20 times per set.

Leg Raises

Targeted Muscles – Abs, Obliques, Hips

Leg Raises are also considered to be a highly effective exercise to tone and strengthen the core area. Also, this workout helps in shedding extra fat from the abdominal region and legs. The best thing about this exercise is that you can do it while laying in bed.

How To Do Leg Raises Exercise?

1. Lie down straight on the floor and place your arms on the ground near your buttocks.
2. Now squeeze your core to lift both legs together and bring them at a 90 degrees angle to the floor.
3. Hold this position for a second and slowly return your legs to the initial position.
4. Repeat these steps 15-30 times per set.

The Bottom Line

So these were the top 10 core strengthening exercises that will help you build a steel-like midsection. Make sure to get assistance from a certified fitness trainer while doing these exercises to avoid mistakes or mishaps. Also, it’s very important to eat a healthy diet for building a strong and muscular body. Apart from these, there are various other core strengthening workouts that you can try too. These core workouts include Woodchoppers, Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts, Windshield Wipers, Superman Pose, Side Plank, and Wall Plank, etc.