Read on to get a list of the 15 best core strengthening exercises you can perform at home with proper technique. You also can check out the core muscles you will target through the core strengthening exercises mentioned below. Continue reading.
What Is The Core? What Muscles Is The Core Made Of?
The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine defines the core as “the group of trunk muscles that surround the spine and abdominal viscera. Abdominal, gluteal, hip girdle, paraspinal, and other muscles work in concert to provide spinal stability.” (10) This means the core includes your belly region, upper back, lower back, hips, sides of the waist, and chest. Here’s the list of all the core muscles: Now, you know that to strengthen the core, you must target all the muscles mentioned above. Let’s get started with the exercises.
Top 15 Core Strengthening Exercises You Can Do At Home
Before any exercise session, you must warm-up. Here’s a 10-minute warm-up session you may follow.
Warm-Up (10 minutes)
Neck tilts – 1 set of 10 reps Head up and down – 1 set of 10 reps Neck rotations (do it slowly) – 1 set of 10 reps Shoulder rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Elbow rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Arm rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Waist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Spot jogging – 1 min Side lunges – 1 set of 10 reps Calf raises – 1 set of 10 reps Ankle rotations – 1 set of 10 reps
Note: If you have lower back pain, start with the basic core exercise first. Do core activation, core with knee in and out, core with hip knee flexion, and then progress to below exercises that can help you get strong core.
Core Exercises – 20 minutes
1. Flutter Kicks
Target – Glutes, hip flexors, lower abs, quads, and hamstrings. Sets And Reps – 2 sets of 15 reps
2. Seated Knee Tuck
Target – Upper, middle, and lower abs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, biceps, and triceps. Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 10 reps
3. Crunches
Target – Rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques, and pelvis. Sets And Reps – 2 sets of 15 reps
4. Bicycle Crunch
Target – Upper, mid, and lower abs, obliques, quads, and hamstrings. Sets And Reps – 2 sets of 15 reps
6. Vertical Leg Crunch
Target – Upper, mid, and lower abs, obliques, quads, hamstrings, rhomboids, lats, and deltoids. Sets And Reps – 2 sets of 15 reps
7. Leg Raises
Target – Glutes, lower abs, upper abs, hamstrings, and quads. Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 12 reps
8. Plank
Target – Abs, glutes, quads, shoulders, hamstrings, and biceps. Sets And Reps – 2 planks of 30-60 seconds hold
9. Plank Jacks
Target – Abs, glutes, adductors, abductors, calves, and hamstrings. Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 20 reps
10. Sprinter Plank
Target – Abs, glutes, adductors, abductors, calves, and hamstrings. Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 20 reps
11. Cat And Cow
After doing so many exercises in the plank pose, your back needs to be relaxed. The Cat and Cow Pose is the perfect exercise for that. Target – Relaxing the back muscles. Sets And Reps – 1 set of 10 reps
12. Jack Knife Crunch
Target – Lower abs, upper abs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and lower back. Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 8 reps
13. Push-up
Target – Abs, chest, shoulders, and biceps. Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 8 reps
14. Russian Twist
Target – Internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, traps, and spinal erectors. Sets And Reps – 3 sets of 15 reps
15. Inchworm
Target – Abs, lower back, deltoids, glutes, and biceps. Sets And Reps – 1 set of 3 reps These are the 15 core strengthening exercises that you can do at home at your convenience. Make sure you stretch and cool down after finishing your workout session. Doing these exercises every other day can help you get the following benefits.
Benefits Of Core Strengthening Exercises
Is walking good for core strength? Walking is a good cardio exercise and will help burn calories. However, it is not the ideal workout for strengthening the core. How can I strengthen my core while sitting? You cannot strengthen your core by sitting. You have to activate your core muscles by doing exercises that target the core muscles. Does core strengthening help back pain? Yes, correct and supervised core exercises can help reduce back pain. Make sure you talk to your doctor and make your trainer aware of your back pain. What is the appropriate repetition tempo for core-strength exercises? As a beginner, try 2 sets of 8 reps. Increase it to 3 sets of 8 reps. Later, 3 sets of 12 reps. The sets and reps also depend on the type of exercise you do. Why are core exercises so hard? Unlike the other body parts, the muscles around the abdomen are immovable. Hence, any movement of the hands or legs puts pressure on the core – making such exercises more challenging. What problems can a weak core cause? Weak core muscles can lead to poor posture and affect the sense of balance. Also, they can lead to lower back pain and weakness in general. How long does it take to strengthen a weak core? Research suggests that strengthening a weak core can take about 8 weeks. But once strong, your core can help improve your balance, increase endurance, and improve your running economy (11).
