The core muscles help you stand or sit without falling. These muscles are present in the belly, in the back, in the pelvis, and in the buttocks (yes, the core does not only mean abs). However, with age and muscle disuse, the core muscles may weaken, leading to poor posture and injuries. That is why it is important to practice 20 minutes of core strengthening exercises every two days.
This article lists 10 core strengthening exercises. Read on to learn how to do this at home with the right technique.
What and where are the core muscles?
The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Colorado School of Medicine defines the nucleus as “the group of trunk muscles that surround the spine and abdominal viscera. Abdominal, buttock, hip, paraspinal and other muscles work together to provide spinal stability. “
This means that the core includes the belly, the upper back, the lower back, the hips, the sides of the waist and the chest.
What Are The Major Muscles Of The Body?
Abdominal Rectus – These are the muscles that correspond to the popular “six-pack”, seen as those square parts in the middle. They are located along the front of the abdomen.
External abdominal obliques: these are the muscles that are seen diagonally downward on both sides. They are located on the sides and in front of the abdomen.
Internal abdominal obliques: these muscles are below the external abdominal obliques, but the point in the opposite direction.
Cross-sectional abdomen: these are the deepest muscles, behind the oblique muscles and around the spine.
Glutes: These are the muscles of the hip that help with various movements, such as walking, sitting and bending.
Pelvic floor: these are the muscles you can feel when you try to hold urine. You will know that the pelvic floor muscles are weak if you accidentally pass some urine while coughing, sneezing or exercising.
Scapular muscles: these muscles include those present in the upper back and back of the shoulders: trapezius, rhomboid, minor and major rounded, pectoral minor, etc.
Now, you know that to strengthen the core, you must aim at all the muscles mentioned above. Let’s start with the exercises.
10 Best Workouts For Core Strength
Before any exercise session, you should warm-up. Here is a 10-minute warm-up session that you can follow.
Warm-up (10 minutes)
- Neck tilts: 1 set of 10 repetitions
- Head up and down: 1 set of 10 repetitions
- Neck rotations: 1 set of 10 repetitions
- Shoulder rotations: 1 set of 10 repetitions
- Elbow Rotations: 1 set of 10 repetitions
- Arm rotations: 1 set of 10 repetitions
- Waist rotations: 1 set of 10 repetitions
- Spot jogging – 1 min
- Side lunges- 1 set of 10 reps
- Calf raises: 1 set of 10 repetitions
- Ankle rotations: 1 set of 10 repetitions
Note: If you have back pain, start with the basic exercise first. Activate the core, the core with the knee in and out, the core with the knee flexion at the hip, then continue with the exercises below that can help you get a strong core.
#1. Flutter Kicks
Objective: buttocks, hip flexors, lower abs, quadrilaterals, and hamstrings.
How To Do Flutter Kicks Exercise
- Lie on your back on a mat. Keep your hands at your sides, palms on the carpet, lean against the carpet and look at the ceiling.
- Wrap your core, lift both legs off the floor and kick up and down alternately. Do not let your feet touch the floor before completing a set.
- Sets and repetitions: 2 sets of 15 repetitions
#2. Seated Knee Tuck
Objective: upper, middle and lower abs, buttocks, quadrilaterals, hamstrings, calves, biceps, and triceps.
How To Do Seated KneeTucks Excercise
- Sit on the mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat. Place your hands behind you and keep your palms on the mat.
- Wrap your core, bend your elbows, lie a little and lift your legs in the same bent knee posture.
- Bring the knees to the chest and the upper body to the knees.
- Lean back and move your legs away. Stretch your legs when doing so.
- Bend the knees and bring them close to the chest and upper body near the knees.
- Sets and repetitions: 3 sets of 10 repetitions
#3. Crunches
Objective: abdominal rectum, abdominal transverse, internal and external obliques, and pelvis.
How To Do Crunches Exercise
- Sit on the mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat. Keep your feet together.
- Back up until the back of the shoulders touches the carpet. Do not rest your head on the carpet.
- Wrap your core and place the fingertips behind the head to hold it. Keep your elbows apart, arms wide open and chest extended. Do not bend your chin. This is the initial position.
- Exhale and lift your head (do not push it) so that only the upper back is off the floor. Look at the top of your knees.
- Inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
- Sets and repetitions: 2 sets of 15 repetitions
#4. Bicycle Crunch
Objective: upper, middle and lower abs, obliques, quadrilaterals, and hamstrings.
How To Do Bicycle Crunches Excercise
- Lie on the floor, put your hands behind your head and open your arms. Lift your head and feet off the floor, bend your knees and bring them closer to your belly.
- Push the right leg back and extend it. Simultaneously, bend down and try to touch the left knee with the right elbow.
- Bend the right knee. While doing this, push your left leg back and extend it completely. Squeeze and try to touch your right knee with your left elbow.
- Sets and repetitions: 2 sets of 15 repetitions
#6. Vertical Leg Crunch
Objective: upper, middle and lower abs, obliques, quadrilaterals, hamstrings, rhomboids, dorsals, and deltoids.
How To Do Vertical Leg Crunches Excercise
- Lie on the floor and keep your arms at your sides.
- Lift both legs 90 degrees off the floor.
- Lift your hands off the floor and try to touch your fingers with your fingertips.
- Inhale and come back down.
- Exhale and try to touch your toes with your fingertips.
- Sets and repetitions: 2 sets of 15 repetitions
#7. Leg Raises
Objective: glutes, lower abdominals, upper abdominals, hamstrings, and quadriceps.
How To Do Leg Raises Excercise
- Lie on the carpet. Place your thumbs under your hips, wrap the core and lift your leg upright. This is the initial position.
- Inhale and lower your legs slowly.
- Just before your heels touch the floor, lift them slowly. Exhale while you do it.
- Sets and repetitions: 3 sets of 12 repetitions
#8. Plank
Objective: Abs, glutes, quadriceps, shoulders, hamstrings, and biceps.
How To Do A Plank Excercise
- Get on your knees on all fours.
- Bend your elbows and place your forearm on the mat. Extend your legs back and wrap your core. Make sure your neck and spine are straight. Do not bend or climb.
- Keep your elbows just below your shoulders. Look at the floor Avoid any tension in the head and neck. Keep breathing.
- Hold this pose for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Sets and repetitions: 2 tables of 30-60 seconds of waiting
#9. Plank Jacks
Objective: Abs, glutes, adductors, abductors, calves, and hamstrings.
How To Do Plank Jacks Excercise
- Take the flexion position. Keep your core occupied and your legs apart to the width of the hip.
- Keeping the upper body and hands stable, separate the legs (wider than the width of the shoulders) and return them to the starting position. Here, it will cause the bridge legs to move in the plank position.
- Sets and repetitions: 3 sets of 20 repetitions
#10. Sprinter Plank
Objective: Abs, glutes, adductors, abductors, calves, and hamstrings.
How To Do Sprinter Plank Excercise
- Take a push-up position. Make sure the neck and back are in the same line, with the elbows just below the shoulders and the core hooked.
- Lift your right foot off the floor, bend your right knee and bring it closer to your abdomen.
- Place your right foot on the floor, jump and lift your left foot off the floor.
- Bend your left knee and bring it closer to your belly.
- Place the left foot on the floor, jump and lift the right foot off the floor.
- Do this at a faster speed, almost like running or running.
- Sets and repetitions: 3 sets of 20 repetitions
#10. Cat And Cow
After doing so many exercises in the posture of the table, your back needs to be relaxed. The cat and cow pose is the perfect exercise for this.
Objective: relax the back muscles.
How To Do Cat And Cow Pose
- Be four. Turn your shoulders back, keep your elbows just below your shoulders. Keep your spine upright. Do not raise or bend your spine.
- Bend the column and lookup. Hold this pose for 3 seconds.
- Slowly lower your head, look down and up the spine. Hold this pose for 3 seconds.
- Sets and repetitions: 1 set of 10 repetitions
Conclusion
Basic exercises are excellent for improving posture, balance, strength, endurance, and self-confidence.
If you are recovering from a stroke or surgery, make sure you have your doctor’s permission to start exercising. If you are doing this on a flat stomach, you should also eat healthily and do other cardiovascular exercises and strength training for at least two days a week.
I hope this post has been helpful. If you have any questions, post it below and we will contact you.
