My Top Three Favorite Exercises to Strengthen the Core

I love working my core and find it the most important area to focus on while exercising, hence why the BWYA method has such a strong emphasis on core work through our format, exercises, etc. And as much as the idea of a six pack is enticing, the benefits of strong abdominals are even more motivating. Having a strong core helps prevent lower back pain, improves posture and helps with overall better health. A quick breakdown of the abdominal muscles are as follows: the transverse (deepest muscle layer and helps stabilize the trunk), rectus (most commonly referred to as the “six pack” and helps move the body between the ribcage and the pelvis) and the obliques (sides of the body and helps with twisting movement). When executing any abdominal movement, it is important to make sure you have proper form, most commonly cueing belly button into spine, to help prevent injuries. Now that we are on the same page as to what exactly our core is and it’s function, let’s get to my top three favorite exercises to strengthen it!

1.) When in doubt, Plank it out! Hi, I’m Heather and I am addicted to planks! No, but seriously! And for good reason! Planks are the best total-body exercise, but since our focus here is on the abs, I’ll stay on task! Planks target all aspects of the abdominal wall (transverse, rectus and obliques) and come in a wide range of different variations: side plank, straight arm plank, forearm plank, etc. Key things to remember when setting up your plank: eyes in front on your fingertips, shoulders stacked on top or wrist/elbows, space between your shoulder blades, pull your belly button in towards your spine, hips inline with your spine and evenly distribute your weight. Oh, and don’t forget to breathe ;) You can also modify your planks as you work on core strength to help prevent injuries by taking it to your knee(s), countertops and/or wall. And if you are just jumping on the Plank Train, you can ease your way to a 5 minute plank (goals!) by increasing your time in 30 second increments.

2.) Bicycles for days! Bicycle crunches aren’t necessarily going to get you very far distance wise, but they are great for targeting your obliques and transverse abdominals! Start with your hands lightly placed behind you head, elbows out to the sides and bend your legs 90°. Drawn your left elbow across your body and bring your right knee in to make contact (opposite elbow to knee) and extend your left leg out. Be sure to keep your lower back on the floor, chin off your chest, chest open and exhale on the cross. I like bicycle crunches so much because I can feel them not only in my obliques, but also in my lower abs. And just like planks, there are lots of different variations: a fun one to try is holding the cross and pulsing opposite knee to elbow!

3.) Standing Core for when You’re Bored! Ever get bored of floor core work? That’s why I love changing things up and working my abs while standing up! In an upright position, you can focus more on the movement and breath work and less on form (ie lower back staying on the floor). You can also move within all planes of motions (sagittal, frontal and transverse) within one series and throw in some cardio components as well! Some of my favorite are oblique crunches, abdominal contractions and cross punches!

Don’t let core become a bore! (Haha, like what I did there?) From the ordinary to the extraordinary, there are always takeaways from every crunch, plank and contraction. What is important is to remember to breathe, keep in control of your movement and make sure you aren’t causing any harm or damage to your body. I would love for you to give these three favorite exercises a try and let me know what you think, or send me a DM or email with some of your favorites and I’ll add them to our workouts!

Are you looking for a workout that helps you strengthen your power house (the core!) in a safe and effective way? Our online library has more than 60+ workouts, including brand new 15 minute Target & Tone Ab Blasts! Snag your FREE 7 day trial here!

Hope to see you at the barre soon!

Cheers,

Heather McCreight