Have you ever noticed that fitness experts are always talking about your core? That’s because having a strong core is a huge asset, both inside and outside the gym. From giving you better balance and posture to helping you reduce back pain and perform every move during your workout, life is simply better when you have a powerful core. True to its name, your core is the center of all your movement.
As simple as that sounds, it can be confusing to know exactly what your core is and which exercises can help you build a better one. The team at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club is here to help! Our personal trainers can show you many ways to strengthen your core by using our wide range of gym equipment and attending some of the many fitness classes we offer at our gym in Thornton.
In this blog, we’ll define what your core is and list 9 exercises you can try either at the gym or at home to give you more of the core you’re looking for.
What is your core?
Contrary to popular belief, your core is not limited to your abdominal muscles — it’s also made up of muscles around your pelvis and in back. Your core includes these muscle groups:
- Rectus abdominis — Also known as the “six pack,” this muscle is located in the abdomen and is the muscle you think of as your “abs.”
- Obliques — These muscles run along the sides of your abdomen. You have an external oblique and internal oblique on each side that allow you to rotate and bend your trunk.
- Transverse abdominis (TVA) — This muscle is often referred to as your “corset muscle.” It is the deepest layer of your abdominal muscles and resides underneath your obliques. Vertically, it runs from your ribs to your pelvis, and horizontally, it wraps around each side of your body, providing stability to your pelvis.
- Erector spinae — This group of back muscles and tendons run along each side of your spine from the base of your skull to your pelvis. These muscles help you stand straight after you bend over and produce the force needed to lift with your back. A lower back spasm is usually a contraction of the erector spinae muscles.
- Multifidus — The multifidus is a group of short, triangular muscles that run along the spine. Together, these muscles form a long, thin strip of tissue that starts at the base of the spine and extends up to the neck. The multifidus attaches to the bony projections on the back of each vertebra and provides stabilization of individual lumbar segments, allowing you to rotate and extend your spine. A weak multifidus is associated with lower back pain.
By keeping all of these muscles strong, you can stabilize your body, enhance your fitness, improve your balance and posture, support your spine, and prevent back pain.
Next, let’s explore some moves that will help you strengthen your core.
Low-impact exercises to build a rock-solid core
The following exercises are beneficial for people of all fitness levels. If you need help learning these moves and perfecting your form, please feel free to ask a member of the AFAC staff anytime for assistance. Our personal trainers are always happy to help our gym members!
Ab roller
The ab roller, also known as an ab wheel, an exercise tool that’s been around for years. The benefit of the ab roller is that it allows you to train your entire core — including your abs and your lower back — as one unit. The ab roller exercise is not easy to perform, however, so you might need to slowly progress from an easier ab wheel rollout to a more difficult one over time.
As a beginner, start on your hands and knees, holding the ab roller on each end under your shoulders. Slowly push your hips forward, and then extend your arms forward as far as you can go, straightening your body without falling down flat on the ground. When you feel your arms tire, pull the wheel and your hips back to the starting point, making an ab “crunch” move as you pull the wheel back in. As you get stronger, you’ll be able to extend your body farther out and do more reps. Advanced ab roller users are able to perform the exercise in a full plank position, with their knees off the ground and balancing on the balls of their feet.
Hip raises
Lie face up on the floor with your knees bent and your feet placed flat on the floor. Squeezing your glutes and pressing your heels into the floor, raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold that position for a second, and then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. This completes one rep.
Planks
The plank is a simple bodyweight exercise that strengthens your core, arms, shoulders, and glutes. Planks can also improve your posture. To perform a standard plank, place your hands directly under your shoulders, straighten your arms, and hold your body in a straight incline on the balls of your feet, as if you’re about to do a push-up. Squeeze your glutes and legs to stabilize your body. Your head and neck should be in line with your back. Hold this position for as long as you can, starting with 20 seconds per day and working your way up to 4-5 minutes per day.
To do a forearm plank, place your forearms on the floor with your elbows directly under your shoulders and hold the rest of your body the same as you would with a standard plank.
Side crunch
The side crunch focuses on the internal and external obliques. Although side crunches are touted as a way to reduce love handles, there is no evidence to support this claim, but they are still an effective workout for your core.
To perform a side crunch, lie on your side with your legs bent and your arm on the floor extended in front of you for support. Rest your other hand on your head for balance. Then, lift your upper body, bringing your top elbow as close to your hip as you can. Lower your body and repeat. Switch sides to get a balanced workout.
Bird dog
The bird dog exercise improves stability and relieves lower back pain by strengthening your core, back, and hip muscles. It’s also good for increasing your range of motion and promoting better posture. To perform a bird dog, start on all fours with your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Lift and straighten out your right leg behind you to hip level. At the same time, lift and extend your left arm out in front of you to shoulder level, keeping your palm down. You can hold your leg and arm out for a few seconds before lowering them, or for a more challenging exercise, you can touch your left elbow to your right knee, and then extend both of them long. Do as many reps as you wish and lower them to the ground. Then repeat with the left leg and right arm.
Oblique twists
This exercise works many of your core muscles including the rectus abdominis, external obliques, and internal obliques. Holding a medicine ball or weight increases the intensity of the exercise and gives your core a really good workout.
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. You can raise your feet off the floor to increase the difficulty of the exercise. Tighten your abs and sit at a 45-degree angle. Hold a weight or medicine ball directly in front of you with both hands. Contracting your abs, twist your body slowly to the right as if you’re trying to touch the medicine ball or weight on the floor beside you. Pause for a moment, and then contract your abs to return back to the center position, and then try to touch the medicine ball or weight to the floor on the other side. Repeat for as many reps as you wish to do.
Flutter kicks
Flutter kicks target your lower abdominal wall. Lie on your back and extend your legs straight in front of you, holding them off the ground at a 45 degree angle. Keep your arms straight beside you, parallel to the floor, with your palms facing down. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground. As you keep your legs straight and together with your toes pointed, lower one leg. Then raise the lowered leg and lower the other leg, keeping your core tight. Continue the movement, alternating legs, as if you’re kicking your feet underwater.
Cobra
Lie face down on the floor with your palms turned toward the floor or ceiling. Lift your arms, torso, and legs off the floor and into the air simultaneously, balancing your body on your abdomen. Hold the position and return to the starting point.
Reverse crunches with a stability ball
Reverse crunches primarily work your “six pack” rectus abdominis muscle. There are several ways to perform reverse crunches, but for now, we’ll focus on doing reverse crunches using a stability ball. Lying on the ground face down with the ball behind you, place the tops of both feet on the ball. Push your torso up with your hands directly under your shoulders and your arms straight. At this point, your body will be lifted parallel to the floor with your feet resting on the ball. Pull your knees into your chest, letting your feet roll the ball toward you until just your toes are holding the ball in place. Then extend your legs back behind you to the starting position.
Do More for Your Core at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club
The personal trainers at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club are here to help you strengthen and tone all your muscle groups, including those in your core. Please let us know if you’d like to schedule some sessions with a personal trainer or if you want more information about our classes that will give you a great core workout. Our dedication to helping our members achieve all their fitness goals is what makes us the best gym in Thornton, CO. For more information about Adventure Fitness Athletic Club and how to join our gym, visit us or contact Susan at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.
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