Your core muscles form the foundation for everything that you do. No matter your goal, a strong core improves your fitness level and everyday life.

A strong core is the foundation of a well-rounded fitness routine. Your core muscles support every movement you make. They create the foundation for all activities. From the squats and pushups you do at the gym, to the cardio you do to improve cardiovascular health, to the every day twists and turns, bends and lifts that life presents.

Maybe you’ve been relying on 100s of crunches to build a strong core and you’re bored with elbow planks.

Or maybe you regularly work your way through a challenging core workout only to wake up with a stiff neck and back the next day.

Either way, it’s time to shake things up and make a change!

Core 101

Your core is made up of a lot more than a 6-pack. Here’s a quick anatomy lesson so that you get a baseline understanding of what you’re working, and why, when you try these exercises.

The Abs

When people say “abs” they’re actually (probably unknowingly) referring to 4 unique muscles that run down the front and sides of the torso.

‘The rectus abdominis runs between the ribs down to the pelvic area. This is the muscle that when built up, gives the look of a 6-pack. The rectus abdominis’ job is to move the body between the ribcage and the pelvic bone. Think crunches, leg raises and sit ups.

The obliques – both internal and external – work together to support and allow your spine and trunk to twist safely. They work in tandem, moving in opposition with one another as you twist left or right.

Your transverse abdominis is the deepest, muscular layer of abdominal muscles. It’s main job is to provide stability to your spine and torso.

And More

As you move outward from your abdominals you start to find muscles that are lesser known, but just as important to functional, injury free movement. Their main job: protecting your spine as your rotate, bend and move.

The erector spinae is a muscle group that run lengthwise up along either side of your spine. Strong erector spinae muscles improve posture and provide your spine with the support for safe side-to-side rotation.

Multifidus muscles function with the rest of your core muscles to protect your spine. It’s main job is to protect your lower back, or lumbar spine, specifically.

The diaphragm plays a stabilizing role in your core. Every time you take a deep breath, you feel your core muscles expand and relax. Your diaphragm is the muscle that creates the structure and strength in your torso with each breath.

Your pelvic floor muscles form the “base” to all of your other core muscles…and organs too! They work with the other muscles of the core musculature to support your spine and control pressure inside the abdomen.

To build a strong core that can support your workouts, improve everyday movements and reduce your risk of injury, you have to include exercises that hit each and every one of these muscle groups.

Quick Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Core Workout

#1: Vary Movement Patterns

If your go to move is crunches or sit ups, consider adding some variety to your core workout. While crunches and sit ups do work your abs, they only strengthen those muscles in a forward and backward flexion motion. There are a lot more movement patterns that you follow throughout the day, and it’s key to practice and strengthen them all!

#2: Add Weight, Not Reps

Your core muscles are like any other muscle group. First and foremost, they need to rest and recover in between sessions. Overtraining your core (aka training every day), increases your potential for injury. Second, start adding resistance to your body weight core exercises. Your core muscles – like every other muscle in your body – responds to increased challenges (like heavier weights), by *drumroll please* growing!

#3: Get Rid of the Arch

The next time you do any ab exercises pay attention to what your lower back is doing. Most people tend to tilt their tailbone into the floor, creating an anterior pelvic tilt and arched lower back. Maybe you finish 20 reps thinking “my abs are fine but my hips are on fire!”…familiar with that feeling?

Instead of arching, try to pull your lower back flat to the mat or bench before you start. In doing so, you’ll engage your core muscles, relieve your hip flexors, protect your spine and get more out of each rep.

#4: Take it Slow

Most core exercises engage the muscles from start the start of the rep to the very end, every time. That time under tension is a key factor in creating a muscular challenge and facilitating growth. But if you rush your reps, you’re short-changing yourself.

Focus on taking slow, deep breaths throughout your set. Slow down each movement. Pay attention to how your muscles are moving – what they allow you, and inhibit you, from doing.

7 Challenging At Home Exercises for a Strong Core

There are plenty of core exercises to choose from out there that range from bodyweight, to machine-based, to free weight grounded. These 7 exercises are some of my favorites – and they use a wide variety of equipment so that you can pick and choose what works for you!

Kettlebell Figure 8s

Let’s start with a fun exercise that not only requires your entire core to put in work, it requires your mind to be engaged as well.

How to:

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, gripping the top of the kettlebell handle with one hand. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips to thread the kettlebell between your legs. Bring your other hand behind your body and under your butt to meet the weight, and hand it off. Stand back up as you pull the weight from the side of your body to your chest. Bring your now-empty hand to meet the weight at the top of the movement (so you don’t slam it into your chest).

• Maintain a solid stance throughout this exercise. Keep your weight balanced equally over your feet, your back straight, core engaged and shoulders down and back.
• Start with a light kettlebell to master the movement. Dial in your form before increasing the weight.
• Maintain a fluid motion.

Trainer Tips:

Plank Dumbbell Drags

Take your regular plank and level up the burn. This Plank Drag tests your upper body and core strength, as well as balance and endurance.

How to:

Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and core engaged, a dumbbell next to your right hand, just behind your palm. Reach your left hand across your body to grasp the handle of the weight, then drag it until it’s under your left palm. Return left hand to floor, grab weight with right hand, and pull right for one rep.

Trainer tips:

• Resist the urge to rotate your torso (from hips to shoulders) as you reach and drag. This will get harder as you increase reps.
• Keep your butt down and legs straight so that your core engages to do the work of balancing you as your center of gravity shifts from hand to hand.

Deadbug Knee Push

My favorite part about Deadbugs is that you always start off thinking it will be easy. That doesn’t last very long!

How to:

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle above your hips. Press your lower back to the mat – this will engage the ab muscles. Press the palms of your hands to your knees. Apply as much pressure against your knees as you can while simultaneously pushing back so that there is no movement in either direction.

Trainer Tips:

• This is the perfect exercise to practice pulling your lower back to the ground. As soon as you press your hands to your knees, your shoulders lift slightly which naturally rounds your back into the matt.
• The alternative to the simultaneous knee push is a cross-body knee push. This will help to engage your obliques a bit more.

Russian Twist Ball Slams

Twists are a great way to active your obliques and strengthen rotational movement. The addition of the weighted slam improves balance, power and increases stability.

How to:

Begin seated on the ground with your knees bent and medicine ball in hand. Lean back and lift your heels just off the ground. With the ball in hand and core engaged, rotate your torso to the right and bounce the ball next to your hip. Catch it and return to the center. Repeat on the left side for a full rep.

Trainer tips:

• Keep your torso long and chest elevated throughout this movement. Your shoulders should be down and back.
• If the slam feels to hard, do the Russian Twist, with a lighter weight, and without the slam.
• Your heels should stay up off the floor. In this movement, the weight of your legs and feet act as a counter balance to your upper body. The farther you lean back, the more work your do with each rep.

Side Star Planks

A modified version of side planks, the Star Plank works the abs and obliques like few other body weight exercises can!

How to:

Lie on your side with your right forearm resting on the ground and your feet on top of one another. Lift your body off the ground supported by your forearm and feet, into the side plank position. Separate your legs from one another raising the uppermost leg into the air. Hold this star position for desired time and lower the leg back down. Repeat for the set, then swap sides.

Trainer tips:

• This is a really advanced version of a side plank. Work up to it by practicing knee-support side planks, and then straight leg side planks first.
• When in a side plank you should be able to look down towards your toes and see your body in a straight line, from shoulders to heels.

Commando Planks

Another advanced version of planks! Commandos require core and shoulder strength. They promote stability and balance as well as total core strength.

How to:

Start in a straight arm plank position with your hands directly beneath your shoulders. Draw your right knee out to the side, bending forward to touch your right elbow. Return to the start position and repeat movement on the left side.

Trainer Tips:

• Don’t worry if you can’t reach your elbow yet. As you gain strength, stability and confidence, you’ll get there!
• Make the most out of this exercise by keeping your butt down and your shoulders away from your ears. You’ll hit your abs and lower back with every repetition.

Bear Crawl Knee Taps

The Bear Crawl is an excellent exercise to strengthen your core, shoulders and quads.

How to:

Start on all fours. Lift your knees so they are hovering an inch off the ground. Keep your back flat, your legs hip-width apart and your arms shoulder-width apart. From this position, tap your knees simultaneously down to the floor and then right back up.

Trainer Tips:

• Focus on keeping your torso, from your shoulders to your butt, locked in a straight line. Only your knees should move.
• Take slow, long breaths throughout.