Fitness & Exercise
The Best Core Exercises for Superwoman Strength
Oct
Fun fact: the best core exercises for strength happen to also be the best core exercises for functionality, stability, posture and functional movement. And *bonus* all of those things contribute to better body composition and confidence.
First, let me ask you a question. When you do certain ab exercises, can you bang out 15 without thinking about it? Do you sometimes finish up a core workout thinkin “dang, I must be strong because that didn’t burn at all!”? If you’re cautiously answering yes then I hate to break it to you but, you’re doing it wrong.
Remember the “fitness test” in high school that you did in gym class every year? Gym teachers standing around with clipboards as you and your friends whined through a mile run before heading to math class. The sit-and-reach test that still makes no sense to me. And the sit ups. Half the class disappears while you strain your neck to eek out a few more flings of the torso towards your knees and call them sit ups.
I have to tell you…
Whether you beat your best friend or not, those sit ups did not determine how fit you were in high school and they won’t determine how fit you are now.
Core vs. Abs: What’s the Difference?
Think of your abs as just one part of the makeup of your core.
Your abs – or abdominal muscles – are the muscles in the midsection of your torso that when built up enough, and with the right diet, create that 6-pack ab look. There are four muscles that make up the abdominals:
- Rectus abdominis – the outermost layer of the abs. This is a long muscle running vertically down the front of the torso. The main job of this muscle is to flex the trunk and move the rib cage and pelvis closer – imagine these muscles moving when doing a slow and consciously performed sit up. A well developed rectus abdominis is truly what gives that 6-pack appearance.
- External obliques – these muscles run from your ribs, diagonally across to your pelvis. They provide support and stability and are responsible for rotating your torso and bending sideways.
- Internal obliques – your internal obliques start and end at your rib cage and pelvic bone too, albeit in the opposite direction. There job is stabilization and assistance – they move in opposition to your external obliques to support rotation of the torso and spine.
- Transverse abdominis – the innermost layer of the abdominal muscles. This muscle is a flat, thin sheet lying under the internal obliques. The job, again, is support and stabilization for the lower back and pelvis.
Your core includes your abdominal muscles, but it’s so much more. There are 20 muscles in total that make up your core and they’re found in stomach, your back, your hips, your glutes, shoulders and neck. The rest of it, your arms and legs and feet, are an extension from that, well, core. I won’t run through every muscle in your core but it is important to know that because every movement – rotation, bend, flex and stretch – is made possible and safe by a strong core, it’s incredibly important to make sure your core can handle the work!
Think about it this way: you can get away with daily life – walking, sitting, picking things up and putting things down – with okay ab strength. You can’t get away with daily life (comfortably and without risk of injury), without a strong core.
The Key(s) to a Great Core Workout
The keys to a great core workout are simple:
- Include exercises that reach beyond your abdominals.
- Nail GREAT form first.
- Treat your core muscles as you would any/every other muscle group that you want to strengthen: consistently introducing new challenges and giving them time to recover.
The best core exercises for strength, never mind superwoman strength, go beyond sit ups and crunches. In fact, you won’t find either of those exercises on this list. What you will find are exercises that challenge your core in different directions, with different weight/intensity requirements and with different muscles initiating the work.
The main ingredient in any of these movements is form. Form…comes…first! This is important not only to prevent injury but to make sure that you’re actually working your abs, as opposed to using momentum or straining your neck and hip flexors. Pay attention to the cues in the instructions. I’ll make sure to note some of the cues I give my clients during our workouts to trigger the proper muscle engagement and attention.
Finally, don’t forget that a muscle is a muscle. There are certain parameters that are true for growth across the entire anatomical structure. In order to get stronger and develop your core you need to:
- Progressively overload the muscles. Consciously forcing your muscles to do a little bit more than they are currently efficiently trained to do is the only way to stimulate growth.
- Stay consistent. A consistent routine produces far greater results than a one off, kick butt workout done every now and again ever could.
- Give your core time to recover. It’s time to accept that specifically targeting your core muscles day after dat after day is actually more detrimental to growth. If you’re really challenging those muscles, they need at least 24 hours to recover. And good nutrition on top of that!
The Best Core Exercises for Superwoman Strength
The science isn’t for everyone…I know! But knowing the why behind what you do is motivating and to your benefit. So if you skipped the reading above, please at least understand this: to stay safe and injury free, and to get the greatest results from these workouts, please pay attention to form on every single rep!
These exercises are listed in order of difficulty. If you’re just starting out, I recommend locking in the first 2-3 exercises first. Once you feel comfortable there, start to work your way down the list.
I recommend choosing 3-4 of the exercises below 2-3 times a week for the best results.
Farmers Walk
Stand tall with weights held by your sides. Keep your shoulders down and your back straight. Take short, quick steps as you walk a set distance or for a set amount of time. Start with 30 second walks and work your way up from there.
*Trainer Cues* Focus on keeping your hips and shoulders level, as the goal of a loaded carry like the Farmer’s Walk is maintaining a neutral spine by bracing your core structure. Increasing the weight you carry or the steps you take increases the challenge. You can also try single sided carries to improve core strength and stability with an uneven load.
Deadbug Knee Press
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. Complete 15 2-3 second presses.
*Trainer Cues* I can’t express enough how wonderful this particular exercise is in teaching core engagement. You’re almost forced into keeping your lower back pressed to the ground, which subtly tilts the pelvis towards the rib cage and engages those ab muscles. Great practice for other core exercises (like active planks coming next), when that back-to-floor cue isn’t quite so obvious.
Active Planks
Begin with elbows and hands on the ground, forearms flat against the mat and palms down. Brace your core and lift your hips up off the mat so that you are holding your body in a straight line with your tailbone tucked. Let your hips drop just a couple of inches below that straight line. From that depth, tuck your tailbone and pull your core up towards the ceiling. Your back will be slightly rounded now, just above that straight line plank. That’s one rep. Complete 10-15 reps.
*Trainer Cues* My favorite cue for this active plank is as follows: to pull yourself back up from the depth of this active plank think about a string attached to your belly button that is pulling straight up towards the ceiling. Now, without sucking in, pull your abs up towards your spine (tilt your tailbone simultaneously) until the lower back is slightly rounded. I promise, you will feel it!
Lying Leg Raises
Lie flat on your back with your legs straight up over your hips and arms at your sides for stability. Gently press your lower back to the matt. Slowly lower your heals down as close to the matt as you can without losing form. Return to the start position. Complete 10-15 reps.
*Trainer Cues* Keep your movements as steady as possible. As your heels approach the floor you’ll feel the temptation to arch your back with the movement. Resist it!
Flutter Kicks
Lie flat down on a bench or mat with your legs straight. Gently press your lower back into the mat and engage your core, lifting your heels just off the ground. Without moving your torso, alternate raising and lowering your legs in a small scissor kick kind of motion. Perform for 20-30 seconds.
*Trainer Cues* Again the key here is to keep your back pressed to the mat so that you’re working your abs, not your hip flexors. The flutter kicks themselves are small – just enough to force your body to stabilize. If you need extra stabilization, place your arms at your sides to prevent your body from rocking too much.
Mountain Climbers
Begin in a straight arm plank position with shoulders over your wrists, back straight and core engaged. Alternate driving your knees forward towards your belly button with as much speed as you can handle without sacrificing form. Keep your butt down and your shoulders and hip bones facing the mat. Complete 20-30 seconds.
*Trainer Cues* Keep your butt down in line with your spine, and your neck straight — remember that your neck is the uppermost part of your spine and shouldn’t bend at an awkward angle! Start slow until you feel comfortable with your form.
Side Plank Rotation
Begin with your right forearm and hip on the ground, left foot stacked on top of your right. Lift hips until your spine is in a straight line from the base of your skull through your tailbone and to your heels. Hold tight, keeping your hips and shoulders facing forward and left arm extended up towards the ceiling. Slowly lower your left hand towards the ground, curling it under and rotating your torso so that your arm can reach under your body. Pause and then untwist, reaching back up towards the ceiling to your start position. Complete 10 reps on each side.
*Trainer Cues* Think of a “T” when positioning your body. From the base of your skull to your tailbone, and down to your heels, your body is in a straight line. From elbow to elbow, across your shoulder blades, should also be a straight line.
Figure 8s
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). Complete 10-12 reps.
*Trainer Cues* This is primarily a hip hinge movement, which means that your lower back is directly involved. It’s utterly important to dial in your focus here to keep your core tight in order to protect your spine!
Final Tip…
I want to give you one final tip before you hit close…
Some of the best core exercises for superwoman strength don’t actually directly target your core muscles. Remember all of the roles that your core plays: stability, flexibility, rotation, posture. These are unequivocally important anatomical functions. Any time you bend, or hinge, or step, your core engages. Which means that exercises like deadlifts and squats, step ups and barbell rows – are big time core strengtheners! And all the same rules apply: stay consistent, lock in form, and challenge your body in small ways every single workout.
