Best Core Workout to Improve Your Strength and Stability

Your core is your center of gravity because it heavily affects your balance, posture, and stability. Whether you’re standing in a kitchen while cooking a meal, putting on shoes, or even sitting down while you work, you use your core to accomplish a lot of everyday activities.

This fact alone should be enough to give you an idea of how important it is to have strong core muscles. And for those of you who want to start to include core workouts in your training routine, we have curated some of the best exercises you can do to improve your core strength!

But first, let's take a deeper look at what core muscle really is and what benefits can you gain for having a strong core.

What is Core Muscle

The core is the group of trunk and hip muscles that surround the spine, abdominal viscera, and hip. Core muscles are essential for proper load balance within the spine, pelvis, and kinetic chain. They spare the spine from excessive load and are essential for lad transfer between the upper and lower body.

These muscles not only provide postural control and stability but also facilitate the transfer of power between your limbs and between your lower and upper body. That’s why it’s so important to prioritize your core in your training program. The stronger it is, the more powerful, dynamic, and explosive every movement you make will be, and the fewer injuries you’ll have.

Why It Is Important to Have a Strong Core

There are many reasons to train your core, such as preventing you from injury and enhancing athletic performance. But let’s take a deeper look at why it is very important for you to have a strong core.

Improve Your Balance and Stability

Having a strong core will lead you to better balance and stability. Stability is important whether you're on the playing field or doing regular activities. In fact, most sports and other physical activities depend on stable core muscles.

Improve your Posture

Based on a study in Isokinetics and Exercise Science, core training can help you to stand a little taller and straight. This study reported that men who took part in three-hour-long pilates sessions a week for two months saw significant improvements in postural stability tests.

Reduce Lower Back Pain and Stiffness

Most people suffer from lower back pain and stiffness. Core strengthening can help alleviate that pain. As mentioned above, it also decreases the risk of getting injured again.

Best Core Exercises

1. Plank

When it comes to core exercises, this is the move to start with. This exercise will get your core firing by forcing you to support your body weight on your forearms and toes.

How to do it:

1. Get in a press-up position but rest on your forearms rather than your hands.
2. Make sure your back is straight and tense your abs and your glutes.
3. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute without allowing your hips to sag.

2. Glute Bridge

This exercise is suitable for beginners because it is easy to do and can activate your glutes which is important for your core.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with feet shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor.
2. Keep your hands on the ground and raise your hips slowly by squeezing your glutes while keeping your core tight.
3. Return to starting position

3. Superman Pull

Superman pull is designed to strengthen and improve the stabilization of your lumbar and hip extensors.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your stomach with your legs straight and arms above your head.
2. Raise your arms and legs up off the ground and engage your back and glute muscles.
3. Pull your elbows backward and downwards in a “W” shape to activate your back and shoulder muscles.
4. Return to starting position in reverse order.

4. Dead Bug

Don’t get deceived by its silly name, this exercise is super effective because it works all 360 degrees of your core, including the abdominal muscles on your front and sides, along with the muscles in your lower back and hip girdle area.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with hands above you and feet up so your knees are at 90 degrees.
2. Straighten your leg until your heel is an inch from the floor, and lower the opposite arm so it's parallel to the floor.
3. Return to the start position, and repeat with the other leg and arm.

5. Flutter Kick

This easy beginner move will make a big difference to your core strength. By extending your legs and hovering your heels you'll be working your core stabilizers, but in a position that's safe for your lower back.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back and extend your legs up to a 45-degree angle.
2. Keep your arms straight and in line with the floor, palms facing down.
3. Keep your legs stuck straight and glued together with your toes pointed, and start lowering one leg.
4. Raise your lower leg and lower the other, focusing on keeping your core engaged.
5. Continue the movement, alternating between legs.

6. Barbell Rollout

Barbell rollouts are extremely effective in working on core strength and stability. It is typically utilized to build the muscles in your abs, back, and shoulders.

How to do it:

1. Load a barbell with plates and grab the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
2. Position your shoulders directly over the barbell and slowly roll the bar forwards.
3. Pause, then reverse the move.

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Build your strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance in our Strength Training class. Our class features a series of strength-training exercises, including core exercises, designed to effectively improve your muscular strength and endurance.

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