The Best Exercises to Build Core Strength

Having a strong core is essential for your overall health and fitness, as well as athletic performance. A well-developed core can help improve posture, reduce back pain and prevent injuries.

Luckily, there are a variety of exercises that can strengthen your core. Whether you’re looking to add core exercises into your normal workout, or simply want to challenge yourself with some new moves, here are the best ones to try.

Planks are a must-have in any core strength training program. They strengthen all the muscles in your core, including your abs and obliques, and they help reduce back pain.

They also help improve posture and stability. Aside from the basic standard plank, there are many variations that you can add to your routine.

For example, the low plank is a great exercise for beginners and intermediate athletes to get their obliques in shape. It involves squeezing your hip bones, rib cage and stomach while keeping your neck neutral so that your spine is straight.

A strong core is essential for any fitness routine, preventing injuries and helping you perform day-to-day activities efficiently. There are many exercises that can be used to build core strength, but one of the best is a crunch.

The crunch is a traditional abdominal exercise that works the rectus abdominis muscle, as well as the obliques and transverse abdominis.

However, a crunch can be difficult for some people, and it may cause pain in the back and neck if you don’t use proper form or have a past history of injury. So instead of doing crunches, try alternative moves that target multiple core muscles.

Dead bugs are a simple bodyweight exercise, and are a great addition to a core-training routine. Unlike plank variations, which can cause back strain, dead bugs are an ideal way to improve stability while strengthening your core.

A strong core is essential for athletes, who need to move their arms or legs at the same time without causing back pain or injury. They are also good for anyone who has just had a baby or has a known back pain problem.

As with any new exercise, start with a lower difficulty level. Then, as you build up strength, modify the movement. Modifications can be as simple as adding a weighted variation to the exercise or switching from straight leg dead bug to bent leg dead bug.

The bird dog is one of the best exercises to build core strength. It focuses on stabilising your upper back, glutes and muscles along the spine (which together make up your core) while strengthening your shoulders and hips.

It can also help prevent lower back pain and improve posture. It’s a great exercise to incorporate into your core workout, certified personal trainer Keith Hodges tells SELF.

The standard bird dog involves extending one arm forward and a leg back. However, if you want to add some more challenge to this basic move, try alternating arms and legs on each rep.

Bird dog variations can be an excellent addition to any core strength training program. They’re challenging and work multiple muscles at once, trainers tell Bustle.

Start on a mat with your knees hip-width apart and hands firmly on the ground, about shoulder-width apart. Brace your abdominals as you extend one arm and leg at the same time, keeping your back flat.

You can vary the pose by lifting the foot of the arm that you’re balancing on, which creates more balance challenges. You can also try pressing your top toes into the floor instead, balancing on only your hand and knee.

The side plank is a great exercise to build core strength, and it can also improve posture and help reduce lower-back pain. It engages a wide range of muscles, including the internal and external obliques, transversus abdominis, gluteus medius (glutes), quadriceps (quads), calf muscle, and hip muscle.

If you are new to this move, make sure you focus on proper form and technique so that your core remains strong throughout the entire movement.

You should hold a plank for 15 seconds, then switch sides. Repeat for 30-60 seconds and add time as you get stronger.