5 Great Core Exercises That You Probably Don’t Do (But Should Try)
If you are like me, your first exposure to training your core (or “abs”) was the classic sit-up, which was then, at some point, replaced with the crunch. Also, if you are like me, performing these movements had one goal: getting ripped abs. Was there anything inherently wrong with this approach (or motivation)? Not necessarily. But our knowledge on how to train this area has come a long way, and our spines can probably thank us for that.
Before we talk about some great ways to train your core muscles — the abdominals, obliques, and, to some extent, the lower back — let’s first go over the purpose of these muscle groups, and why we should give them our attention.
First and foremost, the main job of our core is to keep us upright, and protect our spine from injury as we move about the world. As humans, we are designed to have ample range of motion and mobility in our hips and shoulders, with a stable trunk connecting those upper and lower areas. Because of this, a large part of how we want to train our core is by resisting movement, rather than creating it.
However, there are times when we will find ourselves flexing, extending, and rotating through the trunk, so we would be wise to include some exercises that involve these motions in our training. Does this mean the doing endless crunches are back? Not exactly.
We should also note that we train our core indirectly every time we perform functional movements, especially those under load, like squats, deadlifts, or any kind of loaded carry. So, if you are doing these movements, and nothing else, you are still building a stronger core. However, it is also beneficial to train the core directly, just to hedge our bets, prevent injury, and shore up any weaknesses that may be holding us back in our movement practice.
Lastly, before we get into the exercises, we’ve left off this list some of the most foundational movements for training your core (planks, side planks, hollow holds and/or dead bugs), in the hope that these are already familiar to you; if this isn’t the case, then definitely start there! But, if you want to add some variety, check these out:
1. Banded Pallof Hold/Press
This is also called an anti-rotational hold or press, because that’s really what it is — the band is attempting to turn us toward the rig, and we are resisting that rotation. The Pallof Press or hold can be performed in numerous ways, and is a great way to practice bracing through the core as we move through the shoulders and arms. The version shown here is standing, but we also love these from a tall kneel, half kneel, and even the bottom of a squat (yikes!). Perform sets of 30ish seconds each side.
2. Plank Body SawS
We love this plank variation because it not only trains us to maintain a neutral spine as we move, but it also integrates the lats, making it transferable to movements like Pull-ups. If you don’t have furniture sliders, these can be performed on any hard surface with a towel under the feet. Another variation would have us putting our feet onto low rings or TRX straps. Focus here on slow, controlled movement, and only slide as far out as you can WITHOUT arching your back. Sets of 8-12 here are great, and deceptively tough.
3. Plank Pull Throughs
These are a staple in our programs because they not only work our core stability, but also balance and awareness. As we move the kettlebell or dumbbell back and forth, we practicing transferring our weight from hand to hand, while moving as little as possible through the trunk. I try to imagine having a ball on my back while I do these (or a full martini glass), and not allowing it to roll off or spill. Again, sets of 8-12 (each arm), or 30-40 seconds of movement here would be the recommendation.
4. Windmills
As mentioned above, there will be times when we need to twist, bend, or flex through the spine in the course of normal human activity (as well as sport). Because of this, training these movement patterns (in a smart way) is important, even if it’s secondary to our main goal of building stability. The windmill is a great movement as it also incorporates mobility AND stability of the shoulder, hinging at the hip, along with building rotational strength. As another bonus, the half kneeling version is a piece of the Turkish Get Up, so it can help us advance in that movement (which is also awesome). Keep the reps low here (4-6/side), focus on slow and controlled movement, and expect to be sore in the obliques the next day.
5. Hanging KNee Tucks or Leg Raises
If we are going to train flexion of the core, I feel that it’s better to do it from the lower half (bending at the hips), than the upper half (bending at the thoracic spine). The Hanging Knee Tuck, or it’s more advanced version with the legs straight, is truly a hip flexor movement, with the abs coming along for the ride. We like this because it trains the opposite muscle groups than those we use when we squat, so it helps us balance our strength. We LOVE it because it also trains our grip, which plays a huge factor in overall strength. These movements can also be done as isometrics (holding the top position), but, if you want the full benefit of core strengthening here, be sure to work these movements STRICT, with good control, even if you also do them kipping from time to time.
There are many, many more movements we can use to effectively train our core, but the ones included here are great “bang for your buck” solutions to building a strong foundation of trunk strength. If these are not in your program, work some of them in at the end of your workout, or as a way to warm-up and activate before your main movements.
Enjoy!
