The 4 Best Core Exercises You Should Be Doing

Good core strength is essential for optimal health. A strong, healthy core can help you stay active, limit lower back pain, prevent unnecessary injuries, improves balance, and it keeps you looking good. It is the foundation of your health, and is a base for all the exercises and activity.

This article will be discussing the best core exercises that you should incorporate into your fitness routine, to help you get a strong, solid core.

The Top 4 Core Exercises

1. Plank

The plank is one of the most basic/common core exercises, but that does not make it any less valuable. Holding a plank engages all of your core muscles, glutes, shoulders, and many more. It is really important, when performing the plank, to consciously tighten your abs and your glutes, in order to make sure your back is as straight as possible.

If your back has a dip, it can cause some serious back problems, so make sure you are using proper form.

If a basic plank is too easy for you, you can do plank marches, where you “march” with your feet up and down. You can also perform a plank variation where you move your feet, one at a time, out to the side and back.

Or simply lift one leg and hold it, or one arm and hold it, or try both.

You can even add a weight to your back to increase resistance.

There are so many plank variations that can really challenge you and take your core strength to the next level.

2. Push-up Position With Arm And Leg Raise

For this exercise, you will start in a standard push-up position. You will then lift your right arm and left leg at the same time and hold for a count of 2 seconds. Then return to the starting position and repeat for the other side.

This is a killer core exercise that will test your balance as well as your core. If this is too difficult, you can perform a similar exercise, titled bird dog, in which your knees are on the ground, rather than in the push-up position.

3. Superman

This is another awesome exercise that will challenge you and strengthen your core, specifically your lower back and glutes.

To perform the exercise, you will lie facedown on the floor. Place your arms, palms down, in front of your body. Tighten your core and glutes, and really pinch your shoulder blades together.

Next, you will lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor, all the same time. Hold for as long as you can, before returning to the starting position. Keep your chin tucked throughout.

4. Russian Twists

Russian twists are the perfect exercise for working your obliques, the muscles on the sides of your body.

To perform the exercise, you will sit with your knees bent and your feet off the floor, so you are balancing yourself at a 45 degree angle. Next, you will twist your torso to the side, reaching with your hands as far as you can go, before switching to the other side.

To make it harder, you can hold a medicine ball while completing the exercise. To make it easier, you can simply rest your feet on the floor.

Other great exercises to consider adding to your workout routine include bicycles, reverse crunches, dragon flags, hip thrusters, crunches, in n’ outs, and many more!