We all agree that working core it is important, but we often consider it secondary. Think about it: you often work at the end of your workout, when you’re already exhausted. And yet the core it is extremely important, not just for everything you do in the gym, but for everything you do in life. Do you want to take your daughter in her arms and sit her on your shoulders? Do you have to take a bag of almost 20 kilos of dog food out of the trunk? Have you ever had to attend a long, boring meeting and had to pretend you were giving your full attention? You core helps you achieve it.
Not all of us take care of it enough. One of the reasons we know this is so is the number of people who suffer from low back pain. Millions of people live with low back pain. If it lasts less than four weeks, it’s called acute, four to 12 weeks, subacute, and more than three months, chronic back pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control. According to a study in the journal Journal of the American Medical Association, more than one in ten people who went to the doctor for low back pain were prescribed an opiate. We cannot say that we are surprised. Low back pain is debilitating and people are looking for a way to relieve it.
What would be even better than relief is no pain at all. Actually, the core it plays a critical role in providing the alignment and brute force that reduces pressure on the lower back. This is especially true for people whose jobs involve heavy lifting and (paradoxically) those who spend much of the day in front of a desk, as they don’t always have particularly good posture.
Whatever your reason for upgrading core, we have some exercises that will help you achieve it. Pick three or four exercises to do in one workout. Do four sets of each move, 30 seconds per rep, resting between sets as needed. If it’s too hard for you, do an easier version of the move, reduce the time per rep, or take longer rests.
Related: Do you want to have a 360° idea of your body? Here we’ll explain to you how to do it.
iron superman (works the core, shoulders and hamstrings; improves coordination and balance)
Start with a low plank, forearms on the floor, elbows under shoulders, and heels in a straight line with legs, back, and head. Keep your eyes on the ground; At the same time, extend your left hand forward and kick your right leg up and back. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. If you find it too difficult, slow down the repetitions and lengthen the rests.
high knees or knee lifts (works the core and the hip flexors; improves endurance)
Start standing up. Start running without moving from the spot and focusing on raising your knees to navel height or higher, while rotating your arms. If you find it too difficult, lift one leg and switch; then raise the other leg, focusing on raising the knees, but not quickly.
russian twists (works lateral abdominal muscles; improves concentration)
Sit holding a light plate, kettlebell, or dumbbell. Sit on the floor with your legs bent at a 45° angle and your heels on the floor, toes pointing up. Begin by lifting your heels about 6 inches off the ground and shift your torso weight to one side of your body continuously. If it’s too hard, put your feet on the ground. If it’s too easy, increase the weight.
Side plank with hip abduction (works lateral abs; improves shoulder stability)
Lie on your left side, left forearm on the floor, fingers pointing away from your face, right hand pointing toward the ceiling, feet on top of each other. He starts by lifting you into a side plank and dropping your hips to the ground; immediately return to the high plank. Repeat it continuously. In the next series, start on the right side. If it’s too hard, start from the ground, go up to a high plank, and return to the ground taking more time between movements. If it’s too easy, put a dumbbell on your hip and hold it with your upper arm.
Butterfly crunch (works the front abs and hip flexors; improves endurance)
To start, lie on the floor on an abdominal mat, if you have one; press the soles of the shoes together, lift your knees off the ground and point them to the sides. Place your hands behind your head, activate the corekeep your back straight and go up, arching your hands until you touch your heels: do the reverse movement to return to the start and repeat continuously.
leg raises (works front abs and hip flexors; improves mobility)
Lie on your back, hands by your sides and feet together. Raise your legs a few inches and press your toes into the ground to start. Keeping your legs closed, feet flexed, and lower back touching the ground, raise your legs until the bottoms of your feet are parallel to the ceiling and slightly off the ground. Return to the starting position and repeat continuously.
plank hip flexion (works obliques; improves balance)
Start with a low plank, with your forearms on the ground, hands together, and feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping his shoulder blades flat, he twists his hips from side to side to touch the ground, letting his feet follow. Repeat it continuously.
ABS (works front abs; improves endurance)
To start, lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and hands behind your ears to gently support your head. Keeping your neck in a neutral position, lift your torso and shoulder blades off the floor; then go back to the beginning. Repeat it continuously.
Iron (works the entire torso; improves endurance and concentration)
Start with a low plank, forearms on the floor, elbows under shoulders, and heels in a straight line with legs, back, and head. Keeping his eyes on the ground, he holds the position throughout the rep. If it’s too hard, try doing a high plank with your hands on the floor or get on your knees. If it’s too easy, do longer reps.
