It doesn’t matter whether you are putting on your shoes or pushing the grocery cart, for all these day-to-day activities, one requires core strength. This affects your posture, stability, and balance. Quite opposite to the popular beliefs, the abdominal muscles don’t just form your core, it actually consists of muscles in the pelvis and your back.
Contents
Can You Increase Core Strength And Stability With Exercise?
Keeping the core muscles strong would help you in stabilizing the body, supporting the spine, and also enhancing fitness. Below are a few exercises which will help you in core strengthening
Simpler Moves
If you are someone who is new to exercise or is someone who just hasn’t exercise for long enough, one can just start their day with these simple exercises:-
1. Bridge
The bridge exercise would help you in activating your glutes for lifting your hips. It will train the core muscles and also tones your thighs and butt.
How to do it?
- Lie down with your back touching the yoga mat then bend the knees and put your feet on the floor with hip width. Put the hands on both the sides with palms touching the floor.
- Then tighten your glutes and core.
- Raise the hips till the knees are in the same line with the shoulders.
- Hold this position for around 10–30 seconds then relax for 10-30 second.
- Do this for 5 times initially.
2. Crunch
Crunches are your typical core-strengthening exercise. This act of lifting the upper part of the body will help your abdominal muscles.
Caution: If someone is experiencing lower back pain, they should either consult their physician or skip this exercise or you can do it slowly with great care. You can just do fewer repetitions.
How to do it?
- Lie on your yoga mat then start with your back, Bend your knees and put your feet on the mat at hip width.
- Position your spine and head in a straight line. You can either cross your arms across the chest or put your hands on the side as shown above.
- Try to tighten the core and put your shoulders and neck area at ease.
- Lift upper back slowly and tuck in the chin while ensuring that your pelvis, lower back and feet are touching the mat.
- Pause for a few seconds.
- Slowly return to your initial position by lowering the upper back.
- Begin with one set of around 5 to 8 repetition.
3. Plank
Another simple exercise for beginners is the plank exercise. It targets your full body and helps in core strengthening. This will also make your shoulders, arms, glutes, back, and legs stronger.
How to do it?
- Start on your fours like a cat while ensuring that your hands are exactly above your shoulders and hips above your knees.
- Try to straighten legs behind your body, keeping some hip-width distance between them.
- Hold this position for around 10 to 30 seconds. Relax for 10 seconds
For making this exercise simpler, you can place the knees on your mat.
Intermediate moves
Those who do simpler exercises can start with these intermediate moves.
4. Mountain Climber
For this intermediate exercise, you need to combine the plank exercise with some knee movements. This is a perfect move for core strength and balance.
How to do it?
- Start with the plank exercise with hands just below the shoulders.
- First lift the right knee towards the chest while keeping the hips down and back straight.
- Slowly return the right leg to the initial position then lift the left knee toward the chest.
- Repeat this alternating movement. Begin with a set of 8 to 12 repetitions.
5. Warrior Crunch
This is a variation to the crunch exercise that works your lower body and core, including your glutes, quads, and thighs.
How to do it?
- Stand with shoulder width, distanced feet with toes pointing outwards. Put the hands behind the head and try to open the chest.
- Move your knees till the thighs are parallel to the mat.
- Try to bend the torso to one side while moving the right elbow towards the right thigh. Repeat the same on the left.
- Begin with a set of 3 to 5 reps.
Whether you are starting regular exercise or adding variation to the existing ones, these moves will help you in many ways. But always ensure to talk to the personal trainer before trying any exercise. If you are having any pain or injury it’s best to consult your physician.
Read more : Best Beginner Friendly Core Exercises