Your Core is made up of many muscles, including your rectus abdominis (abs), transverse abdominis, erector spinae (a set of muscles in your lower back), and internal and external obliques.
Since developing all these muscles have various workout that targets all the muscles. But you don’t want to put an extra effort into one target muscle, by below core workout, all the muscles directly or indirectly work in every single core variation.
A strong core will also help you maintain a good posture and better balance, it also avoids issues like lower back pain.
The muscles of the core include:-
- Erector spinae: It is a group of long muscles located near the sacrum and vertically up the length of the back.
- Rectus abdominis: The rectus abdominis muscles also known as the “six-pack” of the body that everyone loves to do.
- Obliques: Obliques muscles refer to two abdominal muscles – the external and internal obliques.
- Transverse abdominis: It is a muscle layer of the anterior and lateral abdominal wall which is deep into the internal oblique muscles.
What is the best core exercise at home?
The below 10 exercise helps you to develop your core muscles at home very fast. The variation of core workout includes losing your belly fat, making shapely abs, and obliques, it also develops your hip and glutes. If you are a gym-goer and non, and you want to develop your abs very fast, then do these 10 core exercises, that really a masterpiece.
1. Bridge
How to do bridge exercises?
Lie on your back by putting your both-hand side, palms down. Bend your knees and stance your feet at hip-width. Raise the hips up until your body makes a line from shoulders to knees. Do it by engaging your core and glutes first for better performance. Hold the position for 20-30 seconds.
Why Bridge: A bridge exercise is the best core muscle strengthening exercise, it isolates and tones your gluteus (butt) and thigh muscles.
2. Plank
Plank is one of the international exercises for athletes or bodybuilders.
How to do a plank?
Bend the elbows at shoulder-width by resting your forearms on the mat and your hands facing forward in a parallel position. Extend your legs out behind you and rest your toes on the floor. Your body should form a straight line from shoulders to heels. Engaged your entire core, your glutes, and your quads. Make sure you are not dropping your hips or hiking your butts up high toward the ceiling. Make a neutral position and your head is also not tucked anywhere else, gaze in on your hands. Hold the position for 30-60 seconds.
Why Plank: Plank is one of the best exercises for the core, glutes, and hamstrings that supports proper posture, and improves balance. Holding the plank position takes strength and endurance in your abs, back, and core.
3. Mountain Climber
How to do a mountain climber?
Start on a high plank with your hands directly under your shoulders. For coming in action slightly put your feet forward (like 2 to 4 cm). Bring one knee toward your chest by another one straight. Alternate, bring the opposite knee forward with the same action at a time, while when you put the first knee back to the same position.
Why Mountain Climbers: Mountain climbers are not only the best exercise for the core, but also the best exercise for different muscles including your shoulders, hamstrings, triceps, and quads. It works on around your lower abs and glutes muscle, many rats know that it’s the perfect exercise to build lower abs for beginners.
Tip: Keep your core, butt, and quads engaged to avoid rocking your hips.
4. High Boat to Low Boat
When you engage in this exercise impacts great stress on the rectus abdominis and also strengthens your hip flexors and erector spinae.
How to do High Boat to Low Boat?
Lie down on the mat straight, now lift the legs at a 45-degree angle, and keep your back flat. Now bend the knees and reach your arms straight from outside of the knees to the feet, parallel to the floor. If you feel that you need some support, then place the hand’s side of your hips or underneath your hips with palms down. This is High Boat, hold here for three deep breaths. Then lower your legs, and straighten them out, while also lowering your upper body. Both your shoulders and legs are slightly off the floor and work toward bringing them lower and lower. This is called Low Boat. Hold for one breath, and lift your legs and torso back to High Boat.
Why High Boat to Low Boat: High Boat Low Boat is the best core exercise that helps to give you focus on the lower abs, which are responsible for tightening your abs and strengthening your back. The lower ab muscles – the transverse abdominals – are located in front of your hip bones and around the small of your back.
5. Crunch
The crunch is a classic core exercise that targets your abdominal muscles.
How to do crunch?
Lie down on your back and place your arms across your chest. Bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor at hip width. Contract your abs and inhale. Exhale and lift your body up, keeping your head and neck relaxed. Inhale and return to the starting position.
Why Crunch: Crunches are an excellent compound exercise for your abs. When performed correctly, they target your upper abdominal, lower abdominal, oblique, and lower back muscles.
6. Side plank with rotation
Side plank with rotation strengthens your arms, shoulders, and obliques.
How to do side plank with rotation?
- Lie straight on your right side with your right forearm below your shoulder.
- Extend your legs, left foot on top of the right, and engaged the core.
- Lift your hips to form a straight line from shoulder to feet.
- Raise your left arm through the ceiling and rotate your torso toward the floor and bring your left arm under your body.
- Rotate your torso and straighten your left arm to return to the starting position.
- Do each side with 12 reps of 3 sets and switch the position to the left side on the floor, and repeat it same procedure.
Why side plank with rotation: The addition of rotations to side planks increases the difficulty of the exercise and works for additional muscle groups. It involved your core, triceps, shoulders, lower back, lower abs, upper abs, obliques, and lateral abs.
7. Bicycle Crunch
The bicycle crunch is a classic exercise that strengthens your abs by placing them under constant tension.
How to do a bicycle crunch?
Lie on the mat, and place your hands on the back of your head. Bring both of your knees toward your chest and they are parallel to the ground. Keep your elbows wider and curl your head up.
Now bring your left shoulder toward your right knee by extending your left leg and right arm back. Then bring your right elbow toward your left knee as you extend the right leg. Continue the momentum on the alternating side.
Why Bicycle Crunch: Bicycle exercise is the best and most effective core exercise that really burns up your abdominal muscle with your obliques also working. The continuous momentum really feels the burning muscle around the belly.
8. Bird Dog
This variation on the basic bird dog incorporates fluid movement to engage your abs and back while improving core mobility.
How to do bird dogs?
Make a position of the dog, like your hands below your shoulders and knees below your hips. Lift and straighten your right leg at hip level and at the same time, lift and extend your left arm forward at shoulder level, palm down. Bring the right knee and left elbow toward each other at the same momentum. Return to starting position and do it for 12 reps. Repeat on the other side with the same procedure.
Why Bird Dog: The bird dog is an excellent core exercise for improving stability and encouraging a neutral spine. This pose uses the whole body to target and strengthens your core, hips, and back muscles. It also helps promote proper posture and increases the range of motion.
9. Leg Raise
This exercise hits the lower abs and is also a great exercise to strengthen and lengthen the hip flexors, which play a vital role in core stability and strength.
How to do leg raises?
Lie face up straight and put the hand at your sides or underneath your hips for extra support. Slowly raise your legs, keeping them together and as straight as possible, until the heels are perpendicular to the floor. At the same time slowly put it back down toward starting position, but don’t touch the floor, keep them hovering a few inches off. At the same momentum, repeat it again until the 12 reps are completed.
Tips: Put your hand’s side of you, not under your hips for better performance. And make sure your lower back is flat on the floor.
Why Leg Raises: Lying leg raises are a type of compound exercise, which means that multiple muscle groups work together to complete one movement. The main muscles used during this exercise are the rectus abdominis (abs), obliques, quadriceps, hamstrings, and erector spinae (lower back muscle).
10. Hollow Hold to JackKnife
The hollow hold is an excellent core exercise for targeting the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques, quads, hip flexors, inner thighs, and erector spinae muscles.
How to do a hollow hold to jackknife?
Lie on the mat with your back on the ground. Straighten your arm to the opposite side of the body along’s your ear. Extend your legs at a 45° angle and reach your arms toward your feet by lifting your head and shoulders off the mat. Try to create a V shape with your torso and legs. Hold for 5 breaths, and then roll onto your back and bend your knees again.
Note: Engage your core, when you start doing exercise.
Equipment: Yoga Mat
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