Having a strong core is important not only for aesthetic reasons but also for overall physical health and fitness. A strong core helps to improve your posture, balance, stability, and athletic performance while reducing the risk of injury. The good news is that you don’t need to go to the gym to get a strong core – there are plenty of effective workout exercises that you can do at home with little or no equipment.
There are several effective exercises that you can do at home to strengthen your core muscles.
40 Workout Exercises At Home For Strong Core
1. Plank
Get into a push-up position with your arms straight and your hands shoulder-width apart. Lower your forearms to the ground and hold this position for as long as possible. Make sure to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
2. Stomach Vacuums
Stand straight. Exhale all the air from your body while tightening your belly. Imagine you are sucking your belly button up your spine. You will feel the transverse abdominal contraction. Hold the position for as long as possible, rest and repeat. This will give you a flatter stomach.
3. Bicycle crunches
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent. Lift your shoulder blades off the ground and bring your right elbow to your left knee while straightening your right leg. Then switch sides, bringing your left elbow to your right knee.
4. Flutter Kicks
Lie on your back, lift your legs up and place your hands at your sides or press down on the floor. Raise the legs together about 6 inches off the ground, then alternately lower and raise one leg a few inches in rapid succession. This is helpful for lower abs workout.
5. Russian twists
Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your feet flat. Lean back slightly and lift your feet off the ground. Hold a weight or a medicine ball with both hands and twist your torso to the left, then to the right, while keeping your feet off the ground.
6. Reverse crunches
Lie on your back with your arms by your sides and your legs straight up in the air. Slowly lift your hips off the ground, then lower them back down.
7. Dead bug
Lie on your back with your arms straight up towards the ceiling and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Slowly lower your right arm and left leg towards the ground, then bring them back up and repeat on the other side.
8. Arms High Sit-Ups
Lie on the floor in a seated position with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor in front of you. While doing a few sets of sit-ups, raise your arms skyward and keep them elevated.
Tightening the arms in this way makes the movement difficult. You’ll get more out of this move than you would with a traditional crunch.
9. Mountain climbers
Get into a push-up position with your arms straight and your hands shoulder-width apart. Bring your right knee towards your chest, then quickly switch and bring your left knee towards your chest. Keep alternating for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
10. Side plank
Lie on your side with your legs straight and your feet stacked on top of each other. Prop yourself up on your elbow, making sure your elbow is directly under your shoulder. Lift your hips off the ground and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then switch sides.
11. Spiderman plank
Get into a push-up position with your arms straight and your hands shoulder-width apart. Bring your right knee towards your right elbow, then switch and bring your left knee towards your left elbow. Keep alternating for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
12. Pilates 100s
The Pilates 100s is a classic Pilates exercise that targets your deep abdominal muscles, as well as your hip flexors and chest.
Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms at your sides. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground and curl your chin towards your chest. Lift your legs off the ground and bend your knees slightly, keeping your feet together. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, palms facing down.
Begin pumping your arms up and down, taking quick, small breaths in and out for a total of 100 breaths. As you pump your arms, try to keep your core engaged and your lower back pressed firmly into the ground.
13. Swimming Superman
Of course, real water swimming is great for working your core, but static stretches for your glutes and upper back also strengthen your glutes and core. Lie on your stomach with your feet and arms slightly off the ground while engaging your abs and glutes. From there, bring your hands to your face and bend your elbows. Now start swimming. Straighten your arms and let your hands move to the sides before bringing them back to your face and back.
14. Bird dog
Get on your hands and knees, making sure your hands are directly under your shoulders and your knees are directly under your hips. Lift your right arm and left leg off the ground, keeping them straight, then switch and lift your left arm and right leg off the ground.
15. Clamshell
The clamshell strengthens your gluteal muscles and pelvic floor while balancing the inner and outer thighs.
Lie on your side with your knees bent and your feet together. Prop your head up with your hand, and place your other hand on your hip. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee as high as you can without moving your pelvis or lower back. Hold for a few seconds, then lower your knee back down to starting position. Repeat for 10-20 repetitions on each side.
16. Hollowman
This exercise is an isometric grip, which means that the core muscles are activated but the body does not move. This is a great exercise to build a good base for your core. It is also ideal for people who have difficulty moving their lower back, as it is a static grip.
Lie on your back with your legs at a 45 degree angle, arms at your sides and chin tucked in. Your back should be flat on the floor. Bring your hips and ribcage together, squeezing your abs, quads, and glutes. Take a deep breath to engage your diaphragm. Stick your chin out. Shrug your shoulders away from your ears.
17. High-to-Low Woodchop
The high-to-low woodchop is another effective exercise for strengthening your core muscles, particularly your obliques and upper body muscles.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a weight, such as a dumbbell or medicine ball, with both hands. Raise the weight above your head on your right side, keeping your arms straight and your core engaged.
In one fluid motion, twist your torso to the left and bring the weight down diagonally across your body towards your left knee, bending your knees slightly as you do so. Return to starting position and repeat for 10-20 repetitions on one side before switching to the other side.
18. Lying leg raises
Lie on your back with your legs straight up in the air. Slowly lower your legs towards the ground, keeping them straight, then bring them back up. To make this exercise more challenging, you can add ankle weights or hold a medicine ball between your feet.
19. Windshield Wipers
Lie on your back with your legs straight up in the air at a 90 degree angle. Extend your arms out to the sides for support. Rotate your legs to the right, stopping a few centimeters from the floor. Keep your left shoulder anchored to the floor as you use your obliques to pull your leg back. Turn left and repeat. Perform 6 reps with each leg (12 total). Rest and repeat.
20. Seated Knee Tuck
The seated knee tuck is another effective exercise that targets your core muscles, including your abs and hip flexors.
Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lean back slightly and place your hands on the ground behind you for support. Lift your feet off the ground, keeping your knees bent and your shins parallel to the floor.
Slowly bring your knees towards your chest, keeping your core engaged and your back straight. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower your feet back down to starting position. Repeat for 10-20 repetitions.
21. Kettlebell Halo
The kettlebell halo is a great exercise for improving your core stability and shoulder mobility.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a kettlebell by the horns (the sides of the handle) at chest height. Brace your core and lift the kettlebell up and over your head, making a halo shape around your head.
Lower the kettlebell down behind your head and around your neck, making another halo shape. Continue to rotate the kettlebell around your head and neck, switching directions every few repetitions.
22. V-sit
Sit on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you. Lean back slightly and lift your legs off the ground, keeping them straight. Reach your arms forward towards your feet, holding this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
23. TRX Row
Set up your suspension trainer so the handlebars hang down at chest height and grab it with your feet hip-width apart. Lean back until arms are straight, chest out, elbows close to body while squeezing shoulder blades back. Your chest and hands should come together. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower until your arms are straight again.
24. Boat pose
Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your feet flat. Lean back slightly and lift your feet off the ground, balancing on your sit bones. Reach your arms forward towards your feet, holding this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
25. Standing twist
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms extended out to the sides. Twist your torso to the right, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee, then twist to the left, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee. Repeat for 10-20 repetitions.
26. Turkish Get-up
Stability, flexibility, balance and strength, the Turkish Get-up will improve it all.
Lie down and hold a kettlebell over your right shoulder. Extend your right arm and press the kettlebell directly above you, then extend your left arm to your side. Bend your right knee and move it across your body, placing your foot on the floor. When you come to a standing position, pay attention to the kettlebell, which is always an arm’s length above you. Slowly reverse the motion until you lie down, then lower the kettlebell toward your shoulders.
27. Farmer’s Carry
The farmer’s carry is a simple yet effective exercise that targets your core muscles, as well as your grip strength, shoulders, and upper back.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a heavy weight, such as a kettlebell or dumbbell, in each hand. Keep your core engaged and your shoulders back and down as you walk forward, taking small, controlled steps.
Walk for a set distance or time, such as 30 seconds or 50 feet, then turn around and walk back.
28. Single-leg deadlift
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. Shift your weight onto your left foot and lift your right foot off the ground. Hinge forward at the hips, lowering your upper body towards the ground while extending your right leg straight behind you. Return to standing position and repeat for 10-20 repetitions on each side.
29. Standing side bend
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms straight up overhead. Lean to the right, keeping your arms straight, then come back to center and lean to the left. Repeat for 10-20 repetitions.
30. Swiss ball crunches
Lie on a Swiss ball with your lower back supported and your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands behind your head and curl your upper body up towards your thighs, keeping your neck and shoulders relaxed. Lower back down and repeat for 10-20 repetitions.
31. Hollow body hold
Lie on your back with your arms extended above your head and your legs straight out in front of you. Lift your arms, head, and legs off the ground, creating a “hollow” shape with your body. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, keeping your core engaged the whole time.
32. Heel Taps
Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet firmly planted on the ground a few inches from your hips. Use your abs to curl up to lift your shoulder blades off the ground. Place the arms beside the legs and reach forward. Using your obliques to rotate from side to side, lightly tap the outside of each heel with your hands. Perform 15 reps on each side (30 total). Rest and repeat.
33. Cable Woodchop
The cable woodchop is a great way to incorporate a rotational movement, which will strengthen the core, but doing it while standing means you’ll be working more muscles.
Set the cable to the highest winding position. Facing the cable, grab the handle with one hand and step away from the tower. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab the same handle with your other hand. With arms fully extended, pull the handles down and across your body to your front knees while rotating your torso. Turn your back foot and bend your knee. Slowly return to the starting position under control.
34. Bear crawl
Get into a tabletop position on your hands and knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Lift your knees off the ground, keeping them bent, and crawl forward on your hands and feet, keeping your hips level. Crawl for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then crawl backwards for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
35. L-sit
Sit on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you and your hands on the ground next to your hips. Lift your hips off the ground, keeping your legs straight, and hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute. To make it more challenging, you can lift your legs up to a 90-degree angle.
36. Double Leg Lifts
Double leg lifts are an effective exercise for strengthening your lower abs, hip flexors, and lower back muscles.
Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms at your sides. Slowly lift both legs off the ground, keeping them straight and together. Continue lifting until your legs are perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower your legs back down to starting position.
37. Toe Touches
Lie on your back with your legs straight up at a 90 degree angle (knees slightly bent if necessary). Extend your arms above your head. Using your abs, lift your shoulder blades off the floor and curl them in as if your fingers are trying to touch your toes. Use your abs to return to the starting position (don’t just lower). Do it 20 times. Rest and repeat.
38. Inchworm
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and fold forward, reaching your hands towards the ground. Walk your hands forward until you’re in a plank position, then walk your feet up to meet your hands. Repeat for 10-20 repetitions.
39. Starfish Crunch
Lie on your back in an “X” shape. Forward with right arm, roll upper back off floor into crossover crunch. While leaning forward, straighten left leg upwards (keep most of tense time) and outwards. The right hand touches the left ankle. This exercise is suitable for beginners and athletes.
40. Swimmers
Lie on your stomach with your arms above your head. Engage your core muscles.
Keep your chin tucked and your spine neutral
Keep your shoulder blades engaged and away from your ears. Gently lift your chest off the ground while engaging your core and back muscles.
Raise your arms and legs slightly off the ground. Gently “swim” or pump your right arm up while simultaneously “swimming” your left leg up in a controlled manner. Return to the center and repeat on the opposite side.
In conclusion, there are plenty of exercises you can do at home to strengthen your core muscles. A strong core is important for overall stability and balance, as well as preventing injuries during other physical activities.
Remember to always warm up before starting your workout and to cool down afterward, stretching your muscles gently. Always listen to your body, modify exercises, or take a break if you feel any pain or discomfort. With dedication and consistency, you can build a strong core and improve your overall fitness.
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