Anyone seeking those chiseled abs will quickly learn that they’re doing themselves a disservice. Whereas strengthening your abs in isolation only targets a few front-facing muscles, core exercises target the entire group of muscles that provide you with the “trunk” necessary for pretty much every motion that we do. Without getting into the Latin anatomical terms, core muscles generally include:[4]
- Ab muscles on the front
- Lower back muscles and glutes on the back
- Diaphragm muscle on the on the top
- Pelvic floor and hip muscles on the bottom
“If you’re going to prioritize different areas of the body,” said personal trainer and owner of Strength & Performance Training, Inc., “the core would be number one because everything else branches off from that.”[3]
If abs are what you want, you can get them! But today, we’re going to focus on the best core exercises to make you stronger, improve balance, and eliminate back pain.[5]
The 6 Best Core Exercises to Do at Home
Now that you’re more aware of the immense importance of core strengthening, here are 6 of the best core exercises. They take no more than ten minutes, require no equipment, and can drastically improve your overall health, strength, mobility, balance, and pain.[6] Each 1-minute video follows the same certified fitness trainer who will walk you through each simple core strengthening exercise.
1. Bridge
The bridge exercise strengthens the whole abdominal region, the lower back and the glutes.
2. Straight Leg Drops
The straight leg drop core exercise targets the transverse abdominal muscles and the obliques
3. Front Toe Drops
The front toe drop core abdominal exercise requires focus on breath.
4. Side Knee Drops
Exercise abdominal muscles with a focus on the obliques with the side knee drop core exercise.
5. Hip Circles
The hip circle core exercise requires focus on breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
6. Four-Point Balance
The four-point balance exercise strengthens abdominal muscles and improves balance.
