Dominic Stone
Core muscles are located throughout our trunk and support our lower back, helping us stand, get out of a chair, bend, lift, and maintain our balance. Strengthening these muscles can help fend off back pain and improve our balance, which tends to decrease with age. There are many exercises that can help strengthen our core muscles, such as crunches, bird dogs, dead bugs, and bridges. These exercises can be done at home and are suitable for all fitness levels, from beginner to advanced.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Core muscles | Rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques, transversus abdominis |
| Location | Throughout the trunk, from the lower rib cage to the buttocks |
| Function | Supporting the lower back, helping with standing, getting out of a chair, bending, lifting, and maintaining balance |
| Benefits of strengthening | Improved stability, reduced back pain, enhanced overall fitness, better everyday movements (e.g., carrying shopping) |
| Exercises | Crunches, bird dog, dead bugs, bridges, planks, knee bends, side plank with arm movements, Swiss ball |
| Warm-up | Marching on the spot, arm swings, neck stretches, back stretches |
| Cooldown | Stretching hip flexors and hamstrings |
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What You'll Learn
Crunches
To do a standard crunch, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Cross your arms in front of your chest with your hands just below your shoulders, keeping your elbows pointed down towards your feet. Engage your core and relax your neck and shoulders. Then, lift your head and shoulders off the floor and hold this position for 1-2 counts. Slowly lower yourself back down.
It is important to note that crunches can place a lot of stress on your back and neck and only work your abdominal muscles, not the other muscles in your core. Therefore, it may not be the best exercise if you are looking to strengthen your entire core. If you experience back pain, proceed with caution and consider consulting a certified trainer or healthcare professional.
There are several variations of crunches that you can incorporate into your workout routine to target different muscles in your core. For example, the bicycle crunch is an intermediate version of the basic crunch that works both the abs and obliques. To do this, lie on your back with your knees bent and lifted to a 90-degree angle, and your feet and arms in the same position as the standard crunch. Brace your abs, exhale, and rotate your trunk, bringing your right elbow and left knee towards each other while simultaneously straightening your right leg. Inhale and return to the starting position. This completes one rep.
Another variation is the reverse crunch, where you lie on your back with your knees bent and drawn towards your chest, with one leg straight and slightly lifted off the floor. Place your hands behind your neck or the lower part of your head, ensuring you do not pull on your neck. Engage your core, lift your hips and tailbone off the ground, and hold for 1-2 counts before lowering back down.
Before attempting any exercise, it is important to warm up first by gently moving the muscles you are about to use. This can include simple movements like marching on the spot for 1-2 minutes, adding arm swings, and stretching your neck and back.
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Dead bugs
- Start by lying down on your back on an exercise or yoga mat with your knees bent.
- Keep the natural curvature of your spine and lift both legs up into a tabletop position (knees and hips bent at 90 degrees).
- Raise your arms so they are both pointing straight towards the ceiling.
- Maintaining a neutral spine, extend your right leg forward while simultaneously raising your left arm overhead in a controlled manner.
- Return your arm and leg to the starting position, and then switch sides.
It is important to note that good form during dead bugs is essential to maximize the benefits of the exercise. Dead bugs help build strength, teach control, improve coordination, and reduce pain. It is a complex exercise that requires deep concentration and the steady engagement of multiple muscle groups, including the core, arms, and legs.
Before attempting any new exercise, it is always a good idea to consult with a certified trainer or healthcare professional to ensure you are performing the movements correctly and safely.
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Plank exercises
Planks are a great way to build strength and improve stability, balance, athletic performance, and overall function while preventing back injuries. Planks are also a great alternative to crunches or situps, as they put less strain on your spine and hip flexors. Additionally, plank exercises can strengthen your back, glutes, hamstrings, arms, and shoulders.
To begin, you can start with a traditional straight-arm plank. Place your hands directly under your shoulders, keep your legs hip-width apart, and straighten your body. Engage your core and hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.
Once you have mastered the traditional plank, you can try the forearm plank. Start with your hands stacked directly under your shoulders and your knees bent under your hips. Lower one forearm at a time, keeping your elbows in line with your shoulders. Then, lower your knees and straighten your legs into a forearm plank. Engage your core and hold this position for 45 seconds.
For an additional challenge, you can try the side plank. Lie on your right side with your right forearm below your shoulder and extend your legs, resting your left foot on top of the right. Engage your core and lift your hips and knees off the floor, simultaneously raising your left arm toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 45 seconds and then switch sides.
If you want to further advance your routine, you can incorporate an exercise ball into your plank. Start in a full plank position with your feet on the ball. Gently lift your hips by engaging your core and pushing through your shoulders. Roll the ball forward with your feet and pull your knees toward you. Extend your legs and roll the ball back to return to the starting position.
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Bird dog
The bird dog exercise is an excellent way to strengthen your core, engaging both your abdominal and back muscles. It also improves your coordination, balance, and stability.
How to do the Bird Dog Exercise:
- Start by getting down on all fours, with your hands placed below your shoulders and knees below your hips.
- Tighten your core and ensure your spine is straight and neutral.
- Draw your shoulder blades together and maintain a neutral spine by engaging your abdominal muscles.
- Now, lift and straighten your right leg to hip level while simultaneously lifting and extending your left arm to shoulder level, with your palm facing down.
- Keep your back straight and avoid allowing your back to arch.
- Repeat the same movement with your left leg and right arm.
- Aim for 8 to 12 repetitions in a set.
Variations and Tips:
- Keep your hips level and avoid rotating your pelvis.
- Avoid lifting your leg too high, and ensure your spine doesn't curve past its natural position.
- Feel a line of energy throughout your body, from your fingertips to your toes.
- Draw your shoulder blades back, down, and away from your ears.
- Keep the back of your neck aligned with your spine.
- Move slowly and with control.
- You can also try the bird dog exercise in a push-up position, or a bird dog plank.
- If you find it challenging, try doing the exercise with one extremity at a time.
The bird dog exercise is suitable for all fitness levels and can be easily done at home. Remember to always warm up before attempting any exercise to prevent injuries and improve performance.
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Warm-ups and stretches
Warming up before any intense physical activity is crucial for better performance and injury prevention. A good warm-up should engage the same muscles that you'll be using during your workout, with lighter or modified versions of the exercises you'll be doing. For example, if you're going for a run, start with a light jog to warm up your legs. If you're doing martial arts, do some light kicks and punches. If you're doing bodyweight workouts, try some basic neck, arm, torso, and leg rotations.
You can also try marching on the spot for 1-2 minutes, adding in arm swings. Stretch your neck by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart, then slowly turn your head to the left, right, up, and down. Do this 5 times. To stretch your back, slowly arch backward while looking forward, then turn your upper body left and right, keeping your hips and feet still.
If you're looking to strengthen your core muscles, you can try some warm-up exercises that target those muscles specifically. Russian twists, for example, are a great way to engage your obliques and warm up your spine. Sit with your knees bent out in front of you, feet flexed, and heels on the floor. Hold your hands to your chest and lean your torso back until you feel your abdominal muscles engage. Then, slowly twist your torso from right to left. Remember to keep your core tight and breathe throughout.
After your workout, it's beneficial to do some stretching. Your muscles are already warmed up, making them more flexible and able to hold stretches longer. This helps improve your range of motion and reduce the risk of injury.
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Frequently asked questions
Dead bugs, bird dogs, and crunches are some exercises that strengthen the core. For older adults, bridges are a good exercise to start with.
One way to engage your core is to inhale and imagine bringing your belly button toward your spine. Hold your muscles in that position for a few seconds.
Unlike other muscle groups, core muscles can be strengthened daily.
