Here is a short article about the best core exercises. It is straight to the point.  This is definitely the best philosophy to go by when it comes to training your core.  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with crunches and sit ups but your core needs to be trained in many different ways.

Best Core Exercises

The best core exercises are the ones, which help to tone the thoracic part and have better posture. They also help to bring stabilization to the mid section. We will see the core exercises, which will help in working the core better.

Core Exercises

Before we talk about core exercises, let’s look at the two different ways of looking at the core. As a student of kinesiology, the core will be looked upon as a group of 29 muscles, which make up the lumbo-pelvic hip complex. This complex system makes up for the center of gravity. On the other hand, if a person wants six pack abs, then the core will be the area which is considered as the mid-section of the body. The core exercises help the person look better, feel better, be stronger, and have a better posture. At the same time, the best core exercises are the ones, which will help the person become more efficient in doing the daily chores that the person performs. Anatomically, it is the transverse abdominis muscle, which is synonymous with the core muscles. (That’s the gist of core!)

What are the Best Core Exercises

The best core exercises for men and women are the exercises, which help stabilize the core muscles. To explain it further these exercises help in maintaining the draw in maneuver during the duration of each and every exercise. The draw in maneuver is when the belly button is sucked in towards the spine voluntarily. One can do the core exercises at home as well. You can do the core exercises with medicine ball too.

Bridge Pose
This is one of the best core exercises for women and men. Start by lying, with your back flat on the floor. Bend the knees and draw the feet closer to your butts, so that you are able to touch your heels with your hands. Gradually lift your hips as high as you can. When you lift your hips, draw the core towards the spine and contract the glutes. Interlace the fingers and place the forearm on the floor for added support. When you are in the bridge pose your back should not be arched at any point of time. This is one of the easiest core strengthening exercises, however it helps to draw the core towards the spine and contract the gluteal muscles. If while doing the exercise, you feel a cramp in your hamstring, then release the position and stretch your hamstring.

Plank
This is one of the core exercises, which is also a yoga pose. It is a fundamental core exercise. Doing this exercise regularly will help you develop the core to its full potential. To do this core exercise, lie flat on the stomach with elbows and forearms placed on the floor. The elbows should be so placed, that the shoulders are aligned with the elbows. Lift your hips, stomach and chest off the floor, so that your body is parallel to the floor. Only the forearms and balls of the feet should be on the floor. When you come into this position, make sure that the core muscles are sucked in towards the spine and the back is not arched.

Side Plank
This exercise is similar to the plank pose. Come down on your fours, such that the shoulders are placed exactly above the wrist. Rotate on the balls of the right foot and turn towards the left, so that the body forms a straight line from the head to the legs. Hold this position, by drawing in the core muscles and contracting the gluteal muscles. Come out of the position and repeat the exercise on the other side as well.

Leg Raises
This core exercise can either be done with a single leg or with both the legs. Lie down on the floor and extend the legs out straight in front of you with hands placed next to your body. Lift both the legs off the floor till they are perpendicular to the floor. Then gradually lower the legs, but do not touch them to the floor. Repeat the exercise 12 to 15 times. The same can also be done using a single leg, where the movement is similar to the walking movement.

These best core exercises should be done after you have done some warm up exercises. You can also do the sun salutations for warm up. At the same time, do not forget to do the cool down, while you are “working to the core”!

By Bhakti Satalkar
Published: 9/10/2010

I hope this information was helpful.  Please leave a comment or question and share with your friends!

Bob Bader’s Real World Personal Training provides group classes/bootcamps and one-on-one personal training in the North Colorado Springs/Tri-Lakes/Monument/Palmer Lake area.  Please contact Bob at 719-232-4386 for a free consultation.