Our core is a powerhouse. It’s what helps us move, stay upright, and balanced which, long term, means better posture, improved performance in the gym, and less risk of injury. But how often are you training yours? If the answer was ‘not a lot’, or worse, ‘never’, then now’s the time too!
According to Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, David Carson, who’s also a Global Trainer for Nike, these are the three core exercises that everyone should be doing consistently. FYI, they’re not your run-of-the-mill planks or Russian Twists either. Time to shake up your regular routine with these three bodyweight exercises…
Lateral bear crawls
Bear crawls are an underrated exercise (probably because they look a little childish), but they’ll absolutely crush your core. It’s where you get on all fours (like a bear), balancing your weight through your hands and feet, whilst moving slowly to one side, then the other. Your core muscles are working overtime to try and keep your spine and hips stable. Not to mention your arms and legs are also getting a good burn making it, overall, a great compound exercise.
Dead bugs
If you tend to get lower back pain when trying to work your midsection muscles, dead bugs are your best friend. In fact, a 2019 study showed that dead bugs were an effective exercise at reducing lower back pain. They’re also far easier on the joints, as they’re performed lying on your back. Plus, once the bodyweight variation becomes too easy there are plenty of bits of equipment you can use to spice up this exercise, like resistance bands, an exercise ball, or even dumbbells.
Single-leg bridge marches
Regular glute bridges are excellent for your core muscles, but adding in a march cranks things up a notch. Your deep core muscles have to work even harder, not just to raise your hips in the air, but to help hold them there as you raise each foot off the floor. The fact you only need your body weight makes it a great exercise for beginners. However, you can incorporate a small dumbbell or kettlebell, holding it above your head, once it starts to become too easy. The secret sauce is to perform it slowly and pause at the top of each march.
