A strong core goes beyond just having well-defined abs–it involves developing lean muscle and strength to provide overall body support. A robust midsection offers various health advantages, including improved posture, enhanced stability, better balance, increased flexibility, and more. However, developing a strong core requires more than just doing crunches. Incorporating full-body workouts that focus on the core and engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously can effectively strengthen your abdominal region to support your body. If you’re eager to elevate your workout routine, give these five exercises a try to push your limits and enhance your stamina, strength, and endurance.

Workout: Stability and Balance

These full-body exercises are designed to target the core muscles. The plank exercise, for instance, involves shoulder stabilization, full engagement of the abdominal muscles, and activation of numerous back muscles, making it an excellent choice for building endurance. Similarly, the squat to single-leg deadlift may primarily work the legs and glutes but also heavily engages the core for support. What’s more, these exercises require no equipment, making them accessible to all fitness levels.

The Routine

• High Plank to Wide Lunge – 4 reps per side, 2 sets
• Squat to Single Leg Deadlift – 4 reps per side, 2 sets
• High Plank to Fire Hydrant – 6 reps per side, 2 sets

High Plank to Wide Lunge

1. From high plank, wrists aligned under shoulders, legs straight
2. Exhale, tighten abs and pull your right foot to the outside right hand
3. Return to plank, switch sides

Squat to Single Leg Deadlift

1. Stand holding a dumbbell at chest, feet hip-width apart
2. Squat at 50% of  your maximum squat, pause
3. Stay steady, dumbbell in right hand, extend right leg behind
4. Bend at hip crease, dropping dumbbell beneath right shoulder
5. Slowly rise to stand from the deadlift
6. Switch sides

5 Essential Core Workouts for a Flatter Belly in Just 30 Days

High Plank to Fire Hydrant

1. Start in high plank, wrists under shoulders, legs straight, tighten core
2. Bend and rotate the right leg to the fire hydrant, then pull the right knee to the right elbow
3. Pause with the right leg parallel to the ground
4. Return and switch sides

Workout: Core Strength and Flexibility

The Tiger pose, commonly practiced in yoga, incorporates a back extension by reaching the hand towards the foot on the opposite side. The Awkward Tiger variation intensifies the core workout by challenging stability and engaging the core muscles explosively. This move effectively targets the core and delivers impressive results, making it a great addition to your workout routine.

The Routine

• Hand to Foot in Half Boat Float – 2 reps per side, 2 sets
• Elbow Plank Twists with Jumping Jacks – 6 reps per side, 3 sets
• Awkward Tiger – 2 reps per side, 3 sets

1. Hand to Foot in Half Boat Float

1. Seated, right arm straight, hand outside of right hip
2. Secure left hand to the outside of the right foot, leg straight, and hold 5 seconds
3. Bend left knee and slide left foot close to left hip
4. Bend the right arm and lay on the forearm
5. Push hips up using right forearm and left foot
6. Float here for 5 seconds
7. NOTE: The heavier you press the grounded foot, the more intensity builds throughout the core

Elbow Plank Twists with Jumping Jacks

1. Face prone (down) with forearms and toes holding you up
2. Flexed feet are hip-width and perpendicular to the mat
3. Slowly roll the heels to the right (pause), and back to center
4. Hips will roll with feet and legs; chest stays square to the floor
5. Repeat to left
6. Legs still straight, quickly jack your feet out twice, keep hips low
7. Repeat 3-6

Awkward Tiger

1. Start at the table (hands and knees), wrists under shoulders, knees under hips
2. Slowly lift right leg, knee bent, foot drawing toward the butt
3. Stabilize your core and slowly grab the right foot behind you
4. Hold 10 seconds
5. Switch sides

Workout: Solely Core

Tackle deep core work with these flaming snail-slow movers. (Just holding these might demand a fire hose.) A slight curl of the spine in the Triceps V-up enables a deep reach to the foot, further firing the core. Try these out.

The Routine:

• Tricep Dip with Floating V-up – 3 sets per side, 2 sets
• Dead bug with Stability Ball – 6 sets per side, 3 sets

Tricep Dip with Floating V-up

1. Sit on the mat with knees bent in front and hands behind hips, fingers pointed out
2. Straighten arms to rise to a triceps dip (hips stay dropped but not seated)
3. With knees together, angle knees and hips to the left
4. Stabilize with left arm and right foot
5. Extend left leg to straight; reach right hand to left foot (pause for core power)
6. (Optional) Hinge bend and straighten left knee 3 times
7. Return to start

Dead Bug with Stability Ball

1. Begin in your back, knees lifted at 90 degrees and aligned over hips; calves parallel to ground
2. Hold S. ball with the front of knees and hands; engage the core
3. Slowly extend right knee forward and left arm overhead (dead bug)
4. Pause both levers fully extended
5. Hold the ball in place, pressing firmly with your  right hand and left knee
6. Return to center; knees at 90 degrees
7. Switch sides – 10 reps on each side
8. NOTE: The ball never moves

These 5 Core Workouts Are the Ultimate Strength Test

Workout: Core Shake Up

These first two moves are isolative, targeting the abdominal region. Blend in functional power with the savage Z-balance for a super-core shake-up.

This Routine

• V-up Pull Through – 10 reps, 3 sets
• V-up Wide with Scissor Cross – 10 reps, 3 sets
• Z-Balance – 3 reps each side, 3 sets

V-up Pull Through

1. Start seated, lean backward about 20 degrees, and remain on sit bones with back slightly flexed.
2. Lift and straighten your legs, brace your core, and find balance
3. Widen legs to a “V” and feel the burn
4. On exhale, reach arms through (pulse or hold)
5. (Optional) Convert to Butterfly legs and hold
6. Release and repeat

Wide V-up with Scissor Cross

1. Take a wide V-up position again, tighten the core, and find your balance
2. Pull legs smoothly to center and cross/overlap legs, then widen again to V
3. Pull legs to cross/overlap, switching the top leg with each
4. You feel the quadriceps kick in

Z-balance

1. From the hands and knees (Table) position, begin in Bird Dog; right leg extends backward about hip height
2. Left arm extends forward (hold 5 seconds)
3. Press your left foot firmly into the mat (your core activation intensifies)
4. From Bird Dog, the left arm glides to the left in line with the shoulder
5. Right leg moves to right in line with side right hip (hold 5 seconds)
6. Return to Table, switch sides

Workout: Core Finishing Moves

Standing on one leg and the same arm in a dumbbell press fortifies your balance. Then, notice when you switch your standing leg and knee positions (without an arm switch) how this small change demands even more of the core. Then, take the flexed leg into Tree pose (a yoga asana) and feel the glut fire on the Tree leg. This vibrant move requires eyes to focus as the force sneaks up on you.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

These knee hugs are great for hip flexibility and gluteus maximus toning.

The Routine:

• Dumbbell Freeze with Hip Flexion – 2 sets per side, 2 sets, switch legs
• Knee Hugs – 6 sets per side, 2 sets

Dumbbell Freeze with Hip Flexion

1. Dumbbell up in arm Press-hold (R arm)
2. Left opposite knee up
3. Abduct knee (turn out) and pause
4. Switch sides

Knee Hugs

1. Begin in a forward bend, hands to feet, inhale, and extend your right leg behind you.
2. On exhale, tighten your abs, squat, and pull the right knee behind to hug the left knee

Gwenn Jones CPT, CYT