A killer core workout: the best ab exercises to do at home

Whether you are new to fitness or you have stopped seeing results from your current exercise routine, getting back to the basics can make all the difference. Many of us get caught up in fitness trends or think we need to be doing complex exercises to see results, but the opposite is often true. Focusing on form with exercises that teach you how to properly engage your muscles is key to an effective workout — especially when it comes to working the core.

Starting To Build a Fitness Routine? Try This Trainer-Approved Workout for Beginners

At 10 Fitness, we make it easy to start with beginner-friendly workouts, expert guidance, and a supportive community. Strengthen your core, protect your back, and feel more stable every day. Lying on your back, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground. Take a deep breath in and feel your low back arch slightly off of the ground. Then exhale as you tilt your pelvis forward and press your low back into the ground. Pull your naval in toward your spine as if you’re zipping into a tight pair of pants.

Ready to strengthen your core?

Simple exercises that engage the upper, lower, and oblique portions of your middle are all it takes to build strength. This workout walks you through three rounds of eight, one-minute exercises. Engaging your core means contracting https://www.fightful.com/boxing/mad-muscles-app-review-2025-best-fitness-app-mma-fitness-enthusiasts/ the muscles in your middle, including your upper abs (rectus abdominis), sides (obliques), and lower belly (transversus abdominis). Some fitness instructors describe the motion of engagement as pulling your belly button toward your spine or bracing against a punch to the gut. Focus on keeping your entire mid-section tight, no matter the analogy you use.

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Core strength is about so much more than your prospective six-pack. It’s about your ability to resist being shoved out of position. Your core is responsible for keeping your torso locked in a neutral position during heavy lifts, meaning that you won’t get crushed and folded over under a loaded barbell.

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• Just like any other muscle group, in order for your defined abs to shine through you will need to reduce the layer of fat that covers them.
• These work your lower abs and can take some pressure off your hip flexors and/or neck, which tend to be used more when performing a sit-up.
• It’s about your ability to resist being shoved out of position.
• By performing controlled rotational movements while holding a seated position with your feet off the ground, Russian twists challenge both your core strength and balance.
• Fundamentally, core training principles are similar for men and women—both need strong, stable, and functional core muscles to support movement, protect the spine, and enhance performance.
• Strengthening your core can improve movement, power, balance and stability, thereby improving your performance in workouts and sports.

Sit, leaning back at a 45-degree angle, with knees bent upward and feet hovering just above the ground or straight out from the knees. Then, with control, lie back, straightening your legs in front of you with your feet and head hovering over the ground. Return to the original “high” boat position and repeat for 1 minute. “One common theme in all these core exercises is that it’s important to keep your abdominal muscles tight and your spine in a neutral position.

Forearm plank hold

If you struggle with back pain during core exercises or your big lifts, bird dogs can be a great way to ease this. There are plenty of ways you can strengthen your core, but one of the easiest is to add core-strengthening exercises into your workout routine. There are a lot of moves to choose from, so to save you some time, we’ve created a bodyweight ab workout that incorporates a few of our favorite beginner core exercises. At 10 Fitness, we work with many people who want to tighten their midsection, move better, and feel good, without pricey gear or long workouts.

Exercise & Fitness

Squeezing your glutes is another common theme in most of the exercises,” says Candy. Place your forearms flat on the mat and bend your knees so that they are touching the mat. Engage your core and lift your body up off the mat, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.