By Evie Dawson

Your core determines your strength. It is the powerhouse, so to make it work at its optimum should be on top of your priority. Remember, your core facilitates movement, protects your internal organs and the central nervous system and relieve you of the back pain. So there is no way you shouldn’t work on it.

Here are a few exercises to make it healthy:

1. Stomach Vacuum

 This is one of the first exercises that must be done to build the core.

Steps:

  •  Stand straight. Your feet should be shoulder width apart with your hands on your hips.
  • Inhale air as much as you can and then exhale as much as you can.
  • While exhaling, try bringing your navel closer to your backbone.
  • Hold on to this position
  • During this isometric contraction which should be for a minimum of 20 seconds, try breathing normally
  • Now inhale and bring your stomach back to normal.
  • Once you are rehearsed well, hold on to this position for more than 20 seconds to 40-60 seconds
  • Repeat it 10 times

 

2. Dead Bugs

 The main muscle group that is worked out with dead bugs is the abdominals.

Steps:

Lie on your back. Extend your hands towards the ceiling

  • Make sure your hips, knees, and feet are in line
  • Exhale to bring your rib cage closer to the ground
  • Rotate your pelvis upwards, squeeze your glutes

Hold this position

  • Extend one leg, make the knee and hip straight. Your leg should be just above the ground
  • Return to the first position
  • Repeat with the other leg.

3. Bird dog

It is a classic exercise when it comes to building core strength. It improves stability, and the best thing about this exercise is that it can be done anywhere. It is the ultimate workout for abs.

Steps:

  • Keep your hands just set between your shoulders and knees below your hips. Keep your neck, head and back This should be your starting position.
  • Now raise your right arm and extend it till it is in line with the body
  • With right arm extended forward, you should kick the left leg backwards. It too should be in line with the body
  • Hold this position for 1 second
  • Bring your arm and leg downwards slowly
  • Repeat with left arm and right leg

 

4. Band Anti-rotation: Half Kneels Push And Pull

 It engages your glutes in addition to the stomach.

Steps:

  •  Fasten 2 D-grip handles to a functional trainer or cable column
  • The handles should be set between the chest and the shoulder
  • Grab both the handles
  • Pull and push simultaneously, but don’t move your body. It should stay stable.
  • A little rotation is not bad but should be confined to just a little.
  • Repeat it 10-12 times and then move on to switching legs and sides.

5. Clam shells

Though it is mainly for strengthening the core, the other parts that benefit from it include glutes, lower back, and the spine.

Steps:

  • Lie on one side with one leg stacked over the other. Knees should be bent at 45-degree angle
  • Now rest your head on the lower arm. Use the other arm to keep the body stable
  • Keep your hipbones stacked over one another
  • Pull your belly button inside to stabilize the spine and pelvis
  • Raise the upper knee as high as you can keeping the feet touching each other
  • Hold for some seconds
  • Return your upper leg to the starting position
  • Do 20 times
  • Switch sides

6. Seated Leg Lifts

It is a simple exercise and effortless when compared to other activities listed above. It looks very basic, but is considered one of the best for building core.

Steps:

  • Sit on the ground or floor, whatever you like.
  • Keep your legs straight in front of you
  • You can lean back a little so as to keep your hands on both sides of your glutes
  • After taking a deep breath, lift one of the legs above the ground, at least 6 inches
  • Try to hold it for 5 seconds
  • Bring your leg downwards. Now do the same with the other leg
  • Keep doing it for a minute, then take a 20 seconds break
  • Repeat it 5 times

After a few days, you can take the difficulty level up. Do not stop for 5 seconds, keep doing it one after the other. To make it even more challenging, try bringing your knee closer to your chest.

The Last Word…

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Author Bio: Evie Dawson is a fitness coach and health writer based in Boston, MA. Her passion is to encourage others to rediscover their lifestyle and get inspired for organic living. He occasionally blogs about Xtremeno supplements and shares info about how to use supplements correctly.