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…
A post shared by David Carson NIKE Global Coach, CSCS (@davidcarson24life)
A photo posted by on
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.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Bryony’s T3’s official ‘gym-bunny’ and Active Staff Writer, covering all things fitness. In her spare time, you will find her in her natural habitat - the gym - where her style of training is a hybrid of bodybuilding and powerlifting. Bryony loves writing about accessible workouts, nutrition and testing innovative fitness products that help you reach your fitness goals and take your training to the next level.
-
Best Christmas gifts 2024: wellness, fragrances, grooming and more
If you're struggling to find the perfect gift, you've come to the right place
By Lizzie Wilmot Published
-
This iconic KitchenAid stand mixer is $170 off in early Black Friday deal
Get 37% off the KitchenAid Stand Mixer in Best Buy’s Black Friday sale
By Bethan Girdler-Maslen Published
-
Burn fat and build muscle all over with a single dumbbell and these four exercises
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
Forget the treadmill – this bodyweight bench workout is the perfect calorie crusher
It's short and sweet, but very sweaty
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
You only need this 30-minute dumbbell workout to build functional full-body muscle
Strapped for time? This short snappy session has you covered
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
This no-nonsense dumbbell workout builds stronger quads, calves and glutes in 30 minutes
There's no reason to spend hours in the gym when there's workouts like this one
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
4 simple methods to turn your walk into a walking workout, according to a personal trainer
Turn your lunch-time plod into a health-boosting stroll without running
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
Sore lower back after running? A physio says these three exercises can help
If you’re prone to back aches after a run, give these a try!
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
Three ‘non-negotiable’ exercises for stronger, healthy knees, according to an expert
Thought leg day was out of the question? Think again!
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
This sweaty stair workout burns fat and builds total body strength in 10 minutes
Who needs running when you can just take the stairs?
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published