Having a strong core is extremely important. Getting those well-defined abdominal lines is not just for vanity but a necessity. After all, the core muscles carry a heavy load and coordinate the movement of both the trunk and upper/ lower limbs. You can spare your spine from excessive pressure and enjoy good posture if you have a strong core.
More importantly, you’ll improve overall stability, avoid injuries, and perform your optimal best, whether running, dancing, or lifting something off the floor. Fortunately, you can work on your core muscles without breaking the bank. Try these bodyweight core movements that work those muscles. You can do them at home without any equipment at all. Aim for three sets of twenty as a starting point, and increase the reps as you progress.
The classic crunch
Everyone is familiar with this exercise, and it’s the most widely known ab workout for a reason. This movement works on the entire abdominal area and promotes muscle contraction with each rep. Get a yoga mat or towel, then lie flat on your back. Bend your knees and keep your feet on the floor. Keep the arms by the sides of the head or cross them on the chest. Avoid placing it under the neck to prevent straining that area. Slowly move your torso to your hips while contracting the core muscles. The lower back must remain on the floor, so you won’t strain it. As you perform the crunch, squeeze the tummy tight. Repeat several times and feel your abs burn.
Noteworthy, there are a variety of crunches to work your whole torso if you want to increase the intensity or target different areas in your core. Check out the different types of crunches below:
- Oblique crunch
- Reverse crunch
- Bicycle crunch
- Vertical leg crunch
The woodchop
This exercise is a full-body standing workout with a focus on the core. It’s designed to improve balance, build power, and contract the abdominals. Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Put your arms above the head and lace your fingers on the right side. Squat down slowly and rotate the torso to the right with arms extended, akin to an actual wood chopper. Then stand up and bring the arms back into their original position. Make sure your foot pivots so you can rotate your torso correctly. Check out this video for proper form. You can use dumbbells to make the woodchop more challenging.
The plank
Use all your core muscles with this stabilizing move that challenges your whole body. Apart from a physical challenge, this can be a mental one, too, as you do three sets and hold the position for 20 or 30 seconds. Start with a press-up position and place forearms on the ground. Brace your body to keep on maintaining this pose. You will know the move is working as your core burns. At times, you may even feel your body shake or quiver. That’s normal because you’re pushing core muscle contraction and testing its limits.
This is not an exhaustive list, but as you can see, you can get a quick workout sans equipment no matter where you are. All you need is to set the time and the commitment to make things happen to lose the belly flab and firm up your abs.
Featured image courtesy of Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk
