core-muscle-exercises

Best Core muscle exercises for beginners

Core Muscle exercises

Strong core muscles make strong abdomen and abs. Core muscle exercises will make your core, especially abdomen and the group of muscles located within the trunk of the body strong. In order to maintain your stability, posture of your back and overall body strength, these core muscles play a vital role. When you are joining the gym to make muscles, always be sure to maintain the posture of the whole body. It is equally important to make your biceps and triceps as well as abs and back. Abdominal strength is as important as your thigh muscles’ strength. That is why it is advised to perform core muscle exercises to have strong abs and muscles.

There are eight extremely helpful core muscle exercises that will let your abs and abdomen get into shape. These exercises are quite easy and simple. In the beginning, you might find these exercises difficult or restraining. However, after a few attempts, you will master these exercises and will find it quite easy to perform these exercises. So, let’s get started.

1. Bridge

First, we have a bridge pose. This exercise will stretch your abdomen and make it helpful to align your abs. See the figure in order to get the idea of bridge pose. Along with lifting your hips, this exercise will help you tone your thighs as well as butt. Glutes muscles will activate while lifting up the hips. Let’s take a look at the steps!

How to perform a bridge pose:

  1. Stand straight on a yoga mat.
  2. Bend down your knees and keep your feet on the floor.
  3. Open your feet as wide as your hips.
  4. Keep your back straight while bending backwards.
  5. Keeping both of your palms down, place both of your hands at your either sides as shown in the figure below.
  6. Keep your core and glutes as tight as you can.
  7. Keep your hips raised until your knees are aligned with your shoulders.
  8. Hold at this point of your posture for 10–30 seconds.
  9. Repeat the exercise 3–5 times in a row.
core-muscle-exercises

Bridge

2. Crunch

The second most common exercise to strengthen your core muscles are crunches. This exercise will be extremely helpful for the beginners. You are not required to have any fancy equipment to perform this exercise. All you need is a yoga mat and understanding of this core muscle exercise. In this exercise, you will lift your upper body. This act will help your abdominal muscles grow strong and nurture. Always do crunches with care if you have low back pains occasionally. Do not do this exercise vigorously, always start slowly and as you move on, increase your speed.

However, if you have chronic pain in your lower back, it is highly advised to talk with a certified trainer or healthcare professional. Do not attempt classic crunch in case of extreme back pain. It may not be the best option for you. Let us take a look at this exercise.

How to perform Crunches:

  1. Stand straight on a yoga mat.
  2. Bend down your knees and keep your feet on the floor.
  3. Keep your head and spine aligned.
  4. Cross your arms across your chest.
  5. Keep your core as tight as you can and relax your neck and shoulders.
  6. Tuck your chin in and slightly lift up your upper back.
  7. Keep your lower back, pelvis, and feet on the floor.
  8. Pause there for a while.
  9. Lower your upper back slowly to return to the initial position.
  10. Take rest for 5 mins.
  11. Repeat the exercise with 1 set of 8–12 reps.
Crunches

Crunches

3. Bird Dog

As the name suggests, bird dog is the posture of both a bird and a dog. In the bird dog exercise, both of your abdominal and back muscles are engaged. Therefore, it is considered as an ideal exercise that can strengthen the movement of your core muscles. You will also get stability, balance as well as coordination in your movement. Bird Dog is an exercise that won’t require any dumbbell or heavy weigh lifting machines. All you need is a yoga mat and stability in your current position. Let’s take a look at how to perform bird dog exercise.

Performing bird dog core muscle exercise

  1. Place a yoga mat and start with hands below your shoulders and knees below your hips.
  2. In this way you are completely on the ground.
  3. Keep your core tight and lift up your right leg straight to hip level.
  4. Lift up your left arm and extend to your shoulder level simultaneously.
  5. Keep your right palm down.
  6. Without letting your back to bend, hold a neutral position at your spine as your arm and legs are extending.
  7. At this point of stretching, pause for a little longer.
  8. After holding the position for few seconds, change your side of leg and arm.
  9. Repeat with your left leg and right arm instantly.
  10. Carry on the exercise with 1 set of 8–12 reps.
bird-dog

Bird Dog

4. Plank

When talking about core muscle exercises, we must keep planks exercise as the primary exercise. At number 4, we are talking about simple planks. It is basically a full-body exercise. The main target of this exercise is our core. However, with this position and pose, your arms, shoulders, backs and legs will also get in shape and strengthen. Also planks must be done with a straight back.

If you want to strengthen your core, here is a pro tip for you! Always tuck in your belly for as long as you are in plank position.

How to do plank?

  1. Place a yoga mat and start with hands below your shoulders and knees below your hips.
  2. In this way you are completely on the ground.
  3. Keeping your feet wide open along with the width of your hips, straighten your legs.
  4. Keep your core tight.
  5. Hold in this position as shown in the figure for 10–30 seconds.
  6. Take rest.
  7. Repeat the exercise 3–5 times a day.

In the beginning, when you find this exercise difficult, keep your knees on the floor. Put the weight of your body over your hands. Remember to keep a straight line from your knees to shoulders.

Plank-core-muscle-exercises

Plank

Advanced moves – Core Muscle exercises

The above mentioned moves were intermediate moves. You can master these moves in one or two attempts. However, if you want to challenge yourself and want to increase stamina, then there are some other advanced core exercise routines. You will be able to strengthen your core muscles in a much more efficient manner if you engage yourself in these exercises. Let us take a look at four of these exciting advanced core muscle exercises.

5. Mountain climber

As the name suggests, mountain climber is the exercise in which you have to lay down in a posture of climbing the mountain as shown in the figure. If you are good at doing planks, then you can easily perform this exercise. It will help you improve your balance and make your core strong.

  1. Get yourself started in a plank position.
  2. Place your hands below your shoulders.
  3. Keep your core tight.
  4. Lift and bring your right knee towards your chest.
  5. Keep your back straight and hips down.
  6. As you return your right leg to the initial position, simultaneously lift and bring your left knee toward your chest.
  7. Continue the exercise with alternating legs.
  8. Start with 1 set of 8–12 reps each cycle.
mountain-climber

Mountain climber

 

6. Side plank with rotation

This is yet another advanced core muscle exercise which is the mixture of intermediate core muscle exercise. In other words this exercise is an advanced version of the basic plank. Side plank will help you strengthen your arms and shoulders. Side plank and arm movement is combined in this exercise routine. Let us take a look at the following steps.

How to perform side planks with rotation:

  1. Lie down on the floor or on a yoga mat on your right side
  2. Place your right forearm below your shoulder.
  3. Stretch your legs and extend your left foot on top of the right.
  4. Keep your core tight.
  5. Form a straight line with your body and slightly lift up your hips.
  6. Raise up your left arm straight.
  7. Slowly rotate your torso toward the floor, bring and bend your left arm under your body.
  8. Again rotate your torso and keep your left arm straight.
  9. Turn your left arm straight as in the initial position.
  10. Start with 1 set of 8–12 reps.
  11. Repeat the exercise by changing the side.
side-planks-with-rotation

Side Planks with rotation

7. Bicycle Crunch

Bicycle crunch is the variation of the simple crunch exercise. It is however more intense than the simple crunch. It will work on your obliques, rectus abdominous, and hips. Let’s take a quick look at how bicycle crunch is done.

How to perform Bicycle Crunch?

  1. Stand straight on a yoga mt.
  2. Bend down your knees and keep your feet on the floor.
  3. Keep your head and spine aligned.
  4. Cross your arms across your chest.
  5. Keep your core as tight as you can and relax your neck and shoulders.
  6. Tuck your chin in and slightly lift up your upper back.
  7. Bent your left knee and straighten your right leg, lift up your right shoulder off the floor.
  8. Bring your right elbow toward your left knee.
  9. Bring your right shoulder back to the floor and as you are doing so, extend your left leg.
  10. Bend your right knee and bring your knee toward your chest.
  11. Lift up your left shoulder off the floor as you are moving your right knee farther.
  12. Bring your left elbow toward your right knee.
  13. Alternatively, start with 3 sets of 12 on repetitions.
bicycle-crunch-core-muscle-exercises

Bicycle Crunch

8. Abdominal crunch – Core Muscle exercises 

Yet another form of simple crunch, this abdominal crunches are a classic core-strength exercise. This will help your core muscles to get into good shape.

  1. Lie on your back on a couch or a yoga mat.
  2. Place your feet against the wall.
  3. Bent your hips and knees at 90-degree angles.
  4. Keep your core and abdominal muscles tight.
  5. Cross your arms across your chest.
  6. Raise your head and shoulders off the floor.
  7. Hold your position for few seconds and take deep breaths.
  8. Return back to the initial position and repeat.
abdominal-crunch

Abdominal Crunch

The bottom line – Core muscle exercises

Whether you are a beginner or a professional, core muscle exercises are the best way to start your day. The above mentioned exercises will help you gain strength and improve your overall body movement. These eight core muscle exercises will help you gain balance and control over your body. It is highly advised to always consult a doctor or a physician if you feel any pain or chronic illness during the exercise routines.

If you are interested to make our back muscles strong then check the article for details.

Keep on visiting HAJEX Fitness to get latest tips on exercising and fitness.

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