You don’t need any equipment to strengthen your deep core—just these three exercises
Try these three simple moves for a strong midsection
You’ve probably heard about the importance of core strength. The muscles in your midsection play a role in nearly every movement you do and support your spine.
What you might not know is that the core can be divided into superficial muscles near the surface and deep-lying muscles that you can’t see.
These muscles work together a lot of the time. But while your superficial muscles do the bulk of the work to move your torso, your deep-lying muscles are primarily responsible for things like spinal stability, organ support and breathing.
Classic core moves like sit-ups and bicycle crunches will target superficial movers, but you'll need a different set of exercises to target those all-important deep-core muscles.
Stephanie Schappert, a member of the ClassPass Wellness Council and an ACE-certified personal trainer, recommends these three equipment-free options.
1. Dead bug
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12 Rest: 30-60sec
How to do it
- Lie on your back with your arms and legs extended upward and knees bent at a 90° angle.
- Engage your core and press your lower back down.
- Inhale and slowly lower your right arm and left leg until they are hovering above the floor.
- Exhale and return to the starting position, then switch sides.
- Alternate sides, moving slowly and keeping your back flat.
Targets: Rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, obliques
Find dead bugs too hard? Try doing these easier dead bug variations instead.
2. Bird dog
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12 Rest: 30-60sec
How to do it
- Come to your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Engage your core by drawing your belly button toward your spine. Keep your back flat.
- Extend your right arm forward and left leg back so both are parallel to the floor.
- Pause briefly then return to the starting position.
- Switch sides and repeat.
Targets: Core muscles (transverse abdominis and obliques), lower back muscles, glutes, shoulders and hip stabilizers
3. Plank up down
Sets: 2-4 Hold: 20-60sec Rest: 30-60sec
How to do it:
- Come to a push-up position, with hands on the floor, legs straight and feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and squeeze your glutes.
- Lower one forearm to the floor, then the other, so you're in a forearm plank.
- Push back up into a high plank position.
- Repeat for 20-60 seconds, cycling between high plank and forearm plank.
Targets: Core, shoulders, chest, lower back
