Build a stronger core and improve your balance with this six-move workout

If you can't make it to the gym, there are still ways to squeeze a bit of exercise into your day. Take this quick core workout, for example.

The session has been designed by YouTube and Instagram fitness duo Tiff x Dan (opens in new tab) to "get the core burning in all the right places", with six bodyweight movements sure to work a wide range of midsection muscles. 

As an added bonus, it doesn't require any equipment, so you don't need to make a pilgrimage to the gym to try it for yourself. If you're doing it at home, we find a yoga mat (opens in new tab) provides some welcome cushioning on unforgiving floors, but this is purely our personal preference.

To try this workout, perform each exercise (demonstrated in Tiff x Dan's video below) back to back as a six-move circuit, resting as little as possible between exercises. Complete three rounds in total for a comprehensive core workout, then you can call it a day. 

Watch TiffxDan's abs workout

We like this workout for several reasons, the first and foremost among them being its accessibility. It should take you about 15 minutes, and doesn't need any specialist gear, making it a cheap and easy way to get moving, wherever you are. 

We're also big fans of how it bridges the gap between abs and core training (opens in new tab). The two have much in common, but there are differences which are worth noting. 

When people speak about abs workouts (opens in new tab), they tend to mean exercises that target the rectus abdominis (the muscles responsible for the six-pack shape). However, good core workouts (opens in new tab) will hit a range of muscles in your midsection. 

This session from TiffxDan does both. Exercises like bicycle crunches and oblique v-ups will work your rectus abdominis alongside the internal and external obliques, which power twisting and lateral bending movements. 

Meanwhile, spider climbers challenge muscles like the multifidus and transverse abdominis to provide stability to the spine so you can hold a straight-back position. 

If you feel ready to take this core workout for a spin, you can perform it as a standalone session to add some extra exercise into your day. Or, if you have a bit more time to fill, try pairing it with this 20-minute bodyweight workout (opens in new tab) to build full-body muscle.