The 10 Best Core Exercises

Core exercises target your abdominal, oblique, and lower back muscles. These muscles provide stability and balance and having a strong core is vital to building a strong foundation, avoiding injury, and effectively training other parts of your body.

Using these core exercises as part of a consistent exercise program can help you tone your midsection and lose weight.

Here are the 10 of the absolute best exercises for targeting your core:

1. Plank
Lie down on your stomach and lift your body off the floor, resting your weight on your forearms (elbows at 90° degrees) and your toes. Keep your body in a straight position (without arching your back) and hold for as long as possible.

2. Swiss ball plank
Similar to the plank, except that you are in a pushup position, resting your weight on your hands and resting your feet and toes on a Swiss ball. Hold for 30-60 seconds or as long as possible.

3. Ball roll-ins
Place your hands on the ground and your feet on top of a Swiss ball. Bend at the knees and roll the ball toward your chest. Hold this position and roll the ball back out.

4. Side bridge
Lying on your side, prop yourself on one elbow, forearm on floor and perpendicular to your body. Then raise your hip up off the floor to achieve a straight line from armpit to ankle, with only elbow and side of foot touching the ground. Hold for as long as possible on each side.

5. V hold
Lie on your back and bend at the waist as you extend your legs and arms into the air to form a “V.” Hold the position for as long as possible.

6. Twisting crunch
Get into a crunch position, then raise your body up into a crunch and twist from side to side.

7. Lying windmills
Lie on your back with your arms as your sides and raise your legs until they are perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower your legs to one side as low as you can while maintaining complete shoulder and back contact with the floor. Bring your legs back up to center and lower them to the other side.

8. Supermans
Lie down on your stomach and raise your torso off the floor with your arms extended in front of you and feet raised up. Hold the position as long as possible.

9. Swiss ball plank
Place your feet on the ball with your forearms on the ground and hold the position for as long as possible.

10. Glute pushup
Lie on your back with your feet resting on top of a Swiss ball. Raise your butt off the floor, pushing your body up as high as possible. Hold for as long as you can.

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