CORE Workout
When it comes to core training, there are so many ways to strengthen and sculpt your muscles. You can use bodyweight ab exercises, target specific muscle groups at a time, like your obliques, or you can take a 360-degree approach and train the entire area at once, by training a little smarter and adding some weight.
Like with training any muscle group, it’s important to build a solid foundation. Our core is one of the biggest ‘supports’ when training both upper and lower body. So let’s get building.
CORE Exercises —
1 — Single-Arm Kettlebell Push Press
How to:
Start standing with feet just wider than hips, a kettlebell in right hand, right arm bent with elbow close to body so that the weight rests on shoulder, and left hand on hip.
Sink hips slightly into a quarter-squat. Then, quickly push through feet to extend legs, simultaneously pressing kettlebell straight up until right arm is completely extended overhead.
With control, lower kettlebell back down. That's one rep.
2 — Squat To Overhead Press With Rotation
How to:
Start standing, feet hip-distance apart, toes pointed out slightly.
Dumbbells should be in either hand and resting lightly on shoulders. Sit back into a squat until thighs are parallel with the ground.
Drive up through heels to standing while raising right arm toward ceiling, turning torso toward the left, and lifting right heel to pivot on it.
Come back to center as you sit into the squat, then stand while raising left warm toward ceiling, turning torso toward the right, and lifting left heel to pivot on it. That's one rep.
3 — Leg Drops
How to:
Lie on your back with a dumbbell held in between your hands and extend your arms. (Think wrists over chest NOT your face.)
Lift your legs up directly over your hips. Lower your left leg down as low as you can go without your lower back arching up off the mat.
Return to start, and repeat on the other side. That's one rep.
4 — Plank Dumbbell Drag
How to:
Start in a high plank, shoulders over wrists and feet wider than shoulders.
Place a dumbbell (or towel/other weight) outside right wrist.
Keeping hips and shoulders level, reach left hand across body to drag the weight outside where left wrist will land.
Return to high plank and repeat on the other side. That's one rep.
5 — Half-Kneeling Windmill
How to:
Start by kneeling on your left knee, and bring your right foot to the side of your body, with foot firmly on the ground and toes pointed to the right.
Hold a kettlebell in your right hand.
Rack the kettlebell at your chest, then lift it overhead, keeping your eyes on the weight.
Slowly lower your body down until your left hand reaches the ground.
Then continue lowering until your elbow and forearm reach the ground. Reverse the movement and return to start. That's one rep.
6 — Renegade Row
How to:
Start in plank position, holding dumbbells in either hand on the ground.
Pull right elbow toward the ceiling until right wrist is near ribs, then lower it down.
Repeat on opposite side. That's one rep.
7 — Forward Lunge With Twist
How to:
Start in a standing position at back of mat, holding a medicine ball at chest.
Take a big step forward with left foot and lower into a lunge until both legs are bent to 90 degrees while extended arms to straight at shoulder height.
Then, twist arms and torso over left leg, return to center, then step back to start.
Repeat on the opposite side. That's one rep.
8 — Overhead Cossack Squat
How to:
Begin by standing up straight, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and a kettlebell in each hand.
Rack the kettlebells in front of your chest, and then raise your right arm straight into the air, bicep by your ear.
Lift your left foot and take a large step to the left, then sit your hips back and lower down until your thighs are as parallel to the ground as possible.
Straighten your left leg and rise back up. That's one rep.
9 — Kettlebell / Dumbbell Swing
How to:
Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, holding one heavy dumbbell like a goblet.
Hinge from the hips and bend knees while reaching the dumbbell back and between legs, keeping back flat and core engaged.
Thrust hips forward to swing the dumbbell to about shoulder height and then down again to start. That's one rep.
10 — Weighted Flutter Kicks
How to:
Start lying face up with back pressed into mat, arms extended to straight over chest holding a weight, and lets extended in air at 45-degree angle.
Alternate lifting legs up and down a few inches. That's one rep.
11 — Russian Twist
How to:
Start seated, upper body leaned back until abs are engaged.
Legs should be lifted and bent at 90 degrees, and arms should be bent, hands holding weight, with elbows wide.
Rotate torso to right side so that right elbow is hovering just off mat.
Keep lower body still while rotating upper body to left side until left elbow is just off mat.
Return to start. Gaze follows hands as you move. That's one rep
12 — Jack Knife Pullover
How to:
Start lying on back, holding a single dumbbell in hands like a goblet.
Core should be engaged and arms and legs should be held out straight, hovering a few inches off the ground so body forms one curved line.
Bring elbows and knees in at the same time, lifting shoulder blades off the ground and pausing when arms and knees meet in the middle.
Return to start. That's one rep.