Strengthen Your Core With This Beginner's Workout
Having a strong core makes good posture easier, minimises your risk of developing back pain, and creates a great foundation for other movements (like lifting and carrying). If you feel that your core is quite weak, and you're made the commitment to make it stronger, read on to discover a great core workout aimed at beginners.
Naturally, some people may try the workout and find that it’s not quite right for them due to existing injuries or restrictions. It is important to listen to your body when exercising, so don’t continue with an exercise if it doesn’t feel right. If in doubt, consult a relevant health and/or fitness professional for guidance.
What equipment will someone need?
Core training is great because so much can be done without equipment. All you need is a good attitude!
How do I warm up?
You shouldn’t need to perform a specific warm up for this workout due to the low levels of intensity. If you feel like you need a warmup, a 5-minute walk should be sufficient.
How often should I do the workout?
Just doing these exercises once per week is a great start, because this is infinitely better than doing nothing. If you want to see results quicker, try to perform the exercises 2-3 times per week. To be top of your class, do them daily!
What is our core? How can it help improve posture and why is that important?
Our ‘core’ refers to the muscles around our torso. These muscles can perform twisting and bending movements as well as bracing to stabilise the trunk. Throughout the day, your deeper core muscles are ‘switched on’ at low level to create good posture.
The workout
1. Superman
The superman is a fantastic ‘isometric’ exercise, meaning your core must stabilise to prevent movement, which is essential to good posture. It is also easily scalable to make it easier or harder. Begin on the floor on your hands and knees so that your arms and legs form the side of a square, and your torso and the floor form the top and the bottom of the square. Attempt to maintain a ‘neutral’ spine in this position, which means no humping or hollowing of the back. Now raise an arm and hold it for 30 seconds. The do the same with the other arm. Rest for 30 seconds before doing these 2 more times (3 times in total). To make the exercise harder, you can hold the position for longer, or progress to lifting a life instead of an arm. Finally, you can lift an opposite arm and leg.
2. Bridge
The bridge is another wonderful ‘isometric’ exercise. In addition, it’s good for firing up your backside muscles which, if weak, put extra strain on the lower back. Lie on your back on the floor and bring your heels in towards your bottom so that your knees are bent. Now use the muscles in your backside and legs to push your hips into the air. Hold this position for 30 seconds, squeezing your backside muscles throughout. Your core muscles will work hard to maintain this awkward position. Perform this 3 times with about 30 seconds of recovery. To make the exercise harder, hold the position for longer or attempt to lift one leg at a time.
3. Crunches
A crunch is an excellent exercise for strengthening your abs (the front of your torso). Lying on your back with your knees bent at around 90 degrees, gently engage the muscles of your tummy to lift your head and shoulders slightly off the ground. Now gently return your head and shoulders to the ground. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions and do 3 sets. This exercise is easily made harder by lifting the head and shoulders further off the ground. Likewise, some people will get a great result from just squeezing the muscles hard without even lifting their head and shoulders up.
4. Seated twist
We commonly require our torso to twist, or sometimes brace to resist rotation, so it is important that our obliques (the muscles responsible for twisting) are strong. To begin this exercise, sit on a dining chair (or something similar). Now imagine someone is pulling you up by the ears, this will tuck your chin in and raise your chest so that you are sitting with good posture. From this position, slowly and with control, rotate to one side, then rotate to the other side. You’re not an owl, so don’t twist too far. Do this 10 times in each direction for 3 sets. If you want to make the exercise harder, hold something heavy like a bag of flour.
5. Walk
In fitness, there is a principle called ‘the principle of specificity’. In simple terms, if you want to get better at something, you must do that thing. Exercises are great for developing the musculature required for good posture, but there’s nothing better for your posture than to be conscientious about sitting and standing with good posture. Walking is a great pastime for many reasons, and one of those is that it gives you an opportunity to adopt good posture for a length of time. Achieving 10,000 steps per day is fantastic, but also a daunting objective for some people. Set yourself a realistic target to begin with, like simply walking around the block, then progress the frequency and amount that you walk as you get fitter. You won’t regret it! Walking is one of the most natural and beneficial things we can do.
If you want to develop a stronger core, give this workout a go. You won't notice improvements immediately, so perform the workout regularly. After 6-8 weeks of doing this workout twice per week, you should be feeling stronger!
Tom Berry is an Exeter personal trainer, running coach and speed coach. He's been helping people get fitter and stronger since 2011.
