3 Total-Core Exercises That Target More Than Just Your Abs
Having a strong, stable core is one of the keys to powering your rides. But it’s not just your abs you should be focusing on when you do a core-strengthening workout.
“The core isn’t one muscle; it’s a relationship of a bunch of muscles that cover your whole trunk, connecting your hips, spine, neck, and shoulders,” says performance coach Brett Klika, C.S.C.S. And those super-targeted ab exercises leave a lot of your core out of the picture.
But there are plenty of staple exercises that are efficient at hitting all those muscles. Incorporate the moves below into your routine for a sturdier core.
Deadlift
How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, a heavy dumbbell in front of each foot. Hinge at the waist, keeping your spine flat and neck neutral, to lower your torso until you can pick up weights. Push through your heels and brace your core to stand as you lift weights. Lower back down for one rep. Do three or four sets of eight to 12 reps. Incorporate this into strength workouts twice a week. You can also use a barbell for this exercise.
Farmer Carry
How to: Hold a heavy dumbbell in each hand and stand with your shoulders back. Keeping your core tight and posture tall, take 10 steps forward. Then turn around and take 10 steps back to the start, and lower the weights. That’s one rep. Do three or four sets of four reps. Incorporate this into strength workouts twice a week.
Bird Dog
How to: In tabletop position, raise your right arm until it’s parallel with your right ear, and simultaneously raise left leg until it’s parallel with floor. Return to the start and repeat with your left arm and right leg. Engage your core to stabilize yourself and to avoid falling to one side. Do three or four sets of 10 to 15 reps. Do this move every day.
Why Core Strength Matters
There are plenty of reasons to boost core strength. “Some of the strongest people in the world don’t have six-packs, and they can lift a lot, or hit home runs, or perform tremendous feats of athleticism,” says Klika. Here’s what you’ll gain when you think bigger and train smarter.
1. You’ll avoid pain.
A strong core is a major factor in staying injury-free-particularly in the hips and knees, says Michelle Arent, C.S.C.S., director of training and conditioning at Rutgers Center for Health and Human Performance.
Research shows that women with good core engagement are better able to control how their knees move while performing strength exercises like single-leg squats and lunges, which may protect against ACL tears.
The core also helps stabilize your pelvis and femurs, says Arent, noting that your glutes- also part of this powerhouse pack of muscles-play a big role in fighting pain. Basically, your core is the foundation for all ache-free movement.
[Looking to start cross training but don’t know where to start? The Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training will teach you all the fundamentals to get the most out of your weight session, priming you for stronger miles in the saddle.]
2. Your posture will improve.
Your core muscles wrap around and support your spine, making it easier to maintain posture. For one thing, proper positioning prevents ouch-inducing micro-movements between joints, says Stuart McGill, Ph.D., a professor emeritus of kinesiology at the University of Waterloo in Canada and author of Back Mechanic.
3. You’ll boost your athleticism.
Building core power gives you a leg up in sports because your stability, balance, and agility start at your center. Think of your body as a chain in which your middle connects your arms and legs, says Klika.
If your core muscles work together while you move, there won’t be any “leaks” in the translation of power from the lower to the upper body. That allows you to rotate when throwing, punching, or reaching, to control your spine during a serve, says Arent. And to help absorb force during decelerations like falls, dives, and catches.
This article originally appears in the November 2018 issue of Women's Health. For more intel on how to lead a healthier, happier life, pick up an issue on newsstands now.
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