7 Best Bodyweight Exercises To Train Your core
The only thing to train your core is some space and A couple of minutes of your time. These bodyweight exercises are the only thing you need to train your core.
Core exercises can improve your posture, reduce and prevent lower-back pain, and advance your athletic performance. And let’s be honest, toned abs are something we all want, right?
The good news is that you can strengthen your core and tighten those abs without having to do a single dreaded sit up, and we’re sharing exactly how.
Just add these exercises to your beginning, middle, or end of your routine to make sure your abs get the attention they need.
#1 The plank and side plank
We all did a plank before but did you know why it works? The plank works out a tremendous number of muscles in your body, which makes them appealing for all sorts of training – strength, endurance, you name it. The more you do them, the better you get! So, challenge yourself. Time your planks, and watch yourself get better and better the more you do them.
Pro Tip: Incorporate side planks into your routine for oblique strength.
#2 Burpee
Check out this video on how to do a burpee correctly. The burpee is a very powerful way to get an intense smash to your body in a short amount of time with no equipment.
#3 Jackknife Sit-Up
Lie on your back with your legs straight out on the floor, your arms extended above your head, and your hands touching the floor. Bring your body to a “V” shape by lifting your legs and torso toward each other, keeping both your legs straight and your arms extended. Lift your shoulder blades off the ground as you raise your legs as close to perpendicular to the floor as you can. Touch your hands to your legs, then lower your torso, arms, and legs back to the floor. That’s one rep. Check out this video to do jackknife sit-ups correctly.
#4 Mountain Climber
We all came across mountain climbers in previous workout sessions and there is a good reason for it. The will hit multiple muscle groups and will improve your core. In particular, it targets your triceps, deltoids, abs, back, hip flexors, quads, hamstrings, and butt. That is the reason why you see them in a lot of HITT workouts. This video will explain how to do them correctly.
#5 Windshield Wipers
Lay flat on your back on your mat, and have your knees and feet up in the air. Drop your legs down to one side and then swoop them around to the other side like a windshield wiper. Repeat this until you feel the burn.
#6 Flutter Kicks
Flutter what? Yes, flutter kicks, and here is how you do them. Place both your hands underneath your buttocks. Keep your lower back on the ground as you lift the right leg off the ground slightly past hip height. At the same time keep your left leg so that it hovers a few inches off the floor. Hold for 2 seconds, then switch the position of the legs, making a flutter kick motion.
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#7 Cocoon
We don’t mean the movie from the ’80s, but the exercise. Lie on your back with legs extended and your heels touching the floor. Straighten your arms above your head with your hands touching the floor. Simultaneously bend both legs and bring your knees to your chest as you bring your arms down to hug your knees. Now, release your knees and extend your legs and arms again, returning your heels back to the ground. Just repeat. Want to see how it is done? check out this video from Exercises.com.au
Pro Tip: To increase the difficulty, keep your heels off the ground for all of the reps.
Let us know in the comments below if we missed your favorite core exercise.
