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Core Workout

Basic core moves put togther for a 14 minute effective and efficient workout.
By Gary Dalton (@gfdalton) |

Introduction

Choose one of the groups to workout, Group 1, Group 2, or Advanced. Perform each exercise for the time indicated, taking breaks as needed. It is expected that you will fully cycle through a single group to get a complete workout. Completing a group will give you a 14 minute workout.

Group 1 Group 2 Advanced
1 Plank (1 min) Plank (1 min) Plank, mogul (1 min)
2 Dead bug (1 min) Mason twist (1 min) Bicycle crunch (1 min)
3 Side plank (1 min) Side plank (1 min) Side plank, stacked with toe tap (1 min)
4 Reverse crunch (1 min) Reverse crunch (1 min) Reverse crunch with V-sit (1 min)
5 Mountain climbers (1 min) Bird dog (1 min) Box jumps (2 min)
6 Hip Escape (1 min) V-sit (1 min) L-sit (1 min)
7 Get up (2 min) Get up (2 min) Get up (2 min)
8 Plank (1 min) Plank (1 min) Plank, lift leg (1 min)
9 Dead bug (1 min) Mason twist (1 min) Bicycle crunch (1 min)
10 Side plank (1 min) Side plank (1 min) Side plank, full extend (1 min)
11 Reverse crunch (1 min) Reverse crunch (1 min) Reverse crunch with V-sit (1 min)
12 Mountain climbers (1 min) Bird dog (1 min) Captain’s chair (1 min)
13 Hip Escape (1 min) V-sit (1 min)

If you feel you need a little extra punch after completing this workout, add a 2 minute bear crawl or crocodile crawl at the end of the routine.

Plank

With extended arms, place your hands below and hold. Use you core to maintain a neutral spine from your feet to your shoulders. Hold for 15, 30, or 60 seconds. Relax and repeat.

Variations

Easier

  • Rest on you elbows instead of hands.
  • Rest on your knees instead of feet

Harder

  • Mogul hops: Hop both feet to one side turning your hips in and your knees out. Maintain a flat back. Hold for a second then jump to neutral, hold and then hop to the other side. Plank from knees or hands.
  • Raise a leg, switch every 10 seconds

Dead Bug

Lie flat on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling. Then lift your legs and bend your knees at 90° so your lower legs are parallel with the floor. Engage your core and draw your bellybutton in to get your back as flat against the floor as possible – you shouldn’t be able to get a hand in between your back and the floor, and you need to maintain this throughout.

Slowly lower your right arm behind your head and extend your left leg forwards at the same time, exhaling as you go. Keep going until your arm and leg are just above the floor, being careful not to raise your back off the floor. Then, as you inhale, slowly return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite limbs.

Variations

Harder

  • Change the pattern of opposite arm and leg, switch to opposite, same, switch. For example starting with your right leg: Extend the right leg and left arm, return. Then extend the right leg and right arm, return. Now switch to the left leg and continue the pattern.

Mason Twist

Start by sitting on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Then lean back so your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Keep your back straight at this angle throughout the exercise. Link your hands together in front of your chest or hold a all or weighted ball. Brace your core and raise your legs up off the ground. Rotate your arms all the way over to one side, then do the same in the other direction. If using a ball, have it touch the ground on each side of your body.

Side Plank

Start in a standard plank position and roll you body to one side and balance on one arm directly below your shoulder. Your feet may be separated to hold balance. Contract your core and raise your hips until your body is in a straight line from head to feet. Hold the position without letting your hips drop for the alloted time, then repeat on the other side.

Hold for 15 seconds if you are a novice. Hold for a minute or more if you are a master.

Replacement

If for some reason you are not able to complete a side plank try Swiss Ball Crunch with Twist or a Single Arm Carry. These are described at the end of this article.

Variations

Easier

  • Rest on your elbow instead of hand
  • Drop the lower knee to the floor and maintain a straight line from knee to head

Each of these variations will make the side plank more challenging.

  • Raise arm
  • Stacked feet
  • Toe tap
  • Crunch: Free arm and leg are raised slightly and brought together and released in a crunch-like action.
  • Lift leg and arm to form a star

Reverse Crunch

Start lying down with your arms by your sides. Raise legs so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your knees are bent at a 90° angle. Breathe out and contract your abs to bring your knees up towards your chest and raise your hips off the floor. Hold for a beat in this position, then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.

Moving slowly with complete control is key to the reverse crunch. Do not arch the back.

Variations

Harder

  • V-sit addition. As you complete the reverse crunch you are near the start position for a V-sit. So straighten your legs and preform a v-sit. Alternate between the two moves.

Mountain Climbers

Start in a plank position. Keep your core strong and your shoulders, hips and feet in a straight line throughout. Bring one knee towards your chest, then return it to the starting position. Repeat the movement with your other leg, then continue alternating legs throughout. Go as fast or slow as you need to maintain form and elevate heart rate.

Bird-dog

Start on on hands and knees with hands directly below shoulders and knees below hips. Keeping your neck in line with your spine, your hips level and the extended limbs straight. Stretch your right arm out in front of you, simultaneously extend your left leg behind you. Hold for 5 seconds. Bring the extended knee and elbow together in a crunch before placing the hand and knee onto the floor. Continue with the other side.

Variations

Easier

  • Eliminate the crunch portion

Hip Escape

Lie flat on the ground with arms in a guard position (arms raised over body with the elbows close to the body and the hands guarding your face). Bend your right leg bringing your right foot onto the ground near your butt.

Start the move by bridging using your right foot. Rotate to the left while bring your elbows to your left knee and swinging your butt under the bridge to the right. Complete the move by again bridging with the right foot to return your butt and arms to the guard position.

Switch legs and complete the movement on the other side.

Variations

Easier

  • Extend arms over your head instead of having them in guard position. Then swing them toward you feet when doing the escape.

V-sit

Lie flat on the ground with your arms by your sides. Raise your legs as high as you can, keeping them straight and together, and lift your torso up towards your thighs so you form a V-shape. Keep your back straight and try to keep your movements smooth and controlled – avoid jerking. Reach your fingertips to try and touch your toes. Then slowly lower back to the ground.

Variations

Easier

  • Lie flat on the ground with your arms by your sides, your legs straight and your feet slightly raised off the floor. Keeping your back straight throughout, sit up in a controlled motion, bringing your lower back off the mat and your knees in to your chest. Keep your glutes engaged at all times so you can balance on them at the top of the movement.
  • Keep your hands on the floor

Get up

Lie flat on the ground with your arms by your sides. Using a light weight (or pretend to hold a weight) in your right hand, raise your right arm and maintain your eyes on the weight throughout the movement. Now bend your right knee and place the right foot on the ground. Using your abs, roll onto your left forearm. Straighten your left arm such that you are sitting tall.

Now, squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the floor such that you have a straight line from your left heel to your head. Don’t arch your back to get there.

Next, pull your left leg under your body such that your left knee is on the floor in a direct line under the weight. Finally, rotate you left leg so that you are in a lunge position and stand from that lunge position.

The final step is to reverse all of the previous moves to again lie flat on the ground.

Switch the weight to the left hand and repeat for the other side.

Bicycle Crunch

Place your fingers lightly on your temples. Taking care to not pull your head during the routine. Bend your leg to 90 degrees. Begin by extending one leg just above the floor and raising your shoulders off the floor. Now, in a cycling like motion, bring the extended knee toward the chest while attempting to touch it with the opposite elbow. Try to maintain a fluid cycling like motion while keeping your shoulders and feet off the ground.

Many studies have shown this to be the most effective single exercise to work your abs.

Variations

Easier

  • From a standing position, mimic the movement of the bicycle crunch. Bend at the waist and bring your turning arm down to meet the knee of the opposite leg, which you raise so they meet around your midriff.

L-sit

This is a challenging exercise. Start sitting on the floor with your legs together and extended. Place your palms on the ground with your fingers pointing forwards. Brace your abs, glutes and legs and press through your palms to lift your body off the ground. Getting off the floor is an achievement. Work towards holding the position for ten seconds.

Variations

Easier

  • Push off from fists instead of palms
  • Cross your legs instead of fully extended
  • Use paralletes

Harder

  • Use rings

Box jump

Variations

Easier

  • Box drop

Alternative

  • Tuck jump

Bear crawl

The basic movement is simple: you have to crawl forward, backward, and even side-to-side without letting your knees touch the ground.

Crawling forward is the easiest. Move hands and feet on the same side at the same time, so right hand and right leg. Then left hand and left leg. Keep your back straight and your core engaged throughout. Try to utilize the full space of the room when bear crawling. Start by just going forward and then backward. Once you are strong on those, add moving laterally.

Swiss Ball Crunch with Twist

This Swiss ball crunch with a twist is an excellent exercise to build up a weak core. You’ll need an exercise ball to do this workout.

Sit on exercise ball, ensuring that your hips are elevated slightly above your knees. Slowly walk your feet forward until you are lying with your back against the ball. Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle. Now, place your hands behind your ears, engage your abs and slowly perform a crunch, twisting at the top, drive your left shoulder toward your right leg.

Slowly lower your shoulders and repeat the motion, this time driving your right shoulder toward your left leg. Continue this movement, alternating between your left and right side each time.

Single Arm Carry

Select a weight that not to light, it will be carried in one hand. The point is to require you to engage your oblique abdominal muscles to maintain posture while carrying the weight. Lift the weight in one hand by bending your legs and properly addressing the weight. Keep your arms straight and close to your body, engage your core, and stand tall. Walk forward, maintaining your posture for around 25 steps, or 30 seconds.

Set the weight down, switch arms, and repeat. Aim for 4 sets of 50 steps, 25 steps per leg.

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