Strengthen Your Core Without Sit-ups or Crunches!
Here are five of my favorite exercises to strengthen the core without sit-ups or crunches:
Plank: Beginning in all fours, lower elbows to the ground and extend one leg back at a time. Keep the body parallel to the floor. Push the ground away with the elbows, draw navel to the spine, squeeze the legs, and reach back through the heels. Hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat two more times, resting one to two
minutes in between.
Dead Bug: Beginning on your back with arms and legs straight up to the ceiling, lower right leg toward the floor while reaching your left arm back overhead. Slowly return to the starting position and pause before switching sides. Focus on stabilizing through your core throughout the movements. Complete 12-20 repetitions. Repeat two more times, resting one to two minutes between sets.
https://youtu.be/nIBZGwSXrJI
Pallof Press: Using bands or the pulley machine, start standing holding the band in front of your chest. Turn 90 degrees so that the anchor point or pulley is to your side. Step out until you have sufficient resistance. Brace through your core as your press your arms straight forward. Resist the twist! Complete 10-12 repetitions on each side. Repeat two more times, resting one to two minutes between sets.
Side Plank Hip Dip: Beginning in all fours. Lower the right elbow to the floor as you open up to the left. Either lower the bottom knee to the mat and extend the top leg straight or extend both legs straight (feet stacked or top foot in front). Using the obliques and not the shoulder, dip the bottom hip toward the floor and lift back up. Complete 10-12 repetitions on each side. Repeat two more times resting as needed between sides.
Half Kneeling Chop: Begin in a kneeling lunge. Hold a light to medium medicine ball or dumbbell in both hands or use a band or the pulley machine. Always rotate down toward the back knee and up toward the front foot. The band or the cable can anchor low, as seen in the video. If you are anchoring high and pulling down, be sure to anchor on the side of the front foot. As you rotate, keep arms straight and hips square. Be careful not to lean or arch the back to complete the movement. Complete 10-12 repetitions and switch sides. Repeat two more times resting one to two minutes between sides.
Alicia Cross is a Certified Personal Trainer, Wellness Coach, and Yoga Instructor with more than 15 years’ experience working with clients in classes and one-on-one. She is a yogi, meditator, vegan, and lifter of heavy things. If you’re ready to discover the strength and peace that comes from within, email Alicia@AliciaCrossTraining.com.
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