A workout involving your abdominal muscles and the back muscles in a coordinated manner is a core workout. The activity aims to strengthen your lower back, hips, abdomen, and pelvis. It also enables these muscles to work together for better balance, flexibility, and stability. You can perform core workouts at home with ease and strengthen your muscles and improve your strength.
Strengthen your core with simple core workouts at home in 2021
Core home fitness is necessary to keep your body fit and active. It becomes more prominent when the gyms are closed due to the ongoing pandemic.
Check out these effective ten core workouts at home and get going:
1. Leg Raises
Leg raises are among the best core strength workouts for your lower abs, one of the more challenging areas to target. They also work for your hip flexors.
Firmly press your back on your exercise mat. Next, lift both legs till they are at a 90-degree angle to your body. Next, lower your legs back down until they are just about to touch the floor, and then take the legs back up again. If you feel tough to do the workout with both legs simultaneously, try alternating legs to build strength.
2. Toe Touches
This workout targets your upper abs and is intense to perform.
Lie down on the floor. Keep your legs straight up in the air at a 90-degree angle to your body. Once you reach up to touch your toes, then come back down. Remember your abs need to stay tense throughout the entire workout, so do not let your abs fully relax as you come back down.
3. Dynamic Plank
Planks are a must to include in your core workout routine. They are best for both your abs and your lower back. Planks aim to target your arms and shoulders at the same time.
In plank, you need to keep your hips in line with your back. Begin your plank on your forearms and then straighten your left arm. Next, straighten your right arm, and then come back down the left arm first, then the right arm. Keep alternating throughout the set.
4. Bird Dog
It works wonders for your lower back as well as your glutes and abs.
You need to be all on your fours and then stretch your left leg out, so it’s straight behind you. Then bring your left leg back in. Now repeat on the other side and keep alternating for a minute. This home core workout should be slow and controlled.
5. Reverse Crunch
In traditional sit-ups, it’s easy to rely on momentum. But reverse crunches focus on building strength and control.
Sit down on the exercise mat with your back straight. Now, you need to lean back but keep in mind to keep your back straight, then slowly lower yourself down until you’re lying flat. Remember to keep your knees raised. Then, sit back up and start again.
6. Lower Back Extensions
It is one of the best core workouts at home for your lower back. It will also give your abs a slight stretch out in-between sets.
Lie face down on your gym mat and keep your hands up near your head. Raise your torso off the floor. As you reach the top, squeeze your shoulders together. Release back down and start doing it again.
7. Abdominal Crunches
Crunches will help you gain muscle in your upper abdominal muscles. It also ensures that your upper abs soon stand out.
Lie down on your back with your legs up in the air and your knees bent. Keep your lower legs parallel to the ground. Place your hands behind your head, and pushing your head up towards your knees, lurch upwards. It would help if you felt the burn on your abs almost immediately.
8. Heel Touches (From Side-To-Side)
This core strength workout is perfect for your abs. It is beneficial as it keeps your abs tense throughout the entire set.
Lie down on your mat and lift your knees up. Touch your right heel with your right hand. Now touch the left heel with the left hand. Repeat this workout for a minute.
9. Knee To Elbow
This is a complete core workout and is perfect for working the sides of your abs.
Lie flat on an exercise mat and bring your hands up to the sides of your head. Bring your right elbow up, and while doing this, you need to crunch your left knee into your chest. Push up and touch your left knee with your right elbow. Relax on your back. Keep doing the same on the other side and alternate for the full minute.
10. Flutter Kicks
This workout requires keeping your muscles tensed throughout the entire exercise. It is also suitable for targeting your lower abs.
Lie flat on the exercise mat with your legs straight. Ensure your spine stays straight and places your hands under your lower back. Lift your legs at around a 45-degree angle to your body. You need to move your feet apart and then bring them back in. First, make sure that your right leg crosses over your left leg. Then repeat by moving the legs apart again and get them back and that your left leg is on top. Repeat for a minute.
Benefits of Core Workouts At Home
Core workouts are a vital part of a versatile fitness program at home. But often, it is neglected. It will help keep your core muscles in top shape with any of the above easy workouts. Get to know about the immense benefits:
Equilibrium and improvement of stability: With a core fitness workout, your pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdominal muscles work in harmony. It is very vital for sportspersons.
Better abs-shape: You can strengthen your abs and burn abdominal fat with easy core workouts at home.
Complete practice: Any workout that uses your abdominal and back muscles in a coordinated manner is considered a core workout, and it is vital for your muscle stability.
Simple physical activity: Strong core muscles ensure the easy performance of various other activities, such as swinging a golf club, getting a glass from the top shelf, and bending down to tie your shoelaces. Strong core muscles are also crucial for athletes, such as runners, as weak muscles can cause injuries.
Takeaway
Core workouts at home are easy to perform and achieve the desired result. However, the workout session is a journey, and you need to travel with utmost dedication to get better results. So keep working with patience and perseverance for positive results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What should be the core workout routine?
To achieve results and prevent your body from overtraining, you should do core workouts two to three times a week. During core workouts, try to include various core exercises such as planks, cable wood chops, and abdominal rollouts apart from crunches. The routine also depends on your current core score. As a beginner, you can start with 15 minutes of core exercise and gradually increase your level.
2. What are the best core workouts at home?
As a beginner, you can try these core body workouts:
- Plank Time: 30sec, Rest: 0sec.
- Dead bug: Reps: 10, Rest 0sec.
- Boat Time: 30sec, Rest: 1 min.
- Ball push-away: Reps 8, Rest: 0sec.
- Hanging knees raise Reps: 8, Rest: 0sec.
- Dumbbell plank drag: Reps: 8, Rest: 1 min.
- Strict toes to bar: Reps: 6, Rest: 0min.
- L-sit: Time: 30sec, Rest: 0sec
3. What are the benefits of good core exercises?
Core body exercises are highly beneficial from the sports point of view. In your daily life, a core workout can improve your movement and posture. A good level of core fitness can also reduce lower back pain and injuries. Core fitness will also improve your balance and agility.
4. What muscles make up the core?
A total of 30 muscles make up your core. It includes your back, thighs, hip, and abdomen. A substantial body will provide the potential to build strength in other muscle groups. It can also increase the power and movement of arms and legs.
5. What are the best core workouts for women?
Here are some of the easy core workouts for women at home:
- Single arm-press
- Dead bug
- Glute bridge march
- Side plank
- Inchworm
- Bird dog
- Bear crawl