The Top 5 Core Exercises You're NOT Doing

Everyone loves talking about the core and core training, but how do you know if the exercises you do are really effective? I am here to tell you that what most people do is NOT effective. Crunches, reverse sit-ups, bicycles; these are all “core” exercises that actually do little to get you the look that you desire. They are more likely to leave you with a sore back and a hunched over posture than a six pack.

So what does it take to get that toned look? We’ve said it before and we will say it again, diet is always #1! But there are some great exercises that can help you in the process without straining your back and that will help burn fat in the process. (ALERT: Crunches and other similar activities burn very little fat…so stop doing them!)

Let's Get Moving!

Today we are going to show you five movements that will not only work your abs, but will work your body as a whole, meaning more potential for fat loss. To the workout! 

1) The Goblet Squat

 

The goblet squat is so effective as a core exercise because of the position of the weight. By holding it in front of you, your core is forced to engage much more than in a traditional squat. Load this up as heavy as you can hold (and still come back up from) and you will feel the full body work it provides. Goal: 2-3 Sets x 8-12 reps.

2) Renegade Rows

Renegade rows provide a unique combination of planking with single arm rows. This not only forced you to hold a plank for an extended period of time, but also challenges your core to resist rotation. Any time we can perform "anti-rotation" movements, the core is going to get worked. So load this one up as much as possible while maintaining control of your shoulder and hip position. You should feel as if you could hold a cup of water on your butt and upper back and not spill. Goal: 1-2 Sets x 10 reps each arm. 


3) Squat to Lift

Here we combine a squat movement with a rotation, again challenging the core to not over rotation. The goal here is to keep your belly button straight forward the entire time, while your shoulders rotate the medicine ball (or other weight) in a diagonal direction. Goal: 1-2 Sets x 10 reps each side. 

4) Anti-Rotation Lunge (Increase difficulty by raising bar overhead)

The Anti-rotation lunge is another winner due to it's positioning of the weight. Use a TRX Rip trainer (as seen in the photo) or a cable machine and hold the bar out in front of you with the cable only attached to one side. This will force you to stay straight as you lunge out and will challenge your whole body in the process. You can also increase the difficulty of this exercise by raising the bar over your head. Goal: 2-3 Sets x 12-15 reps each side. 

5) Kettlebell Swings

Possibly one of the best full body exercises, the Kettlebell swing works your core in the most pure sense of the word. You see, you core is technically any muscle that attaches to your spine or pelvis, running all the way from your hips to your neck. This exercise challenges all of them and creates a huge metabolic demand in the process! Goal: 2-3 sets x 20 reps.

Wrap Up

As you can see, these exercises look very little like your traditional “core” movements, but once you try them, you will see that not only do your abs get worked, the rest of you does too! And this is really what getting toned is all about, doing full body movements that force your body to recover and adapt. Try them out in your next workout and let us know what you think!