Beginner Core Workout: Build a Stronger Middle From the Ground Up
This workout is for you if you are just starting out and want to build strength in your midsection — the muscles around your belly, sides, and lower back. A stronger core helps you stand taller, move better, and feel more stable in everyday life. We'll walk you through every step so you feel confident from the very first rep.
What the research says
We know two things from the research that shaped this session. First, there are two broad ways to train your core: exercises that zero in on one deep muscle at a time, and exercises that use bigger, whole-body movements. A randomized controlled trial found that both approaches made deep stomach muscles thicker and improved how far people could bend their trunk, so mixing them — as this session does — covers all your bases. Second, a separate study on cyclists found that core training alone produced only small gains in cycling power output compared to conventional strength training, which is a useful reminder that core work is one important piece of a bigger fitness picture, not a magic solution on its own.
The core-specific trial is a randomized controlled study with a decent sample size, which makes its findings reasonably solid; the cycling study is also a controlled trial but applies to a specific, trained population, so its findings about core training's limits are informative but not universal.
A randomized controlled trial with 108 participants compared local training (focused on the transversus abdominis, a deep stomach muscle) with global training (based on larger movement patterns) over four weeks. Both types of training increased deep abdominal muscle thickness and improved trunk mobility in the forward-bend and side-bend directions. The local training group showed significant improvement specifically in transversus abdominis thickness, while the global training group showed significant improvement in external oblique (a side stomach muscle) thickness.
View study →A 12-week study on 36 trained road cyclists found that conventional strength training produced higher increases in relative peak power output across all measured durations (5 seconds, 60 seconds, 5 minutes, and 20 minutes) compared to core exercises and no strength training. Core exercises produced small increases in power output, but those increases were lower than those seen with conventional strength training.
View study →The routine
Warmup
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. This will be your starting position. Perform a rear lunge by stepping back with one foot and flexing the hips and front knee. As you do so, rotate your torso across the front leg. After a brief pause, return to the starting position and repeat on the other side, continuing in an alternating fashion.
To begin, lie down with your back pressed against the floor or on an exercise mat (optional). Your arms should be fully extended to the sides with your palms facing down. Note: The arms should be stationary the entire time. With a slight bend at the knees, lift your legs up so that your heels are about 6 inches off the ground. This is the starting position. Now lift your left leg up to about a 45 degree angle while your right leg is lowered until the heel is about 2-3 inches from the ground. Switch movements by raising your right leg up and lowering your left leg. Remember to breathe while performing this exercise. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
To begin, lie down on the floor or an exercise mat with your back pressed against the floor. Your arms should be lying across your sides with the palms facing down. Your legs should be touching each other. Slowly elevate your legs up in the air until they are almost perpendicular to the floor with a slight bend at the knees. Your feet should be parallel to the floor. Move your arms so that they are fully extended at a 45 degree angle from the floor. This is the starting position. While keeping your lower back pressed against the floor, slowly lift your torso and use your hands to try and touch your toes. Remember to exhale while perform this part of the exercise. Slowly begin to lower your torso and arms back down to the starting position while inhaling. Remember to keep your arms straight out pointing towards your toes. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Main
Lie down on the floor and secure your feet. Your legs should be bent at the knees. Place your hands behind or to the side of your head. You will begin with your back on the ground. This will be your starting position. Flex your hips and spine to raise your torso toward your knees. At the top of the contraction your torso should be perpendicular to the ground. Reverse the motion, going only ¾ of the way down. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. For this exercise, you will need to put your hands beside your head. Be careful however to not strain with the neck as you perform it. Now lift your shoulders into the crunch position. Bring knees up to where they are perpendicular to the floor, with your lower legs parallel to the floor. This will be your starting position. Now simultaneously, slowly go through a cycle pedal motion kicking forward with the right leg and bringing in the knee of the left leg. Bring your right elbow close to your left knee by crunching to the side, as you breathe out. Go back to the initial position as you breathe in. Crunch to the opposite side as you cycle your legs and bring closer your left elbow to your right knee and exhale. Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.
Lay flat on the floor with your arms next to your sides. Now bend your knees at around a 75 degree angle and lift your feet off the floor by around 2 inches. Using your lower abs, bring your knees in towards you as you maintain the 75 degree angle bend in your legs. Continue this movement until you raise your hips off of the floor by rolling your pelvis backward. Breathe out as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: At the end of the movement your knees will be over your chest. Squeeze your abs at the top of the movement for a second and then return to the starting position slowly as you breathe in. Tip: Maintain a controlled motion at all times. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Begin by lying on your back on the ground. Your legs should be straight and your arms at your side. This will be your starting position. To perform the movement, tuck the knees toward your chest by flexing the hips and knees. Following this, extend your legs directly above you so that they are perpendicular to the ground. Rotate and elevate your pelvis to raise your glutes from the floor. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Begin a pushup position but with your elbows on the ground and resting on your forearms. Your arms should be bent at a 90 degree angle. Arch your back slightly out rather than keeping your back completely straight. Raise your glutes toward the ceiling, squeezing your abs tightly to close the distance between your ribcage and hips. The end result will be that you'll end up in a high bridge position. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Lower back down slowly to your starting position as you breathe in. Tip: Don't let your back sag downwards. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Cooldown
Position yourself on the floor on your hands and knees. Pull your belly in and round your spine, lower back, shoulders, and neck, letting your head drop. Hold for 15 seconds.
Get on your hands and knees, walk your hands in front of you. Lower your buttocks down to sit on your heels. Let your arms drag along the floor as you sit back to stretch your entire spine. Once you settle onto your heels, bring your hands next to your feet and relax. "breathe" into your back. Rest your forehead on the floor. Avoid this position if you have knee problems.
This entry is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice — if you have any pain in your back, hips, or stomach, or a condition that affects those areas, check with a doctor or qualified health professional before starting this or any workout.