Intermediate Core Workout: Build Real Strength From the Inside Out
This session is built for you if you've got a few months of consistent training under your belt and you're ready to move beyond basic crunches. It targets the deep and surface muscles of your trunk — think transversus abdominis, obliques, and the stabilizers that run along your spine — using a mix of isolation and full-body loading. Whether you want a stronger foundation for lifting, better posture, or a midsection that actually performs, this is the session that gets you there.
What the research says
The science behind core training breaks into two broad camps, and knowing the difference helps you train smarter. One approach focuses on isolated deep-muscle work — contracting the transversus abdominis specifically — while another uses global movement patterns that recruit the whole trunk at once. A randomized controlled trial found that both approaches increased deep abdominal muscle thickness and improved trunk mobility, but the isolated approach produced a significant improvement specifically in the transversus abdominis, while the global approach produced a significant improvement specifically in the external oblique. In other words, neither method has a monopoly on results, and a session that draws from both gives you the most complete picture. Separately, a study on trained road cyclists found that conventional strength training produced higher increases in relative power output across all measured durations compared to core training alone — so while core work delivers real benefits, it's worth keeping in your broader training mix alongside compound lifts. This session does exactly that, pairing true core isolation work with barbell deadlifts to hit the full spectrum.
Moderate — the core training findings come from a well-structured randomized controlled trial with a decent sample size, and the cycling power comparison is a controlled 12-week study; both support specific, bounded conclusions rather than sweeping claims.
A randomized controlled trial of 108 individuals assigned to local training, global training, or a control group over four weeks found that both training approaches increased deep abdominal muscle thickness and improved trunk mobility in the sagittal and frontal planes. The local training group showed a significant improvement specifically in transversus abdominis thickness, while the global training group showed a significant improvement specifically in external oblique thickness.
View study →A 12-week study of 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.
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
Hold the Ab Roller with both hands and kneel on the floor. Now place the ab roller on the floor in front of you so that you are on all your hands and knees (as in a kneeling push up position). This will be your starting position. Slowly roll the ab roller straight forward, stretching your body into a straight position. Tip: Go down as far as you can without touching the floor with your body. Breathe in during this portion of the movement. After a pause at the stretched position, start pulling yourself back to the starting position as you breathe out. Tip: Go slowly and keep your abs tight at all times.
For this exercise you will need to get into a pushup position, but instead of having your hands of the floor, you will be grabbing on to an Olympic barbell (loaded with 5-10 lbs on each side) instead. This will be your starting position. While keeping a slight arch on your back, lift your hips and roll the barbell towards your feet as you exhale. Tip: As you perform the movement, your glutes should be coming up, you should be keeping the abs tight and should maintain your back posture at all times. Also your arms should be staying perpendicular to the floor throughout the movement. If you don't, you will work out your shoulders and back more than the abs. After a second contraction at the top, start to roll the barbell back forward to the starting position slowly as you inhale. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Stand in front of a loaded barbell. While keeping the back as straight as possible, bend your knees, bend forward and grasp the bar using a medium (shoulder width) overhand grip. This will be the starting position of the exercise. Tip: If it is difficult to hold on to the bar with this grip, alternate your grip or use wrist straps. While holding the bar, start the lift by pushing with your legs while simultaneously getting your torso to the upright position as you breathe out. In the upright position, stick your chest out and contract the back by bringing the shoulder blades back. Think of how the soldiers in the military look when they are in standing in attention. Go back to the starting position by bending at the knees while simultaneously leaning the torso forward at the waist while keeping the back straight. When the weights on the bar touch the floor you are back at the starting position and ready to perform another repetition. Perform the amount of repetitions prescribed in the program.
Place a loaded barbell on the ground, near the end of a bench. Kneel with both legs on the bench, and take a medium to narrow grip on the barbell. This will be your starting position. To begin, extend through the hips to slowly roll the bar forward. As you roll out, flex the shoulder to roll the bar above your head. Ensure that your arms remain extended throughout the movement. When the bar has been moved as far forward as possible, return to the starting position.
Begin by having a platform or weight plates that you can stand on, usually 1-3 inches in height. Approach the bar so that it is centered over your feet. You feet should be about hip width apart. Bend at the hip to grip the bar at shoulder width, allowing your shoulder blades to protract. Typically, you would use an overhand grip or an over/under grip on heavier sets. With your feet, and your grip set, take a big breath and then lower your hips and bend the knees until your shins contact the bar. Look forward with your head, keep your chest up and your back arched, and begin driving through the heels to move the weight upward. After the bar passes the knees, aggressively pull the bar back, pulling your shoulder blades together as you drive your hips forward into the bar. Lower the bar by bending at the hips and guiding it to the floor.
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.
Set and rep ranges are general starting suggestions based on this guide's level — adjust to your own experience, and progress gradually.
This is an intermediate session involving barbell loading — BRACE your core before every deadlift rep and check your lower back position before you pull. If you feel sharp or shooting pain (not muscle fatigue) at any point, stop the movement and reassess your form before continuing; when in doubt, drop the weight.