10 Core Exercises That Are Important for Every Woman

Strengthen your pelvic, lower abdominal, hip, and lower back muscles with these essential core exercises for women. Prioritize your workout routine now!

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), more than 60 percent of American women do not participate in any physical activity. This is a disturbing statistic considering how important exercise is to our health. Those who do exercise routinely end up ignoring core exercises in their workouts, which is not a good idea.

These core exercises that help strengthen your pelvic, lower abdominal, hip and lower back muscles. Every time you work out, you should include these exercises in your routine. The American Heart Association recommends two and a half hours of moderate-intensity exercise each day.

Two hours is plenty of time to incorporate these exercises into a well-rounded exercise routine.

Exercise can help you live a healthy life and prevent unnecessary disease. If you spend most of your time at a desk, consider some posture exercises to improve your health.

Top 10 Core Exercises That Are Important for Every Woman

1. Commando Plank

The Commando Plank is a variation of the traditional plank exercise that focuses on the core, shoulders and arms. Benefits include increased core strength, improved stability and balance, increased shoulder and arm strength, and improved overall body coordination.

1. Starting from a high plank, tighten your abs and place your feet hip width apart.
2. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Make sure your back is straight!
3. Tightening your abs, lower your left arm and then your right arm until you are in a low plank.
4. Keep your back straight as you push yourself up to a high plank. Repeat after 15 seconds and finish with a high plank.
5. Repeat: 60 seconds

2. Downward Facing Dog

This exercise stretches and strengthens the entire body, especially the arms, the shoulders, the back, the hamstrings, the calves and the arches of the feet.

1. From your high plank, push your buttocks back and press your weight into your heels.
2. Place your arms shoulder-width apart and keep your legs straight.Stay this position for 10 seconds, pushing your hips back until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings and the back of your arms.
3. Return to your high plank position and repeat 5times.
4. Repeat: Hold for 10 seconds

3. Flutter Kicks

This core exercises strengthens the lower abdominal muscles, improves core stability and balance, increases overall endurance and stamina, and helps to tone and define the abdominal muscles.

1. Begin by lying on your back on a mat. Hold your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
2. Tighten your core and raise both legs until they are straight and hovering slightly above the floor.
3. Continue to tighten your abs and keep your legs straight as you alternately kick your legs up and down with quick movements.
4. Make sure your lower back is in contact with the mat at all times.
5. Repeat: 3 reps of 20 seconds

4. Oblique Crunches

This core exercises is great for targeting the obliques, which are located on the sides of the abdomen. Strengthen and tone the oblique muscles to help create a more defined waist.

1. Lie down with your left hand behind your head and your right arm extended at a 90° angle to your body, with the right palm facing down.
2. Tighten your abdominal muscles, lift your right knee and bend it over your right side until your left elbow touches your right knee.
3. Reverse the movement until you are back in the starting position.
4. Have you done your repetitions? Switch sides and repeat everything again.
5. Repeat: 10 repetitions per side

5. Russian Twist

Russian twists primarily target the obliques, the muscles on the sides of the abdomen that are responsible for twisting and turning movements. They also work the rectus abdominis (the “six pack” muscles) and the transverse abdominis (the deep core muscles).

1. Lie on your back with your knees raised and bent at 45° and your feet hovering just above the floor.
2. With both hands, hold the weight above your chest. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your torso to a 45° angle with the floor.
3. Slowly rotate your torso to the right side, keeping your arms extended and straight.
4. Pause and then rotate to the left side. This is 1 repetition.
5. Repeat: 20 repetitions, using a 5 kg weight (or a stack of books).

6. Partial Sit-Up

Partial curl exercises primarily work the rectus abdominis muscle, commonly referred to as the “six-pack” muscle. These exercises also work the internal and external obliques and the transverse abdominis.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet tucked under a weight and extend your arms forward.
2. Use your abs to lift yourself up and touch your knees with a short, quick movement – lift only your head, shoulders and upper back off the floor.
3. Return and repeat. Can you feel the fire in your upper abdomen?
4. Repeat: 40 repetitions

7. Stability Ball Pike with Knee Tuck

This core exercise is an exercise that primarily targets the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and lower back muscles. It also engages the hip flexors and shoulders for stabilization.

1. Start in a high plank with your feet on top of a fitness ball.
2. Tighten your abs for stability and do a push-up – pause once you’re back up.
3. Tighten your abs and keep your feet on the ball, pull your knees toward your chest, pause and then return to your starting position.
4. That’s one repetition – keep going.
5. Repeat: 20 repetitions

8. Upward Back Bend

Upward back bends primarily target the back muscles, such as the erector spinae, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi. They also involve the muscles in the shoulders, chest, and arms to support the movement.

1. Lie face down on the mat. Keep your palms on the floor at your shoulders and your elbows at your sides.
2. Lift your chest off the floor by pushing into the floor with both hands.
3. Retract your navel toward your spine to protect your lower back and arch your torso back as far as possible, tilting your head and chest upward.
4. Hold for 5 breaths and release.
5. Repeat: Hold for 10 seconds.

9. Stability Ball Pass

The Stability Ball Pass exercise primarily targets the abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis. It also engages the hip flexors and lower back muscles to stabilize the body during the movement.

1. Start lying on your back with your arms extended above your head. Hold a fitness ball between your hands.
2. Tighten your abs, lift your upper body and raise your legs until you are able to pass the ball from your hands to your feet.
3. Squeeze both sides of the ball with your legs, then lower your legs and upper body back toward the floor.
4. Pause for a moment and then come back up so you can bring the ball back toward your hands.
5. Repeat: 10 repetitions

10. Side Plank Dips

This core exercises are excellent for targeting the obliques, shoulders, and core muscles. They help improve stability, strength, and balance in the body. Adding side plank dips to your workout routine can help strengthen muscles and improve your fitness level.

1. Lie on your left side, with your left elbow on the floor and your legs stacked. Tighten your abs,
2. Lift yourself up into a side plank and raise your right arm above your head.
3. Lower your left hip again and then lift it back up into a side plank.
4. Repeat as many times as you can in 30 seconds. Now switch sides. Painful, isn’t it?
5. Repeat: 60 seconds on each side

Keep reading: You’re a Woman Over 40 and Want to Get in Shape? Do These 7 Simple & Effective Exercises

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