9 Core Exercises From Beginner to Advanced

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9 Core Exercises From Beginner to Advanced

These nine core exercises take you from simple floor crunches to demanding moves on chairs and an exercise ball. They work the three muscle groups most people mean when they say “abs”: the rectus abdominis at the front, the obliques at the sides and the deep transverse abdominis that wraps around your middle like a belt.

One thing needs saying up front. Ab exercises make your core stronger and more stable, but they do not burn the fat that sits over your stomach. Losing belly fat depends on your overall eating and activity, and it takes longer than two weeks. Use this routine for strength, posture and better performance in everything else you do.

Can ab exercises burn belly fat?

Not on their own. The idea that you can lose fat from one chosen area by exercising the muscle underneath it is called spot reduction, and studies have not supported it. In a six-week trial by Vispute and colleagues published in 2011, adults who did a series of abdominal exercises ended up with no significant difference in belly fat compared with people who did not. A later study that trained only one leg for twelve weeks found fat was lost from the trunk and arms, not from the trained leg.

Your body draws on fat stores across the whole body, and where it loses fat first is shaped largely by genetics, hormones, age and sex. What reliably reduces fat is a steady energy deficit, which comes from a combination of eating habits, regular movement, strength training and sleep. A strong core is still worth having: it supports your spine, helps you lift and carry safely and makes running, swimming and sports feel more controlled.

Beginner moves

Start here if you are new to core training or returning after a break. Aim for smooth, slow movements and steady breathing rather than speed.

Beginner Moves

Butterfly crunch

Works: rectus abdominis, the “six-pack” muscle.

Lie face up and press the soles of your feet together, pulling your heels in close so your knees fall open to the sides. Rest your fingertips behind your head with elbows wide. Breathe out and lift your chest a few inches toward your legs while your lower back stays on the floor, then lower slowly. Do 10. The open-leg position limits how much your hip flexors can help, so the abs do more of the work.

Beginner Moves

Side to side

Works: obliques, the muscles along your sides.

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat and arms by your sides. Lift your head and shoulders slightly, tighten your stomach and reach your right hand down toward your right heel, then return to the middle and reach to the left. Keep your neck in line with your spine and your lower back in contact with the floor. Do 15 reaches in total.

Beginner Moves

Front plank

Works: transverse abdominis, plus the back, shoulders and glutes.

Begin on all fours. Lower onto your forearms and step your feet back until you are balanced on your toes, with your body in one straight line from head to heels. Do not let your hips sag or pike up. In this version you hold for about 3 seconds, rest on your knees and repeat 10 times. As you get stronger, lengthen each hold to 20 or 30 seconds instead.

Intermediate moves

Move on to these when the beginner set feels comfortable and your form stays solid on every repetition.

Intermediate Moves

Fingers to toes

Works: rectus abdominis.

Lie on your back and raise both legs straight up so your feet point at the ceiling, arms resting by your sides. Breathe out and curl your upper body off the floor, reaching your hands toward your toes. Lower with control. Build up to 2 sets of 15. If your hamstrings are tight, a slight bend in the knees is fine.

Intermediate Moves

Scissors (bicycle-style crunch)

Works: obliques.

Lie face up with your fingertips lightly behind your head. Bring your left knee up as you rotate your right elbow toward it, then switch sides in a continuous, controlled rhythm. Let your abs do the twisting; your hands are only there to support your head, not to pull on your neck. Do 15 per set and work up to 2 sets.

Intermediate Moves

Reverse crunch with a resistance band

Works: transverse abdominis and lower rectus abdominis.

Lie on your back with knees bent and loop a resistance band over the front of your shins, holding one end in each hand with arms along your sides. Draw your knees toward your chest until your hips lift slightly off the floor, pause for 3 seconds and lower slowly. Do 2 sets of 10. The band adds resistance as your knees come in.

Advanced moves

These three need more strength and balance. Add them only when you can complete the intermediate moves with good control.

Knee-ups between two chairs

Works: rectus abdominis and hip flexors.

Place two sturdy chairs back to back with a gap between them and support your weight on your hands on the chair backs, elbows soft and shoulders pressed down away from your ears. With your chest lifted, slowly draw both knees up toward your chest without swinging, then lower. If that is too hard, lift one knee at a time. Work up to 3 sets of 15. Make sure the chairs cannot slide or tip; a dip station or parallel bars at a gym is safer if you have access.

Leg swings (windshield wipers)

Works: obliques.

Lie on your back with arms stretched out to the sides and legs raised straight toward the ceiling. Pull your belly button in and slowly lower both legs to the left, stopping about 5 inches (13 cm) above the floor, then bring them back to the centre and lower to the right. Do 15 in total, building to 3 sets. Bending your knees makes the move easier and kinder to your lower back.

Ball leg lift

Works: transverse abdominis, glutes and lower back.

Lie face down over an exercise ball and walk your hands forward until only the tops of your feet rest on the ball and your body forms a straight line. Keeping your back flat, raise your right leg a couple of inches, hold for 3 seconds and lower. Do 10, then switch legs. Each week you can add 2 repetitions, but only while your form stays steady.

How to put the routine together

For most people, two or three core sessions a week is plenty, with at least a day between them. A simple plan:

  • Weeks 1 to 2: the three beginner moves, once through, then twice through as they get easier.
  • Weeks 3 to 6: one beginner move plus the three intermediate moves.
  • After that: mix intermediate and advanced moves, choosing at least one exercise for each muscle group (front, sides and deep core).

Core work fits best alongside a wider plan. The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking or cycling, each week, and do muscle-strengthening work on two or more days. Compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, push-ups and carries train the core too, while using more muscle and more energy than isolated crunches.

Form tips and safety

  • Breathe out on the effort. Holding your breath during hard repetitions raises pressure in the chest and abdomen.
  • Protect your neck. Keep your fingertips light behind your head and imagine holding an orange under your chin.
  • Quality over quantity. Ten slow, controlled repetitions do more than thirty rushed ones that use momentum.
  • Stop if something hurts. Muscle effort is normal; sharp pain in the back, neck or groin is not.

If you have back problems, are pregnant or recently gave birth, or have had abdominal surgery or a hernia, talk to a doctor or physiotherapist before starting core exercises.

Sources: National Strength and Conditioning Association: Spot reduction (trainer tips); World Health Organization: Physical activity fact sheet; Wikipedia: Plank (exercise). Exercise sequence originally published by Fitness Magazine.

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