Beginner Core Workout

The average Jane nowadays spends 80% of her day sitting. We get up in the morning to get in our car to drive to work to sit down for 8 hours just to get back in the car to drive back home and plop ourselves in front of the tv. No wonder more and more people are reporting lower back problems.

While core exercises will not burn the fat off you mid-section, without a strong foundation you are at risk for lower back injury or injury due to a lack of joint and tendon flexibility. Your goal here is to create a solid platform so that you are able to progressively move forward with your resistance training routine.

The following exercises are great for those who are beginning a strength training routine and have exceptionally weaker core muscles. These exercises can be performed in a circuit and target each section of the core.

Core Exercises:

Perform these exercises 3 times per week on non-consecutive days to blast that midsection. This workout is meant to be used as a circuit. Do 3 sets of this circuit, and perform the prescribed number of reps per exercise. Adjust reps to your level of ability.

1. Deadbugs

About: Don't be fooled by the name, this exercise is a fairly challenging beginner movement!

Instructions: Begin by lying on your back, knees up and bent at 90 degrees. Take your arms straight up overhead and hold this position making sure that your abs are tight and that your back is not arching off the floor. Slowly lower the right arm and left leg towards the floor while keeping the lower back firmly planted against the floor. Bring them back up to the starting position. Continue by lowering the opposite arm and leg.

Reps: Repeat this for a total of 10 repetitions. One rep is both sides performed once.

2. Reverse Crunches

About: Another forgotten core muscle, the lower abdominals are often the weaker of the two abdominal muscles (lower and upper). These exercises will blast and strengthen your lower abdominals.

Instructions: Lay on your back with your arms by your sides. In on motion, bring your feet up off the floor and crunch your knees towards your chest while pressing your hands into the floor. Bring your knees up far enough to raise your hips off the floor. Lower your hips back to the floor and straighten your legs., with your feet 1-2 inches off the floor.

Reps: Perform 10 repetitions.

3. Supermans

About: Most people forget about incorporating lower back exercises into their core routine. This is where most lower back injuries occur. Superman's are an easy, wonderful addition to a beginners core routine that help strengthen the lower back muscles.

Instructions: Lie face down on a mat with you arms stretched above your head (like superman flying). Raise your right arm and left leg about 5-6 inches off the ground (or whatever is comfortable for you). Hold for 3 seconds, relax and repeat with opposite arm and leg.

Reps: Perform 10 repetitions.

4. Oblique Cross overs

About: This exercise targets the oblique muscle.

Instructions: Lie on your back with knees bent, hands behind your head. Keeping lower back pressed into the floor, lift your shoulder blades off the floor and then curl your upper body diagonally across your body towards your right knee. Contract your abs and obliques as hard as you can at the top of the movement Lower back down and repeat on the same side before switching sides.

Reps: Perform 10 repetitions. One rep is both sides performed once.

5. Plank

About: This exercise can be used by all skill set levels but I've included it in the beginner section simply because it's a fantastic exercise that everyone can do and works your entire core in one shot. It's referred to as a static exercise that requires no movement yet it contracts your entire core, upper and lower body.

Instructions: Lie down on your stomach. Lift your body off of the floor with your forearms and your toes. Keep your body in a straight position without arching your back and hold for 30 seconds to one minute. To increase difficulty, lift one foot in the air.

Reps: Perform 3 planks and hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Rest 30 seconds between each rep.

Flex your abs even before beginning the exercise and envision pushing your lower back into the floor. Aim your right elbow towards your left knee while you slowly breath out and continue to flex your abdominals as hard as you can, be sure to contract your abs for two seconds at the top of the movement before returning to the starting position. After a set, switch sides.