Your core muscles are more than just your abdominals. And training your core gets you more than just a lean midsection. Your core is most of the muscles that aren’t your arms and legs. This includes your low- and mid-back, hips, pelvis and glutes. It acts as the link between your upper body and lower body, provides stability for your spine, and controls your balance.
Research shows that older adults with strong core muscles have better functional performance, better balance and a lower risk for falls compared to those with weaker core muscles.
The types of core exercises I do with my older clients are very different from the commonly-performed sit-ups and crunches (which aren’t effective, and can actually lead to spinal problems, especially for those with existing back conditions like arthritis, osteoporosis, or scoliosis). I focus on exercises that are not only safer, but also more challenging and more effective. These types of exercises involve not just abdominal muscle work, but simultaneous postural control and the involvement of many other muscle groups like glutes, upper and lower back, and shoulders.
One study with older adult participants found that performing core exercises that challenged both the trunk muscles and postural control — like the exercises we share here — leads to increased core muscle strength, spinal mobility and balance.
3 Effective Exercises to Strengthen Your Core Muscles
Side Plank with Leg Lift
The side plank is one of spinal researcher Dr. Stuart McGill’s “Big 3” exercises for low back and spine health. We’re upping the ante here with an additional leg lift, which works your glutes and hip muscles.
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Lie on the floor on your right side. Prop yourself up with your right forearm on the ground. Stack your left foot onto your right, and ensure your right elbow is directly under your right shoulder. Lift up your body so only your right forearm and right foot are touching the ground.
Keep your core engaged and your entire body in a straight line. Keeping both legs straight, slowly raise your left leg toward the ceiling, then lower to the starting position. First make sure you can hold a basic side plank for about 20 seconds on each side. Then start with 5 leg lifts on each side, working your way up to 15.
Hollow-Body Hold
A staple in gymnastics training, the hollow-body hold is a very effective core strength exercise that can improve your performance and your form in many other exercises. It teaches full body tension and working your body as one unit, which is extremely important for movements like push-ups and chin-ups. This exercise is much more challenging and involved than it looks. It’s not just holding your arms and legs off the floor!
Lie face up on the floor with your arms straight and reaching for the ceiling, and your knees bent. Flatten your lumbar spine so there’s no space between your low back and the floor. Keep this pressure from your low back on the floor throughout the entire exercise. Now lift your head and shoulders off the floor, and slowly lower your arms and feet toward the floor. Your arms will reach overhead and legs will straighten. Go as far as you can while maintaining a solid position with your low back. Hold for time as you continue to press your low back into the floor.
Start with just 5 seconds. If your form is correct and you’ve never done this exercise before, this will be challenging enough. Continue to work your way up to 30 seconds or more.
Bear Crawl
The bear crawl is essentially a moving plank. In addition to working your abdominal muscles, you’ll also strengthen your shoulders and arms. Bear crawls increase the coordination between your upper body and lower body, and improve core stability.
Start on your hands and knees, with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. Rise up onto your toes and brace your abs as if someone were about to punch you in the stomach. Reach forward with your right hand and left knee, landing your hand and toes on the ground at the same time. Then reach forward with your left hand and right knee, placing them onto the ground at the same time.
Keep your core braced throughout, and try to resist moving your torso and hips from side to side while crawling. Start with 10 repetitions on each side, increasing to 20 as you get stronger.
Trainer’s Tip
With these exercises, you may notice a tendency to hold your breath — especially if you find the moves quite challenging. Instead, focus on breathing smoothly throughout each movement. This will ensure you don’t spike your blood pressure, and don’t unnecessarily tense muscles like the trapezius (those that bring your shoulders toward your ears).
