No matter who I’m working with or the style of workout we do, a huge component of my training philosophy focuses on the core. The core is the foundation of movement, and without a strong and stable core, you’re more susceptible to injury and you won’t perform your daily activities or physical pursuits at an optimal level.
There are plenty of ways you can strengthen your core, but one of the easiest, in my opinion, is to add core-strengthening exercises into your workout routine. There are a lot of moves to choose from, so to save you some time, I’ve created a bodyweight ab workout that incorporates a few of my favorite beginner core exercises.
This beginner ab workout is great for those just starting out, but I recommend all levels try it; even people who are more advanced can benefit from going back to basics when it comes to core work, since slowing down and focusing on smaller movements can help you better connect with and activate the right muscles vs. just powering through and getting it done.
Beginner Ab Workout
Directions: You don’t need to warm up before this beginner ab workout; in fact, you can use this workout as a core warmup before workouts like strength training and running. Because everyone’s fitness level is different, I’ve provided a suggested time range for how long you should perform each exercise.
Beginners and those less conditioned should do each move for a shorter period of time and more advanced people should do each move for a longer period of time. Try to take no more than 30 seconds of rest in between each exercise, but always listen to your body. Beginners, try to complete one to two rounds of the entire ab circuit. More advanced exercisers, try to do three to four rounds.
- Side bridge: hold for 10 to 30 seconds on each side
- Kneeling high plank: hold for 10 to 30 seconds
- Hip raise: perform for 10 to 30 seconds
- Oblique crunch: perform for 10 to 30 seconds on each side
- Superman: hold for 10 to 30 seconds
- Bear hold: hold for 10 to 30 seconds