Boost stability and control — my favorite trainer just shared 10 exercises to strengthen your deep core

One of the benefits of working your core is boosting stability and control in your mid-section. When we refer to the deep core muscles, we’re talking about a few groups, like the transverse abdominis, which is a layer of muscle that stabilizes the trunk, as well as the multifidus, a deep muscle that protects your spine, and your pelvic floor and diaphragm. You can’t see any of these muscles, but they’re vital.

While exercises like sit-ups and crunches will target your superficial abdominal muscles, the exercises below work into the deepest part of your core.

The workout, devised by personal trainer and founder of The Body Coach app Joe Wicks, only takes 10 minutes to complete, and while it won’t leave you breathless or sweating, it will target the muscles in your torso responsible for stability and balance.

Ready to get going? All you’ll need for this workout is 10 minutes, your body weight, and, if you have one, a heavy dumbbell for one of the exercises. If you don’t have a dumbbell, you could always use something heavy, like a full carton of milk or a heavy book.

The workout below is suitable for most fitness levels. Still, if you are a complete beginner or you’re returning to exercise following an injury or pregnancy, it’s always a good idea to get sign-off from a medical professional before jumping back into abdominal workouts.

What is the workout?

The key to this workout is moving slowly and with control. The slower you move during most of the exercises, the harder your core muscles have to work to support your body as you move.

You’ll do each of the exercises for 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest. If you’re a complete beginner, you could always work for 30 seconds, followed by a 30-second rest. If you’re more advanced, you can make the workout harder by working for 50 seconds and only taking a 10-second break to reset between exercises.

Remember to breathe throughout! Holding your breath can interfere with your core stability, making it even harder to complete the exercises with good form.

Here are the exercises involved:

• Plank dumbbell pull-through
• Single leg crunch, right side
• Single leg crunch, left side
• Full sit-up
• Side plank, switching halfway
• Crunch
• Static boat hold
• Bicycle crunches
• Elbow plank
• Shoulder taps and knee drives

You can follow along with Joe in real-time and listen to his pointers to ensure you’re doing the exercises with good form. Remember, the key here is to move slowly — with the single-leg crunch, Joe encourages you to pause for a few seconds at the top of the movement, before lowering back down to the floor. This keeps your abdominal muscles working for longer — a training method called time under tension.

7-Day Abs Challenge Day 7: Stability & Control - YouTube

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What are the benefits?

As mentioned above, there are several benefits to working these deep core muscles, the main being improved stability and balance — this is essential for all walks of life, but especially as we get older.

A strong core won’t just help you run with better form or lift heavier weights, but it’ll protect your spine from injury when you’re completing daily tasks, like carrying a heavy bag of shopping or lifting a toddler out of their cot. Even just standing up from a chair requires these deep core muscles to stabilize your body, so strengthening them is essential.

The transverse abdominis and multifidus attach directly to your spine and pelvis, so if they are weak, you’re likely to experience some lower back pain, as your back will be forced to compensate during those everyday movements mentioned above. Strong abdominal muscles reduce the load on your lower back and prevent injuries when lifting or carrying heavy loads.

Finally, strong deep core muscles can help improve your posture. They’ll prevent your pelvis from tilting too far backward, creating an arch in your lower back as you sit, stand and walk. They can also reduce the strain on your neck and upper back, which are often sore if you’re sitting with a hunched posture.

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