A strong core is invaluable. Having a strong and stable midsection can give you better balance and better posture, and it can even help with lower back pain. 

Here is a way to make your core muscles work...

Make sure to do a little warm-up before getting started, something as simple as a 10-minute walk on a treadmill or even 10 minutes walking up and down the stairs at home, then target slow, controlled reps that focus in on your muscles for maximum impact.

This workout is easy to do at home as well as in the gym, whichever you feel most comfortable with. If you do not have dumbbells at home, simply swap out the dumbbells for 2L bottles full of water.

Core Workout

Reps: 15 Circuits: 3  Rest: 60 seconds between circuits

Lunge

1 – Stand upright holding the dumbbells by your sides, with your arms straight.

2 – Step backwards with one leg, lowering your body down and leaning your torso slightly forward with your weight on the back leg.

3 - Keep your trailing leg straight.

4 – Push off your outside foot to return to the start position.

Push-Up to T

1 – Support your body on your toes and hands with your elbows bent and your chest nearly touching the floor.

2 – Push up to a straight arm position, then raise one hand to the ceiling while rotating your body to the same side and look up at your hand

3 - Lower your body back to the start position and repeat to the other side.

4 - Alternate sides with each rep.

Arm to Leg Transfer

1 – Lie on your back with your legs straight, holding a ball or a bottle overhead with your arms fully extended.

2 – Raise your arms and legs up straight to the middle of your body and transfer the ball/bottle from your hands to between your feet.

3 – Lower your arms and legs, repeat in the opposite direction.

4 – Transfer the ball/bottle back and forth with every rep.

Plank/Dolphin

1 - Start in a forearm plank with your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel, and legs extended behind you. 

2 - Press through your forearms and lift your hips up and back, creating an inverted V with your body. Your head should now be between your shoulders.

3 - Pause for a second and then slowly lower back into a forearm plank.

4 - Continue this movement for for 1 minute.

Hip Thrust

1 - Sit with your shoulder against your sofa, with your knees bent and feet flat.

2 - Keep your arms across your body and place a foot over the opposite knee.

3 - Push your hips toward the ceiling, forming a straight line from the shoulders to the knees, without raising your feet off the floor.

4 - Squeeze your butt cheeks together when you thrust your hips up.

5 - Slowly lower your hips, Before your hips touch the floor, thrust your hips up again.