Your core is like a WI-FI router. When it's strong, everything in your body is connected and working seamlessly. But when it's down, random places in your body start hurting out of nowhere. 

The only reason to keep your core strong shouldn’t be to flaunt your chiseled abs on the beach. Posture, strength, and the ability to walk should be your first concern. Whoever has a strong core, they always lives in an upgraded version of their body.

So, how do you make your core strong?

By exercise, of course, but exercise doesn’t just mean crunches. There are better exercises that help stabilize and control the abs and build definition. 

Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S, the fitness director of Men’s Health magazine, shared five exercises that are a better alternative to the exercises that have done nothing but tire our bodies. 

Here are 5 core exercises you can do instead of crunches

Cable Crunches

Let’s give you an alternative to crunches first. Instead of doing an exercise that doesn’t put enough tension on your abs, do cable crunches instead. The exercise makes you kneel, which helps achieve a longer range in motion and stretches your abs.

Planks with shoulder taps

As much as you think that planks are the reason for anyone’s core strength, you couldn't be more wrong. A traditional plank is good for 45 seconds. After that, it's just you stressing your arms and legs. 

Doing a plank with shoulder taps activates your core, and the best part is that it only needs to be done for 30 seconds.

Overhead Palloff press

Overhead palloff press is what the side bend thinks it is. The OPP stresses the obliques and the abs. Muscles are targeted better, and positioning the load over your head puts significant pressure on the abs, thus engaging them properly.

Hanging leg raise

Here is to busting another crunch exercise. The reverse crunch is supposed to target the lower back, and although, if done properly, it can strengthen the lower back, it is one exercise that can easily be cheated with. 

And thus, your core is left weak. To avoid this, forget the reverse crunch and do the hanging leg raise instead. It fully engages the core and stresses it till the leg is fully raised. 

Front rack march 

If there is one overrated exercise that has been hyped forever, it is the bicycle crunch. Just because an exercise has too many movements doesn’t mean it is effective, and the bicycle crunch is a perfect example of this. Maintaining the bicycle crunch position is hard, and if it is not maintained, then there is zero stress on the abs.

So let's just drop this from our routine, let’s include the front rack march, which engages the core via balance. Another great alternative is the half-kneeling kettlebell windmill. This makes the core go through flexion and contraction to maintain strength. 

Some honorable mentions:

• Dead bugs
• Farmer's Carry
• Bird Dog
• Glute Bridges
• Mountain Climbs
• Reverse Crunch
• Superman
• Hip Dip

Things to remember during core strengthening

According to Lauren Geisbert, physical therapist at the Center for Advanced Orthopaedics, and Mallory Fox, DHSc, MS, NASM-CPT, CWC, a NASM master trainer and a certified wellness coach, considering these points during core strengthening will help you do a better job.

1. Your core isn't just your abs. It also has four sides that need equal attention.
2. You need to have the correct form if you want to stress your core fully.
3. Prioritize exercises where you need to contract your core for a longer period of time. Your core has to be strong at all times; if not, doing any action with your hands or legs can cause injuries. 
4. Increase the difficulty of your exercise gradually by increase time duration, increasing the resistance, or adding variations. 
5. Do not do core exercises merely to have a six-pack or eight-pack. The reasons should be core stability, posture improvement, and efficiency. Getting nice-looking abs should be a bonus.

So you can integrate the routine alongside your already existing one. But we are interested to know what you think? Do you have better techniques up your sleeve? Share with us!

Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Joyita Das