Best Bodyweight Exercises for a Strong Core

1. Lying flat on the ground with knees bent and hands behind the head, push lower back into the ground and lift upper back off the ground and slightly forward. .....

Vertical Leg Crunch

2. Lie flat on the floor with lower back pressed to the ground. Place hands behind head. Extend legs straight up, crossed at the ankles with a slight bend in the knee. Contract abdominal muscles by lifting torso toward knees. Make sure to keep chin off your chest with each contraction. Exhale as you contract upward; inhale as you return to the starting position. .....

V Ups

3. Lie faceup with legs and arms extended. Keeping knees and elbows locked, simultaneously raise upper body and lower body while trying to touch fingers to toes. .....

Raised Knee In

4. Lie on back, arms along sides, palms down and just under lower back and butt. Press the small of your back against the floor and extend legs outward, with heels about 3 inches above the floor. Keeping lower back against the floor, lift left knee toward chest. Your right leg should remain hovering above the floor. Hold, then straighten left leg to the starting position and repeat with right leg. .....

Reverse Crunch

5. Lie flat on the floor with lower back pressed to the ground. Place hands behind head or extend out alongside body. Crossing legs at ankles, lift feet up. Pull lower back off the floor as you contract abs. Reach legs toward the ceiling with each contraction. .....

Flutter Kicks

6. Lie faceup with legs extended, toes pointed, and hands tucked underneath glutes to support lower back. Lift both legs off the floor a few inches and alternately kick legs up and down. .....

Side Plank

7. Lie on side with lower arm bent at the elbow. Place lower elbow beneath shoulder and place upper hand on hip. Align ankles, hips, shoulders, and head. Push body toward the ceiling, balancing on the edge of your bottom shoe with one foot directly over the other. .....

Lying Side Crunch

8. Lie on on your side with knees bent at a right angle and twisted to the left. Curl upper body, lifting shoulders off the floor a few inches. Pause at the top of the contraction and slowly lower back down. Switch sides and repeat. .....

Oblique V Up

9. Lie on side, arms folded across chest. Keeping legs together, lift them off the floor as you raise top elbow toward hip. Place opposite hand on the floor if you need extra stability. .....

Russian Twist

10. Sit on the floor, knees bent and feet flat. Hold arms straight out in front of chest, with palms facing down. Lean back so that your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Twist to the right as far as you can, pause, then reverse movement and twist to the left. .....

Plank

11. Lie facedown on the floor with feet together and forearms on the ground. Draw abs in and tighten glutes. Lift entire body off the ground until it forms a straight line from head to toe, resting on forearms and toes. Hold. Slowly return body to the ground, keeping chin tucked and back flat. .....

Bicycle Kicks

12. Lie on back with legs extended and hands folded across chest. Pull right knee in toward chest while twisting left shoulder toward right knee. Return to starting position and repeat with other knee and shoulder. .....

Plank Jack

13. Get in a modified plank position, balancing on forearms (elbows aligned under shoulders) and toes. Tighten abs so body is straight from head to heels. Keeping torso tight, hop feet out wide. Hop feet back to starting position and repeat. .....

In and Out Crunches

14. Lie on back with feet together, legs extended, and hands behind head with elbows wide. Lift shoulder blades and feet off the floor, bending knees in toward chest and lifting upper body in a standard crunch. .....

Scissor Crunches

15. Lie on back with feet together, legs extended, and hands behind head with elbows wide. Raise right foot straight up to the ceiling, keeping left leg extended and left foot a few inches from the floor. Perform a standard crunch, then lower upper body to about an inch from the floor and switch legs. .....

V Tuck

16. Lie faceup with legs extended and arms along sides. Raise head a few inches. Lift legs off ground, then slowly sit up, drawing knees to elbows directly over hips. Hold, then slowly lower torso and extend legs, keeping head and feet slightly off the ground. .....

Toe Taps

17. Lie on back and place hands behind ears. Lift legs to tabletop position (90-degree angle). Press lower back into floor and crunch forward until shoulders are off the floor. With toes pointed down, lower right foot as far as you can without lifting back off the floor. Return to starting position and repeat with left leg. .....

Superman

18. Lie facedown on floor with arms in front of body, palms toward the ground. Draw navel in, tighten glutes, and pinch shoulder blades together. Simultaneously lift arms, chest, and legs off the floor. Hold. Slowly return to ground, keeping chin tucked. .....

T Stabalization

19. Get into push-up position. Shift weight to left hand and rotate body. Keeping feet stacked, raise right arm into the air so that arms and torso form a T Hold. .....

Bird Dog

20. Balance on hands and knees. Lift right leg and left arm, extending right leg to the rear and reaching forward with left arm. Hold. Repeat with opposite arm and leg. .....

Plank with Alternating Arm and Leg Raise

21. Get into push-up position. Lift right arm and left leg at the same time without moving torso. Hold. Return to starting position, then repeat, lifting opposite leg and arm. .....

Knee Fold Tuck

22. (A) Sit tall, hands on floor, knees bent, squeezing a playground ball between them. (B) Lift knees so shins are about parallel to the floor; extend arms. Pull knees toward shoulders, keeping upper body still. Bring knees back to starting position. Repeat 15 to 20 times. .....

Climbing Rope

23. (A) Sit with legs extended, feet turned out in a V position, toes pointed. Contract core muscles and roll spine into a C-curve. (B) Lift arms and move them as if you were climbing a rope. Twist slightly with each reach. Do 20 reaches with each arm. .....

Side Balance Crunch

24. (A) Begin with left knee and left hand on the floor, right arm straight up. Extend right leg so your body forms a straight line. (B) Pull right knee toward torso and right elbow toward knee. Straighten arm and leg. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides. .....

Circle Plank

25. Start in a plank position with abs tight. (A) Pull right knee in and circle it clockwise, then (B) counterclockwise. Keep the rest of your body stationary. Repeat five times, then switch legs. .....

Sliding Pike

26. (A) Begin in a plank on an uncarpeted floor, hands under shoulders and a towel under feet. (B) With legs straight, raise hips and draw legs toward hands into a pike position your feet should slide easily. Hold for one count, then return to start. Repeat 10 times. .....

Oblique Reach

27. Sit with knees bent and feet on floor. (A) Straighten right leg. Roll spine into a C-curve. Place left hand behind head and extend right arm. (B) Twist body to the left, roll back a bit more (and hold for one count), then come up. Do five reps, then switch sides. .....