"A little makes a difference!"—a Pilates instructor shares a five-minute core workout for people who are time-poor but want to build strength

Building a strong core offers more benefits than just aesthetic appeal. Because your core is made up of many muscles—from the hips and lower back to the pelvic floor and abdominals—their combined strength can play a critical role in the way we move and feel in daily life.

That's why targeting these muscles in your workouts is so important. The good news? You don't need to spend hours in the gym to see improvements.

Pilates instructor Katy Bath recently shared a five-minute core workout on Instagram that will fire up your core with no equipment.

You can either do this as a standalone session or add to the end of another workout.

How to do the five-minute core workout

The workout includes five moves, with 10 to 20 repetitions of each. Bath details the repetitions for each exercise in the video and recommends two to three rounds for best results.

You can support your knees and joints with a yoga mat or simply a towel.

Is a five-minute workout effective?

You might wonder if five minutes of exercise is enough to build core strength. The answer is yes! If done regularly.

Building strength and muscle is all about consistency, not duration. Whether that's five minutes or 50 minutes, a little bit of movement is always better than none.

When done consistently, even just a five-minute workout like this one can help you develop strength and establish exercise as a habit.

Movement of any duration can trigger the release of endorphins—your body’s natural mood boosters—and synovial fluid that can lubricate your joints. Plus, it can break up your day, especially if you’re sitting for long periods—a win for both your posture and health.