A six-pack is one of the most sought-after fitness goals out there, but there's so much more to strengthening your core than looks alone.
Bolstering your mid-body muscles can improve your balance, lower your risk of injury, prevent back pain and even improve your posture. That's why we think core strengthening exercises should be a staple of your fitness plans.
These exercises don't have to be overcomplicated either; this quick home workout from certified personal trainer Sadie Rigby (aka @SadieActive) targets your deep core muscles with just three moves and one mini-band.
How to do SadieActive's three-move deep core workout
To do this workout, perform a circuit of 20 banded quadrupled plank tappers, 12 pulsing single-leg jack-knifes on each leg and 20 scissor kicks, resting as little as possible between exercises. Repeat this sequence until you've completed three total rounds for a sub-10-minute workout.
If any of these exercises are new to you, watch Rigby's videos above for a quick demonstration of each one. She also provides some handy pointers in the caption to help you nail your technique.
Which muscles does the workout target?
Rigby refers to working your "deep core muscles" in this routine. But what does she mean by this?
"Deep core work [engages] the transverse abdominis, pelvic floor and multifidus muscles," she writes.
Strengthening these core muscles allows them to support your spine and keep it properly aligned, helping you maintain good posture. It can also take load away from your lower back, sparing it from excess load to prevent injuries and pain in this area.
If you find any of these moves too difficult, you might want to take a look at our core workout for beginners to strengthen the requisite muscles before reattempting Rigby's routine.
Or, if you enjoyed this session, why not find out more about how to get a stronger core with our in-depth feature on the topic?
