Core Workout: No Equipment Required

What if you can keep taking care of yourself even while traveling or hosting holiday festivities? Here's a quick and effective core workout that can be done by ladies of any fitness level or age without equipment. This routine targets your major core muscles and can be adjusted based on your fitness level and goals.

Working your core muscles will help your posture, relieve or prevent back and shoulder pain, and help you look poised.  I put together a quick core workout you can do in just a few minutes.  You can do these every day or a few times a week.

Sometimes I "forget" to exercise during the day so I whip out my yoga mat and sneak in a quickie core workout right before my shower.  It truly only takes a few minutes - so we have no excuses there ladies.  As a certified personal trainer I strongly believe that if you only have time to do a quick workout - make it a core workout!

Core Workout: No Equipment Required

Warm-Up

Start with a brief warm-up to get your blood flowing and prepare your body for the workout. Perform 2-3 minutes of light cardio exercises like marching in place, high knees, or arm circles.

Main Workout

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, and then take a 10-second rest before moving to the next exercise. Complete the circuit for one or more rounds, depending on your fitness level and time availability.

Plank: Begin in a push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Hold your body in a straight line from head to heels, engaging your core. Maintain the plank for 30 seconds. To make it easier, perform a plank from your knees.

Superman: Lie on your stomach with your arms extended overhead and your legs straight. Simultaneously lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground, engaging your lower back and glutes. Hold for 30 seconds.

Bicycle Crunches: Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent. Lift your shoulders off the ground, bringing your right elbow to your left knee while extending your right leg. Alternate sides in a pedaling motion for 30 seconds.

Bridge: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from shoulders to knees. Squeeze your glutes at the top and hold for 30 seconds.

Russian Twists: Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat. Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight. Hold your hands together in front of your chest and twist your torso to the right, then to the left. Continue for 30 seconds.

Cool Down

Finish the workout with a 2-3 minute cool down. Perform gentle stretches for your core, back, and hip flexors. Focus on deep breaths and relaxation to help your body recover.

Remember to listen to your body, and if any exercise feels too challenging, modify it or reduce the duration. As you progress, you can increase the duration or add more rounds to make the workout more challenging. This core workout is versatile and can be incorporated into your fitness routine regularly to strengthen your core muscles.

Make sure to download your core workout cheat sheet here.