As a fitness trainer, I consistently advise these essential three exercises for novice enthusiasts: not the conventional planks but core-strengthening moves instead.
Personal trainer Maddy Biddulph recommends a six-move workout that is suitable for beginners and effective for core strengthening. The key exercise from her suggested routine is the bicycle crunch, which dynamically targets the abdominal muscles.
The workout is structured as an AMRAP (as many rounds or reps as possible) in 10 minutes, which benefits muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness. The time-based structure and scalability make it adaptable for beginners to progress safely.
The Exercises
Bicycle Crunch
This core-focused exercise involves alternating elbow-to-knee movements. To perform the bicycle crunch, lie on your back with feet on the floor and knees bent at 90° angles. Lift your knees to the same angle, engage your core, and rotate your waist so that your elbow and knee can come closer together. Swap sides and repeat the move.
High Plank Knee Drive Variation
This plank variation effectively engages the core by driving knees towards the chest. To perform the high plank knee drive variation, start in a high plank position. Lift your knees to roughly 90° angles, bring one knee towards the opposite elbow, and then return to the starting position. Repeat the move with the other knee.
Bird Dog Zipper
The first move in the circuit is called the Bird Dog Zipper. To perform the Bird Dog Zipper, start in a tabletop position, extend one arm in front and the opposite leg behind, touch the elbow and knee under the torso, and then extend the arm and leg again.
Benefits and Importance
Building core strength can help prevent back pain and injury by stabilizing the spine for everyday movements. Many new personal training clients struggle with engaging the core during planks, leading to back arching, pain, or injury.
The core-strengthening circuit can be used as part of core strength training or added to a full-body workout. The circuit should be repeated three times, and each move should be performed 8-10 repetitions initially, gradually increasing to 10-12 repetitions, and then 12 repetitions over a four to six-week period.
Swap to alternate sides in a fluid, controlled motion during the Bicycle Crunch exercise. Brace your core and push your lower spine into the floor during the Dead Bug exercise. Return to the starting position while maintaining control and stability during the Dead Bug exercise.
The moves suggested in this article are simple and effective for beginners, and they create maximum opportunity to activate the core. By incorporating these exercises into your workout routine, you can improve your core strength, fitness, and posture.
- To enhance personal training, Maddy Biddulph proposed a six-move workout comprising exercises like the bicycle crunch, high plank knee drive variation, and Bird Dog Zipper, among others, which focus on core strength training and wellness.
- This workout employs the AMRAP structure, combining muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness benefits, making it adaptable for beginners to advance safely.
- One key strength training exercise in the routine is the bicycle crunch, which dynamically targets abdominal muscles by involving alternating elbow-to-knee movements.
- Yoga and other health-and-wellness practices can complement fitness-and-exercise routines, further supporting overall strength, fitness, and proper posture.
