Build A Balanced Body With The Core Exercises For Men

Let’s admit the fact. We all want a strong core and an action-figure like body. But working out every day and maintaining the diet is a bit of a nightmare. 

What if you can have a strong core fast with the least amount of exercise? Yes, you have heard me right. If you select the right workouts, you can have your dream body sooner than you can imagine. 

I know there are thousands of core exercises for men available, and it is tough to find the right ones. To make your journey easier, I will discuss the top and most effective core workouts. If you are confused about how to do core workouts or start, give this article a read.

Core workout and its benefits 

The core is the central or midsection of your body. It is a group of muscles that makes your daily movements smooth and effortless. No matter if you bend, twist, or lean, your core muscles always keep you protected and balanced. 

The core workouts actually offer various advantages to the men. For example: 

• Improve the body posture
• Enhance the weight-bearing endurance
• Reduce the risk of back injury
• Stabilize and strengthens the whole body
• Increase agility

Practicing the core workouts as a young man strengthens your spine and helps you in the long run. But do not worry if you are over 40 or 50. You can still reduce your back pain with the right core workouts.

Core Exercise For Men At Home 

If you are too busy to schedule a gym, then start working out in your home. If you maintain consistency, you can build a strong core with simple and effective workouts at home. Here are some of the top workouts for you: 

4. Plank 

I am sure you have heard about planks before. Though this is easy, make sure you are doing it right. The weight of your upper body should be on the forearms, and the weights of the lower body should be on the toes. Squeeze your lower abs, core, and glutes. Try to hold the plank position for 15 to 60 seconds. 

Over time, the experts have designed many variations of this workout. Here are some of the most effective plank ideas for a killer core: 

• Side plank 
• Fingertip plank 
• Plank push up 
• Rocking Plank 
• Plank piston
• Walking plank 
• Plank wiper
• Plank crunch 
• Bird dog plank 
• Reach plank 
• Superman plank 
• Plank up
• Knee plank 
• Plank leg raise 
• Plank jacks
• Plank with shoulder touch 
• Plank switch 
• Three-point plank 
• Swiss ball plank 
• Plank sliding crunch 
• Single leg plank 
• Plank rollout 
• Single-arm plank 
• Plank crunch on a stability ball 

3. The bridge 

The bridges are great core exercises for men. You may also know this workout as a hip raise or glute bridge. The bridges focus on your abdominals, glutes, and hamstring muscles. This workout not only strengthens your core but also improves body posture. 

Begin the bridge workout by lying on the floor facing up. Keep your knees bent, hands on the side, and feet flat on the floor. Then raise your hip from the ground. Maintain a tight abdominal and buttocks the whole time. 

Make sure your hips create a straight line from the knees to shoulders. Push your navel back towards the spine by squeezing the core. Stay in the position for 15 to 40 seconds and then return to the starting position. 

You can try other types of bridges too once you get stronger. For example, 

• Single leg hip bridge 
• Side bridge elbow to knee
• Single sky bridge 
• Shoulder bridge 
• Weighted glute bridge 
• Stability ball bridge 
• Folded single leg glute bridge 
• Glute bridge march 
• Reverse bridge 

2. Bird dog 

You can also call this exercise quadruped. This focuses on your abdominal, thigh muscles, lower back, and gluteal muscles. It is very good to build a low back foundation. The bird dog exercise engages all the major core muscles and strengthens them. 

To perform the bird dog, kneel on the floor with your knees and hands. Keep your knees about hip-width apart and hands about shoulder-width apart. Make sure your spine and neck are relaxed. 

Slowly extend your right arm in the forward direction and the left leg straight behind you. While making this move, keep your core engaged and body stable. Pause for 3 to 5 seconds and then return to the neutral position. 

1. Leg raises 

Leg raises are excellent for lower ab and core exercises for men. These are more effective than sit-ups and crunches. 

Start a leg raise by lying on the mat. Keep your legs straight, extended, and feet together. Place your hands at your side. 

Carefully raise your legs towards the ceiling, maintaining pressure in your core muscles. Keep your legs straight, and your hips will be a few inches up from the ground too. Lower your legs and continue the workout. 

You can practice the lying, seated, or side-lying leg raises. If you want something more challenging, go for the hanging leg raises. The hanging variations of the leg raises are the most effective. But to do that, you will need a pull-up bar.

Core exercises for beginners

If you are a beginner, do not start with the challenging workouts. Instead, go for the easy ones. Here is a list of workouts you can consider: 

• Plank
• Side plank 
• Crunch 
• Weather vane 
• Bicycle crunch
• Reverse crunch 
• Leg raise
• Sit-ups
• Swiss plank 
• Superman
• Hollow hold
• Bridge 
• Metronome
• Tabletop knee touch 
• Single-arm dumbbell rows
• Dead bug
• Bird dog
• Anti rotational hold
• Bear crawl
• Flutter kick 

Core workout routine

If you want a hardcore, then here is a simple fitness plan for you. You can customize it according to your preferences. 

It is tough to find the right core exercises for men. If you keep working on one training that does not suit you, you will get a slow result. So, always give priority to your physique and goal while preparing the fitness plan. 

Related:

The Fast Most Effective Core Workout Routine

A Complete Guide On AB Exercises For Men

The Best Lower AB Exercises You Must Give A Try

Top Lower AB Workouts To Build A Strong Core

When Diet And Exercise Don’t Work What Do You Do?