If you’re new to exercise or if you haven’t exercised in a long time, start with these beginner moves.

It may also be a good idea to consult with a personal trainer, if you can, to talk about the right amount of reps and sets for your personal fitness level and goals.

Throughout these exercises, you’ll see the phrase “tighten your core” — but how do you know if you’re actually doing that?

One good way to start is to inhale, and as you’re doing that, imagine you’re bringing your belly button toward your spine. Hold your muscles tight in that position for a few seconds.

This feeling of braced stomach muscles is what it feels like to engage — or tighten — your core.

Bridge

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This pose activates your glutes to lift your hips, which helps train your core while toning your butt and thighs.

1. Start on your back. Bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor at hip width. Place your hands at your sides, palms down.
2. Tighten your core and glutes.
3. Raise your hips until your knees are in line with your shoulders.
4. Hold for 10–30 seconds.
5. Repeat 3–5 times.

Crunch

Crunches are a classic core-strengthening move. The act of lifting your upper body works your abdominal muscles.

If you have occasional low back pain, do crunches with care — move slowly and start with just a few reps.

If your low back pain is chronic, talk with a certified trainer or healthcare professional before attempting this classic crunch. It may not be the best option for you.

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1. Start on your back. Bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor at hip width. Line up your head and spine. Cross your arms across your chest.
2. Tighten your core and relax your neck and shoulders. Tuck in your chin and lift your upper back, keeping your lower back, pelvis, and feet on the floor. Pause.
3. Slowly lower your upper back to return to the starting position.
4. Start with 1 set of 8–12 reps.

Supine toe tap

This is a basic Pilates exercise. It engages your core muscles while working your glutes, hips, and legs.

Toe taps also place minimal pressure on your spine. If you have back pain, toe taps may be an ideal alternative to crunches.

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1. Start on your back. Lift your legs, with your knees bent to 90 degrees. Place your hands at your sides, palms down.
2. Tighten your core. Lower your right foot and gently tap the floor, keeping your left leg still and your back flat.
3. Raise your right leg to return to the starting position.
4. Repeat with your left leg.
5. Start with 1 set of 8–12 reps.

Bird Dog

The bird dog engages both your abdominal and back muscles, so it’s an ideal core-strengthening move. It also challenges your coordination, balance, and stability.

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1. Start on all fours, hands below your shoulders and knees below your hips.
2. Tighten your core. Lift and straighten your right leg to hip level. Simultaneously lift and extend your left arm to shoulder level, palm down. Hold a neutral spine without allowing your back to arch as you extend your arm and leg.
3. Pause.
4. Repeat with your left leg and right arm.
5. Start with 1 set of 8–12 reps.

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This variation on a regular crunch works your obliques, rectus abdominous, and hips.

Start with your back on the floor, with your left knee bent and drawn toward your chest. Keep your right leg straight and slightly lifted off the floor. Place your hands behind your neck or the lower part of your head — be careful not to pull on your neck while you do this move.

1. With your left knee bent and your right leg straight, lift your right shoulder off the floor and move your right elbow toward your left knee.
2. As you bring your right shoulder back to the floor, extend your left leg while bending your right knee and bringing it toward your chest.
3. As your right knee moves farther in, lift your left shoulder off the floor and move your left elbow toward your right knee.
4. Start with 3 sets of 12 alternate repetitions.

As you get stronger, take it up a notch with these intermediate exercises.

Plank

The plank is a full-body exercise that targets your core. It also strengthens your arms, shoulders, back, glutes, and legs.

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1. Start on all fours, with your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips.
2. Straighten your legs behind you, keeping your feet hip-width apart. Tighten your core.
3. Hold for 10–30 seconds.
4. Repeat 3–5 times.

To make this exercise easier, keep your knees on the floor, with your weight over your hands. Keep a straight line from your knees to shoulders.

Warrior crunch

This crunch variation works your core and lower body, including your thighs, glutes, and quads.

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1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width and your toes turned outward. Put your hands behind your head and open your chest.
2. Tighten your core and glutes. Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Bend your torso to the side, moving your right elbow toward your right thigh. Repeat on the left side.
4. Start with 1 set of 8–12 reps.

Bird dog with elbow to knee

This variation on the basic bird dog incorporates fluid movement to engage your abs and back while improving core mobility.

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1. Start on all fours, hands below your shoulders and knees below your hips.
2. Tighten your core. Lift and straighten your right leg to hip level. Simultaneously lift and extend your left arm to shoulder level, palm down.
3. Bring your right knee and left elbow toward each other. Return to the starting position.
4. Start with 1 set of 8–12 reps.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Once you’ve mastered intermediate moves, challenge yourself to an advanced core routine. These exercises will further build core strength by engaging your muscles in more complex ways.

Mountain climber

This intermediate exercise combines a plank with knee movements, so it’s an excellent move for balance and core strength.

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1. Start in a plank with your hands below your shoulders. Tighten your core.
2. Lift your right knee toward your chest, keeping your back straight and hips down.
3. Return your right leg to the starting position as you simultaneously lift your left knee toward your chest.
4. Continue alternating legs. Start with 1 set of 8–12 reps.

Side plank with rotation

This exercise is an advanced version of the basic plank. It strengthens your arms, shoulders, and obliques by combining a side plank with arm movements.

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1. Lie on your right side with your right forearm below your shoulder. Extend your legs, left foot on top of the right. Tighten your core.
2. Lift your hips to form a straight line with your body. Raise your left arm straight up.
3. Rotate your torso toward the floor and bring your left arm under your body.
4. Rotate your torso again to straighten your left arm to return to the starting position.
5. Start with 1 set of 8–12 reps.
6. Repeat on the other side.

Turkish get-up

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This full-body movement is a great way to increase spinal stabilization, as well as improve mobility in your hips, lumbar spine, and thoracic spine. It’s also great for increasing strength in the ab muscles around your spine, as well as your shoulders.

Try this movement once or twice without a weight, and then start with something light (think 5 pounds) to make sure your shoulders are stable enough to handle weight overhead. Use a heavier weight as you build strength.

1. Lie on your back with your legs straight out and arms at your sides at about a 45-degree angle.
2. Bend your right leg and place your right foot on the floor, a few inches from your butt.
3. Bring your right arm straight up toward the ceiling, making a fist with your right hand and keeping your knuckles pointing toward the ceiling (this helps with shoulder stabilization).
4. Focus your gaze on your fist — this is where the weight will eventually be. You want to keep your fist directly above your shoulder throughout the entire move.
5. Next, push through your right heel and your left elbow to prop yourself up onto your left elbow, making sure your chest is facing out in front of you, not up toward the sky.
6. Then, push your left palm into the floor and pull your body into a seated position, allowing your abs to do most of the work.
7. Next, slide your left leg underneath you, making sure your left knee and left ankle are in line with your left hand.
8. Move into a kneeling position with your left knee and right foot on the ground, removing your left hand from the floor as you do so.
9. As you continue to hold your right arm overhead, press your right foot into the ground and bring your left leg forward — like you’re doing a lunge. You should now be standing!
10. Now, do the movements in reverse until your back is on the ground again.
11. Start with 3–5 reps.

Whether you’re looking to kick-start a regular exercise routine or add an extra push to your existing one, core-strengthening moves are a great starting place.

Talk with your healthcare professional before starting a new exercise routine. If you have a past or current back injury, consult a certified personal trainer, if you can They can show you how to safely tone and train your core.

Crunches are fairly easy to perform properly. But in this exercise, adding resistance and weight makes them more challenging.

Equipment needed: high cable pulley machine, rope attachment, and a stability ball

Muscles worked: abdominals, hips, and glutes

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1. 1. Attach a rope to a high cable pulley machine. Lower the cable down to the last notch. Select an appropriate amount of weight and hold onto the rope with both palms above the knots in a neutral grip. Keep your palms facing in toward each other.

1. 1. Have a seat on a stability ball and take 2 steps out so your back is supported on the ball. Your glutes, hips, and knees should form a straight line. Your elbows should be slightly bent and kept in this position with a strong hold on the rope. This is your starting position.

1. 1. Exhale, contract your abs, and crunch up on the ball using your core muscles only. A crunch should only be a 30-degree motion (think ribs into hips). Don’t perform a full situp — the smaller the motion, the more effective this exercise will be. Your arms shouldn’t be yanking on the rope. Instead, they should only be applying a weighted resistance to your core. Hold this contracted position for 1 count.

1. 1. Inhale and in a slow, controlled manner, lean back to your starting position, releasing slight tension on the cable.

1. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions for 3 to 4 sets.

This move is a little twist on the old fashioned mountain climber, which is a great core and endurance exercise. This exercise will be performed a lot slower so you concentrate on the weight being pulled by your obliques.

Equipment needed: high cable pulley machine, one handle attachment, or ankle strap attachment

Muscles worked: obliques, chest, hamstrings, glutes, and shoulders

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1. 1. Attach a single handle to a high cable pulley machine and select an appropriate amount of weight. Lower the cable down to the last notch. Come down to the floor into a plank position with your weight supported on your wrists and tippy toes. Your shoulders, elbows, and wrists should form a straight line.

1. 1. Place your right foot into the handle attachment so it is securely around your shoelaces. Flex your right toes up so the handle can’t slip off. If there’s an ankle strap attachment available, you can Velcro it around your right ankle instead of using the handle.

1. 1. Lift up your right foot about 2 to 3 inches off the floor for the duration of this exercise. Squeeze your core so your hips stay parallel to the floor. Your right hip is going to want to tilt up to the ceiling, but don’t let it. This is your starting position.

1. 1. Exhale and bring your right knee into your left elbow, like an oblique mountain climber. Hold this position for 1 count.

1. 1. Inhale, release tension on the cable, and bring your right foot back to the starting position. Remember to keep it off the floor the entire time.

1. Perform 15 repetitions. Then place the handle on your left foot and bring your left knee into your right elbow. Do 3 to 4 sets on each side.

This is probably not the wood chop you’re thinking of. There’s no need to bring an ax to the gym.

Equipment needed: high cable pulley machine and rope attachment

Muscles worked: obliques, shoulders, and triceps

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1. 1. Attach a rope to the high cable pulley machine and select an appropriate amount of weight. Lower the cable down to the last notch, and hold the rope in a neutral grip with your thumbs pointing up toward you. Stand in a shoulder-width stance with your knees slightly bent and your core engaged. This is your starting position.

1. 1. Exhale and twist your torso as you pull the rope up to your right in a diagonal motion. Do this until your arms are fully extended. Try to get your tricep in line with your ears. Only your arms, eyes, and obliques should move. Keep your hips, knees, and feet planted and facing forward. If you feel pressure in your knee opposite from the direction you’re twisting, roll your foot up on to the toes. Watch as you pull the rope up to your right. Wherever your eyes go, your body will follow.

1. 1. Inhale and slowly release the tension in the rope. Come back down to your starting position with the rope centered in front of you.

1. 1. Exhale and this time, twist the rope up to your left side. That’s 1 rep.

1. Perform a total of 20 repetitions, 10 on each side. Work up to 3 to 4 sets.

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Switch up the old static side plank with a little resistance. This move will really challenge your core’s stability.

Equipment used: high cable pulley machine and single handle attachment

Muscles worked: middle back, shoulders, obliques, and triceps

1. 1. Attach a single handle to the high cable pulley machine and select an appropriate amount of weight. Come down to the floor about 2 to 3 feet away from the cable pulley machine and into a side plank position.Note: Only your right elbow and right foot should be touching the ground. Your right elbow and shoulder should be in 1 line, and your left foot should be directly on top of your right foot, all supporting your body weight. Your feet, hips, and head should form a diagonal line. You want the cable to be directly in line with your left shoulder while you’re planking, so adjust the height of the cable accordingly for your height.Grab the handle with your left hand in a neutral grip position (palm facing the floor). This is your starting position.

1. 1. Exhale, squeeze your core, and swing your left palm and arm up toward the ceiling performing a rear delt fly. Keep your wrist straight at all times, but you may keep a slight bend in your left elbow if you need. End the fly when both of your shoulders are in one line and your body forms a “T” position. As you reach this “T” position, retract your shoulder blades down and back. Hold this position for 1 count.

1. 1. Inhale. Lower your left arm back down to your starting position, releasing some tension in the cable.

1. Perform 15 repetitions, and then repeat this exercise on your left side with the cable in your right hand. Work up to 3 to 4 sets.

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Russian twists are pretty hard to perform without adding a stability ball to the mix. But this gives your core an extra challenge.

Equipment needed: high cable pulley machine, single handle attachment, and stability ball

Muscles worked: shoulders, triceps, obliques, and glutes

1. 1. Attach a single handle to the cable pulley machine. Lower the cable down to about the middle notch. Place the stability ball about 3 feet away and lie on your back on the ball perpendicular to the machine. You want your shoulder blades, upper back, and neck supported on the ball. Your glutes and hips will be hanging off, so it’s important to squeeze your glutes into a high bridge so you can support your lower back.

1. 1. Grasp the handle with one hand over another and pull the handle toward you so it lines up in the middle of your chest. Engage your core and lock out your arms above you, still keeping the handle in line with your chest. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart or a little wider for a strong stance. Your knees should form a 90-degree angle. This is your starting position.

1. 1. Exhale. Rotate your torso away from the pulley machine toward your left side for a full-quarter rotation (think 9 o’clock), and keep your arms are fully extended. Only your arms, obliques, and eyes should be moving during this exercise. Hold this position for 1 count. Make sure your hips stay stationary and your glutes are still squeezed into a high bridge, even when you rotate.

1. 1. Inhale, and in a slow, controlled manner, twist your torso and arms back to the starting position.

1. Perform 15 repetitions, then reposition yourself and perform the twist on your right side for 3 to 4 sets.

Your core is responsible for your everyday movements. It also protects your inner organs and central nervous system. It’s important to maintain a strong core for these reasons. Using a cable machine will challenge core stability by adding resistance.

Reference: https://www.healthline.com/health/best-core-exercises#advanced