5 Unique Exercises for Women to Build Strong Core

Building a strong core requires you to target all the core muscles, which, contrary to popular belief, includes more than just the abdominals. The core region consists of several muscles, such as the transverse abdominis, obliques, abdominals, glutes, and spinae erectors.

A strong core not only helps you look toned and sculpted in jeans, but they also help enhance various functional movements, such as walking, bending, climbing, and more.

Exercises for Strong Core

We have created a list of five exercises women can include in their workout regimen to build a strong core:

1) Butterfly Sit-up

This is a unique variation of sit-ups women must try to build a strong core. The position required by the butterfly sit-up helps in keeping good form throughout the exercise, with greater emphasis on the core muscles.

How to do it?

Start off by lying down on the floor with your knees bent sideways and soles of your feet touching one another.
With an engaged core, raise your upper body off the ground, and bring it to the sitting position.
Bring your hands forward to meet the toes before bringing your body back to the starting position.
Repeat.

2) Side Plank Knee to Elbow

This is a dynamic exercise to build strong core muscles and tone them. This exercise helps in building significant balance and coordination.

How to do it?

Start off by assuming the side plank position, with your left leg on the floor supporting your bodyweight, glutes squeezed and hips off the ground.
Straighten your right arm overhead while raising your right leg in the air as the other one remains on the ground.
Bring your legs and hands towards the chest by bending them. Repeat.
Change sides, and repeat.

3) Half Kneeling Wood Chop

The half kneeling wood chop targets the deep abdominals, obliques, shoulders, and lats. It's a complicated exercise that should be done after building certain strength and body stability.

How to do it?

Start off in a high kneeling position on the ground.
Step one foot on the floor in front of you with the soles of the foot pressed on the ground and knee bent at 90 degrees.
Grab the dumbbell with both hands, and position it near the knee that's on the floor.
Drive the weight upwards and diagonally while bringing it towards the opposite side of your body.
Drive the dumbbell back to its original position. Repeat.
Change sides, and repeat.

4) C Curve

It's an underrated and unique exercise that entails holding one of the most intense positions of sit-ups, which keeps the abdominals in constant tension. It also reduces the likelihood of back injury by keeping the spine lengthened.

How to do it?

Start off by lying on the ground on your hip bones while keeping your feet flat on the ground and bending your knees.
Touch the palms to your legs just above the knees on their respective sides.
With a rounded back, bring your upper torso halfway towards the ground, and stop.
Hold this position by engaging the quads and core.
Repeat.

5) Lateral High Knee

This exercise helps in both toning and strengthening the body. It's especially good to improve athletic performance and build muscular endurance.

How to do it?

Start off in an upright standing position with your legs hip-distance apart and hands hanging loosely by the sides.
Bring your right knee towards the chest with the opposite palm to the ear before quickly swapping the sides of the leg and hands while moving towards the right side.
Move towards the opposite side in the same manner. Repeat.

Bottom Line

The aforementioned exercises provide a multitude of benefits, including building strong core, toning, torching fat, enhancing posture, and improved functional fitness.

These exercises can also help in avoiding monotony of regular core exercises, such as crunches and Russian twists.