Strengthen Your Core From Every Angle With These Functional Exercises
These days, most people understand the importance of basic core strengthening, but functional core workouts are essential for building a resilient body that can handle everything from carrying heavy bags up the stairs to crushing your toughest workouts.
Functional training focuses on compound movements that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, mimicking the way our bodies move during everyday activities. “Think about getting in and out of your car—you rotate as you get in and squat as you sit down,” says Corrine Carnation, CPT, a personal and group trainer at Equinox and creator of the Better You, Better Living program. “When you pick something up, you hinge at the hips (hopefully).” Both squatting and hip-hinging (hello, RDLs!) are examples of ‘functional’ movements.
Functional core workouts, specifically, strengthen the muscles that attach to the pelvis or spine. Unlike exercises that isolate specific muscles (such as a crunch), functional moves strengthen the core in ways that prepare the body for daily tasks. “Have you ever carried a ton of grocery bags to avoid making two trips? You load up both hands with as many bags as possible and head for the house,” says Carnation. “This is an example of ‘bracing and carrying,’ where you need to keep a tight, braced core to carry the heavy weight.” She notes that a weak core can lead to poor posture and an increased risk of injury.
Incorporating functional exercises like the farmer's carry into your workouts can prepare your body for real-life activities and protect against pain or injury. But the benefits extend much further. Keep reading for all the reasons you should work functional core workouts into your routine—and exactly how to do so.
Meet the experts: Corrine Carnation, CPT, is a personal and group trainer at Equinox and the creator of the Better You, Better Living program.
Benefits Of Functional Core Workouts
Our bodies move in various directions to perform tasks such as picking up a child, carrying luggage, or getting up and down from the floor. Functional core workouts strengthen the core muscles in all the directions needed for these movements to happen safely and efficiently.
The main core muscles include the transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques, multifidi, diaphragm, and pelvic floor muscles, which work together to support the spine, improve posture, and enable movement of the entire body. A strong core provides the stability needed for pretty much all physical activity, according to Carnation. “The core is the foundation of the body,” says Carnation. “Without a strong foundation, everything else can falter.”
On top of making everyday tasks feel easier and safer, integrating functional core exercises in your routine can even elevate your overall fitness performance. A strong core means strong stability and balance, which can positively impact efficiency and confidence when running, whether that's a 5K or a marathon. Functional core workouts also support strength training efforts by facilitating a solid foundation, which can help you lift weights more effectively and with better form.
How To Do Functional Core Workouts The Right Way
The best functional core workouts include bodyweight and resistance exercises that challenge the core in different positions and directions. Your core is not one-dimensional, so it’s important to strengthen your body through movements that involve twisting, bending, and stabilizing in all directions. For example, a traditional sit-up only engages the core in a single plane of motion, but a workout with Russian twists (for rotational movement), lateral side bends (for side-to-side movement), and plank variations (for multi-directional stability) ensures you are hitting your core muscles from all angles.
Carnation notes the importance of first activating your core before jumping right into a workout. To do so, she recommends the following: “Act as if someone is about to throw a basketball at your stomach.” It might sound odd, but this cue can be really effective in helping you tighten and brace your core to get ready for impact. It’s best to practice this abdominal bracing technique before going into more advanced exercises in order to ensure your core is engaged and ready for action, Carnation says.
The 11 Best Functional Core Exercises
Time: 30 minutes | Equipment: kettlebell, dumbbells, slam ball, resistance band, pilates ring | Good for: core, hips, back
Instructions: Choose five to six exercises from the list below. Complete two to three sets of the indicated number of reps for each move. Aim to integrate functional core exercises into your training routine once or twice a week and build up from there, switching up the moves you choose based on your preferences and available equipment.
As these exercises become easier with practice, challenge yourself by adding or increasing resistance while slightly decreasing the amount of reps. For example, if three sets of 10 reps using bodyweight alone feels easy, try adding a weight or resistance band for two to three sets of eight reps. By the last rep of each set, you should feel ready to stop but not completely at failure. When in doubt, start with bodyweight only, then increase resistance until you feel the exercise is challenging but doable.
Pro tip: Exercises aren’t one-size-fits-all, so it’s important to recognize when an exercise is either too challenging, too easy, or not comfortable for you. Keep in mind that every exercise can be modified if needed!
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