5 Intense Core Exercises
The core is at the heart of virtually every move you make in the gym. As the link between your upper and lower body, it is your functional power base. It is also responsible for midline stabilisation.
In this article, I’m about to lay out five awesome, but pretty intense, core exercises to strengthen the core.
Barbell Roll-Outs
Place an Olympic barbell on the floor and load it with a 45-pound plate on each side. Now kneel in front of the bar and grasp your hands together at the center of the bar. You will now roll the bar out in front of you (just as if you were using an ab wheel). Keep your core tight and do not round your lower back. Hold the extended position for a hold of 3. Now slowly bring the bar back to the start position, using your core to pull it back.
Perform 3 sets of 15 reps, with a 15-second rest between each set.
Gymnastic Ring Inversions
This one is a pretty advanced gym move, so you will want to work up to it, using a training partner to help you flip into the initial position at the start.
Set up a pair of gymnastic rings so that they are around the level of your belly button. Now take a hold of the handles and flip yourself upside down so that you are completely inverted, with your toes pointing to the ceiling and your head a few inches from the floor.
Your goal here is to keep your body in a straight line. Work as hard as you can to prevent your body from curling up. This will require a great deal of core stabilisation. Try to do the same rep scheme as you just did with your rack holds – 30 seconds on / 15 seconds off for 3 sets.
Suspension Trainer Plank
The plank is one of those ‘hold for as long as you can’ move that you probably did at school. Doing the exercise conventionally places tension on your abs and lower back. When you do it on the suspension trainer, however, you add in an element of instability that ramps the intensity right up. The supine version makes the move even more challenging, as it puts more emphasis on strengthening your lumbar region.
Lie on the floor in a face-up position, with your feet directly under the trap’ anchor point. Place your feet in the foot trap and straighten out your leg.
Support the upper body with your elbow and forearms as you lift your hips into the air. Do not bend your knee.
Without tilting your head back, hold the raised hip position for 2-3 seconds, feeling the contraction in your ab and lower back.
Lower to the floor and repeat.
Side Plank with Resisted Lowering
Here you will perform the same side plank as above while holding a dumbbell in the hand that is in the air. Slowly raise and lower the weight, leading with the thumb in both directions.
Side Plank Rotations
Start in a side plank from your forearm and feet. Keep your top foot in front of the bottom. Rotate your body forward toward the top leg that is in front and roll into a basic stomach plank on your forearms, then roll to a side plank on the opposite side. When you are in this position, remember to keep your top leg positioned in front. Slowly rotate back and forth from side to side, pausing briefly in the regular plank position when face down between each rotation.
Putting It All Together
The exercises presented here will achieve four things that will benefit your CrossFit performance:
(1) Train you to activate your core n every CrossFit move
(2) Improve your midline stability
(3) Enhance your core stabilisation
(4) Make your core more powerful
Put them together into a four exercise workout and do them twice per week for maximum core benefit.
