Core Workouts | Personal Edge Fitness

Top 7 Core Workouts to Improve Your Balance and Stability

By: GARRETT WILLIAMSON, MSS, HFI

Maintaining balance and stability is essential for overall physical health and well-being. It not only enhances our daily movements but also improves our posture, prevents falls and injuries, and enables us to perform better in sports and other physical activities.

However, achieving balance and stability requires consistent effort and a targeted workout routine that focuses on strengthening the core muscles. In this blog post, we will explore seven core workouts by Mobile, AL trainers that can help you improve your balance and stability, enabling you to live a healthier, happier, and more active life.

So, whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just looking to enhance your physical performance, these workouts are sure to provide you with the necessary tools to improve your balance and stability.

Top 1: Planks

Planks are one of the most effective exercises for building core stability, as they engage multiple muscle groups, including the abs, back, and glutes. By holding a plank position for a set period, you can improve your balance and stability while also toning your muscles. Planks are a versatile exercise that can be performed anywhere, making them an excellent addition to any workout routine.

To perform a basic plank:

Start in a push-up position, but instead of lowering yourself to the ground, hold your body in a straight line with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
Engage your abs, glutes, and back muscles to hold the position for at least 30 seconds.
Gradually increase the time as you become stronger.
As you progress, you can try different plank variations, such as side planks, plank jacks, and plank twists, to challenge your balance and stability even further.

One of the great things about planks is that they require no equipment, so you can do them at home, in the gym, or even at the office during a break. Plus, they can be easily modified to suit your fitness level and goals. For example, if you find holding a full plank too challenging, you can start with a modified version by dropping your knees to the ground. Alternatively, you can add a stability ball or a weight to make the exercise more challenging.

Top 2: Single-Leg Deadlifts

Single-leg deadlifts are a great exercise for developing stability and strength in your lower body, particularly your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. They also challenge your balance and coordination, making them an excellent addition to any balance-focused workout routine.

To perform a single-leg deadlift:

Stand on one foot with a slight bend in your knee.
Hold a weight in the opposite hand.
Slowly hinge at the hips, lowering your torso toward the ground while extending your free leg backward.
Keep your back straight and your core engaged as you lower the weight toward the ground.
And then return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.

Single-leg deadlifts can be challenging, so it’s essential to start with a lighter weight and focus on proper form before increasing the intensity. As you become more comfortable with the exercise, you can add weight or try different variations, such as performing them on an unstable surface or incorporating a balance ball.

Top 3: Bird Dogs

Bird dogs are a simple yet effective exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, including the core, glutes, and back. They also help improve your coordination and balance, making them an excellent choice for core workouts by Mobile, AL trainers that focuses on stability.

To perform a bird dog:

Start on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips.
Keeping your core engaged, lift your right arm and left leg off the ground.
Extend them out in front of you and behind you, respectively.
Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

As you become more comfortable with bird dogs, you can add variations such as lifting both arms and legs simultaneously or holding a weight in one hand. You can also try performing them on an unstable surface such as a stability ball to further challenge your balance and stability.

Top 4: Side Planks

Side planks are a challenging exercise that targets the obliques, hips, and core muscles. They help build strength and stability in the side of your body, improving your balance and reducing the risk of injury.

To perform a side plank:

Start by lying on your side with your elbow directly under your shoulder and your legs stacked on top of each other.
Lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from your head to your feet.
Hold for at least 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
To make the exercise more challenging, you can lift your top leg or arm, perform a side plank with a twist, or hold a weight in your hand.
You can also try performing the exercise on an unstable surface such as a stability ball.

Overall, side planks are an effective way to build core strength, improve your balance, and reduce the risk of injury. By adding them to your workout routine and gradually increasing the intensity, you can achieve a stronger, more stable body and enhance your overall physical performance.

Top 5: Stability Ball Rollouts

Stability ball rollouts are a challenging exercise that targets your abs, obliques, and lower back muscles while improving your core stability and control. They also require coordination and balance, making them an excellent addition to any balance-focused workout routine.

To perform a stability ball rollout:

Start on your knees with your forearms resting on the stability ball.
Keeping your core engaged, slowly roll the ball forward.
Extend your arms as far as possible while maintaining control.
Hold for a few seconds, then slowly roll the ball back toward your knees.
To make the exercise more challenging, you can perform the rollouts from a standing position or with one arm, or add a pushup at the end of each rollout.
You can also try using an unstable surface such as a BOSU ball or perform the exercise with one leg lifted off the ground.

Overall, stability ball rollouts are an effective way to enhance your core stability and control while challenging your balance and coordination. By incorporating them into your set of core workouts by Mobile, AL trainers and gradually increasing the intensity, you can achieve a stronger, more stable body and take your fitness to the next level.

Top 6: Plank with Hip Dips

The plank with hip dips is a challenging exercise that targets the entire core, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and lower back muscles. In addition to improving core strength and stability, the plank with hip dips also has a number of other benefits. It can help improve posture, reduce the risk of injury, and increase overall body awareness. Plus, because it’s a bodyweight exercise, it can be done anywhere, anytime, without the need for equipment or a gym membership.

To perform this exercise:

Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet together.
Engage your core and lower your hips to one side, touching the floor with your hip before returning to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.
To increase the intensity, try holding the plank position for longer or adding a push-up after each hip dip.
You can also try doing this exercise on an unstable surface, such as a balance ball or a BOSU ball, to engage your stabilizer muscles even more.

Just remember to listen to your body, start with a lower intensity, and progress gradually to avoid injury. With consistent practice, you’ll soon see improvements in your core strength and overall fitness.

Top 7: Bicycle Crunches

Bicycle crunches are a great core exercise that works the abs, obliques, and hip flexors while also increasing balance and stability. It is a multi-muscle exercise that resembles the motion of pedaling a bicycle.

Follow these steps for this workout:

Lie flat on your back with your hands behind your head to complete bicycle crunches.
Raise your legs off the ground and make a 90-degree bend in your knees.
Bring your right elbow to your left knee while straightening your right leg.
Switch sides by bringing your left elbow to your right knee and straightening your left leg.
Repeat on each side for 10 to 15 repetitions.

To get the most out of this exercise, keep your core engaged, avoid straining your neck, and keep a steady rhythm. To add diversity and challenge your balance and stability even further, consider additional variations, such as turning your torso to touch your elbow to the opposite knee. Bicycle crunches may be done anywhere, making them an easy addition to any fitness regimen.

Conclusion

Overall, keeping balance and stability is critical for physical health and well-being. Using targeted exercises to build core strength can improve posture, prevent falls and injuries, and improve physical performance. Planks, single-leg deadlifts, bird dogs, side planks, stability ball rollouts, and other core workouts described in this article are great techniques to enhance balance and stability.

These exercises may be adapted to suit different fitness levels and can be done anywhere without the use of any equipment. You can create a stronger, more stable physique and live a healthier, happier, and more active life by including these core workouts by Mobile, AL trainers into your regimen and progressively increasing the intensity.