What are Core Workouts for Men?
Core workouts strengthen the muscles in the body. Your core is comprised of several muscles, including the transverse abdominal, the rectus abdominis, and an often overlooked internal oblique. These muscles are responsible for ensuring a range of daily movements. However, it is not just any movement that triggers this group. You’re using these muscles to achieve your desired goal when you twist or bend. The core is a group of muscles that literally stabilize your body. What’s important to remember is that they include the abs, hamstrings, glutes, latissimus dorsi (lats), trapezius (traps), and iliopsoas.
When you’re young, balance and agility are practically a given. As such, you may take the core muscles for granted well into your later years. That’s bad news if you’re a father, in particular, since you need a functional and balanced core to keep up with your kid. Enter the best Core Workouts for men.
What are the Benefits of Core Workouts for Men?
There are more benefits to this regimen than meet the eye. Yes, you’ll be generating stronger abs, improving your sense of balance, strengthening your mid-section, retaining better posture, and increasing your agility, but you’ll also be eliminating back pain.
For grown males, back pain can be a consistent and debilitating problem that keeps you from performing a slew of basic functions. By implementing a core-focused fitness regimen, you’ll be actually solving the problem, as opposed to just medicating it. Of course, that’s presuming you perform the right back and ab exercises, whereas the wrong ones can only make your back pain worse.
Another benefit of a quality core workout is that it feeds into your other athletic endeavors. This rings especially true for bodybuilders, who need a strong core to maintain stability when performing bench presses and deadlifts. Not only do proper Core Workouts provide a solid foundation for these routines, but they also decrease the risk of injury. Along similar lines, Core Workouts for basketball players, marathon runners, and others will benefit from the same general reasons.
10 Best Core Workouts for Men
1. Ab Wheel Rollout
Grab a fitness ab wheel, kneel in front of your mat and make sure the wheel is firmly in front of you with the ball facing your chin. Keeping the recoil under control, roll forward with your arms straight out at shoulder height until you lose tension. Then roll back into starting position with ease. As you improve, the exercises will start to get harder and more challenging, but thankfully, you’ll be able to keep up with it. It is a good idea to give yourself time between sets so that your body can fully recover and replenish all of the energy you are using.
Muscles worked: rectus abdominis, obliques, erector spinae
Equipment needed: ab wheel, exercise mat (optional)
2. Medicine Ball Slam
You’ll want to focus on bouncing the ball on the ground in front of you to see how it moves. Get into a stretch position, and use your arms to shift the weight of your body onto one leg. Then, gently swat at the ball with your free hand. Perform this series of reps, employing your core muscles and shoulders as you slam the ball up to the sky. Focus on catching the ball once it bounces down and repeating that motion.
Muscles worked: rectus abdominis, deltoids, biceps, triceps, lats, glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves
Equipment needed: medicine ball
Muscle Sandwich Bars Buy on Amazon – Click Here
3. Three-Point Plank
Basic planks are known as a challenging exercise that help build up your whole body. They build strength and can burn fat, so they make sense in certain situations. One way to achieve this is by performing a three-point plank, which involves removing one contact point from the floor. Get into the plank position, keep your spine perfectly straight, raise a foot off the ground and hold your body in place.Avoid tilting in either direction, switch legs every 5-10 seconds.
Muscles worked: rectus abdominis, quads, shoulders, glutes, lower back
Equipment needed: exercise mat
4. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
Pick a kettlebell or dumbbell up at one side, bending your standing knee. Engage your core as you move through the movement. Extend the other leg behind you while keeping your spine neutral and hip engaged. Lower your weights until the ground is parallel to your back, then go back up to being upright. Switch sides and do this again. Start with lighter weights and sets, working your way up on both fronts.
Muscles worked: core, hamstring, quads, glutes, hips, trapezius, back stabilizers, shoulder stabilizers
Equipment needed: dumbbell or kettlebell
5. Windshield Wipers
Lie on the floor. Hold a barbell above you. Keep your arms in place and your legs together for balance. Lower your legs, one at a time, without touching down to the floor, and then switch sides with the other leg now on top of the first leg.
Muscles worked: rectus abdominus, obliques
Equipment needed: exercise mat, barbell
6. Reverse Crunches
Reverse crunches are also great for your abs and look really cool in a way. Keep your upper back straight on the ground as you lift your legs, glutes and lower back toward your chest. Repeat until you’re sore.
Muscles worked: rectus abdominis, obliques
Equipment needed: exercise mat
7. Hanging Leg Raise
Find a pull-up bar and get down into the dead hang position, with your legs together. Raise your legs back to the start position and hang on it. Carefully!
Muscles worked: rectus abdominis, rectus femoris, iliopsoas, tensor fascia latae, adductors, obliques
Equipment needed: high bar
8. Hip Bridge
This is a great exercise for your body to improve general health and joint stability. If you’re particularly interested in the latter, place your feet further away from your torso so that it’s easier for you to reach.Now, lift your hips while keeping your back straight. Hold for 15 seconds before slowly returning to the starting position. Repeat the process, eventually working your way up to a longer hold as you go.
Muscles worked: abdominals, obliques, hip flexor, glutes, hamstring, lower back, core
Equipment needed: exercise mat
Muscle Maximizer The Evolution of Muscle Building
to know more about muscle building click here
9. Dip/Leg Raise Combo
This exercise is a core part of training men’s strength, but it’s also very difficult to do it right. Try doing this with the parallel bars and using your knees for balance by suspending yourself between them. Prepare to say hello to strong abs because they’re arriving shortly. Keep your legs in the L-position to help you.
Muscles used: abs, shoulders, triceps, lower back, hip flexors
Equipment needed: dip bar
10. Superman Hold
Lie on your stomach, keeping your spine and neck in neutral. Extend both arms and both legs as if you’re Superman flying through the air. Your waist and belly button should be the only things that touch the floor. Hold the position for 15 seconds during the early rounds. Make sure to keep your upper and lower body moving in sync as you progress.
Muscles used: glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, upper traps, core
Equipment needed: exercise mat
Bonus: Flutter Kick
Here’s a classic ab exercise that brings the pain and results alike, so we’re including it as a bonus. Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms extended at either side. Lift your heels about 6 inches off the ground and flutter kick in a quick motion. See how long you can last and work up as you improve.
Muscles used: rectus abdominis, obliques, hip flexors
Equipment needed: exercise mat
Core Workouts Core Workouts Core Workouts Core Workouts Core Workouts Core Workouts Core Workouts