Core Exercises
Primary Muscles: Core, obliques, grip, postural muscles
How To: Hold the kettlebell on one side and walk while keeping your torso tall and resisting leaning.
Progression: Increase weight or distance.
Modification: Perform a stationary hold.
Primary Muscles: Obliques, deep core, hip flexors
How To: Rotate through your upper body. Bring your opposite elbow to your knee, keep an isometric hold. Pump opposite leg in and out.
Progression: Add resistance band tension.
Modification: Perform a standard bicycle very slowly or dead bug variation.
Primary Muscles: Deep core, transverse +rectus abdominis, hip flexors
How To: Begin in a hollow body hold with your lower back pressed into the floor. Lift your shoulders and legs, keeping your ribs down, then gently rock forward and backward while maintaining the hollow position. Move with control and avoid arching through your lower back.
Progression: Extend your arms fully overhead and straighten your legs to increase the challenge.
Modification: Bend your knees into a tuck position or perform a static hollow body hold instead of rocking.
Primary Muscles: Core, spinal stabilizers, glutes
How To: Start on hands and knees with your spine neutral. Extend your opposite arm and leg while keeping your pelvis steady and hips level. Think of reaching long as if you are being gently pulled in opposite directions, not lifting your arm and leg high.
Progression: Add a resistance band or pause at full extension.
Modification: Move only arms or legs.
Primary Muscles: Core, shoulders, chest, upper back
How To: Move between forearms and hands while maintaining a steady plank position.
Progression: Increase duration.
Modification: Perform from knees.
Primary Muscles: Deep core, trunk stabilizers
How To: Lower legs and arms at the same time, while keeping ribs down and maintaining control.
Progression: Add resistance band.
Modification: Move one limb at a time. Leave head and neck on floor.
Primary Muscles: Obliques, shoulders, hip stabilizers
How To: Hold a strong side position on forearm while maintaining steady breathing and alignment.
Progression: Add a top-leg lift or controlled rotation.
Modification: Perform from knees.
Primary Muscles: Deep core, shoulders, hip flexors
How To: Start in a bear hover position with your knees slightly lifted off the floor. Press through your hands (or forearms if in forearm position) and lift your hips toward the ceiling into a pike position while keeping your core engaged and spine controlled.
Progression: Add a dolphin push-up by lowering your forearms toward the floor from the pike position, then pressing back up before returning to bear hover.
Modification: Hold the bear hover without transitioning to pike.