The core, often referred to in relation to the abdominal, erector spinae, obliques, and the surrounding muscles, is really important during compound exercises. It provides force transfer between the upper and lower body.

What Are The Functions of the Core?

The core’s functions are almost endless, working in multiple planes of motion during different exercises. For example, during a barbell squat, the core works very hard to maintain stiffness to better transfer force from the floor up into the bar to allow you to lift more weight. However, in a side bend, the obliques work hard to contract to lower and raise the weight, instead of trying to stay still. In all cases, the core’s function is to support the spine and prevent it from experiencing excessive load.

Standing vs Non-Standing Core Exercises

With beginners, we often start with non-standing core exercises to better isolate the core and reduce the complexity of the movement. But as people get more confident in the gym, we often use standing variations to make the exercises harder but to also work on our coordination, further improving force transfer from lower to upper body or vice versa.

Our Top 15 Standing Core Exercises

1 - Rotational Med Ball Throw

This improves your rotational power by transferring force from your legs through into your arms and the ball, which is very beneficial for sports like boxing, tennis or golf, but also general movements like running or twisting in day-to-day life, given the involvement of the transverse plane.

2 - Banded Lateral Rotation

Like the rotational med ball throw, this also improves your rotational power and capacity but is good for those without the space to throw a med ball, with the variable resistance of the Band forcing you to continue to work hard throughout the movement, similar to the med ball variation.

3 - Suitcase Carry

This exercise targets your ability to maintain lateral stability, without the lower body fatigue that you may get from a heavy lunge or split squat.

4 - Farmers Walk

This is a great way to strengthen your erector spinae and core if you are unable to deadlift because it doesn’t require large amounts of lower body mobility.

5 - Pallof Press

This works on your anti-rotation abilities, which is great if you wish to work your transverse plane core strength but don’t have much rotational upper body mobility.

6 - Kettlebell Side Bends

This works on your frontal plane lateral core strength, which is great for exposing your core to greater ranges of motion than traditional exercises do, preparing you for the demands of your sport or day to day life, for instance, if you are picking up something awkwardly and unevenly off the floor.

7 - Barbell Back Squat

Yes, this is a core exercise. The barbell back squat activates the core even more so than exercises like the plank! A great exercise for strengthening the abs and erector spinae under very heavy loads.

8 - Single Arm Kettlebell Overhead Press

This, like the suitcase carry, challenges our lateral stability, but this time with the added challenge or pressing a kettlebell overhead while you do so. A tough but effective exercise to test your coordination and frontal plane core stability.

9 - Standing Ab Wheel Rollout

An extremely difficult core exercise, this Ab Roller is not for the faint hearted, working on your anti-extension core strength.

10 - Kettlebell Swing

This is a true reflection or your ability to transfer force from you lower body into your upper body by keeping you core stable. A great Kettlebell exercise for working on coordination during high power exercise.

11 - Barbell Good Morning

This hinge variation heavily targets the erector spinae, challenging your anti-flexion core strength.

12 - Sled Push

This works on your ability to transfer for from your lower body to upper body, through into the Sled, in a series of opposing rotational, side to side, actions, similar to a lot of athletic exercises, like sprinting.

13 - Standing Cross Crunch

This is a great exercise to work on your abdominal strength and rotational core strength if you don’t have any equipment.

14 - Standing Side Crunch

This too, is great for minimal equipment workouts, mimicking the benefits of exercises like the side bend, but with the added benefit of working on your external hip rotation mobility and strength.

15 - Standing Cable Crunch

This is a great exercise to overload the traditional crunch or sit up, where you may normally start to see diminishing returns as you get stronger, given the difficulties you may find in loading the exercises. It can also be used to unload the traditional crunch or sit up because you can start at lighter than your own bodyweight, unlike the crunch or sit up.

Add some of these core exercises into your training rotation to take your core training to the next level so that you are prepared for anything that life or training throws upon you!

Want to get a strong and functional core? Check out our pallof press variations.

Written by guest author Ewan Hammond.

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Tags: Equipment > Bars & Weight Plates ; Exercise Type > Conditioning