A strong core makes everyday life easier: carrying shopping, lifting a child, sitting at a desk without slumping. The good news is that you don’t need equipment or endless crunches to train it. This short routine uses five beginner-friendly moves and fits on a living-room floor.
Before you start
Warm up for a few minutes with marching on the spot, gentle arm circles and a couple of slow cat-cow stretches. Use a mat or a folded towel, and move slowly — control matters more than speed.
The workout
Do each move for the time or reps listed, rest briefly, then move to the next. Complete two rounds to start with, and build to three as it gets easier.
- Dead bug (8 slow reps per side): lie on your back, arms up, knees bent over hips. Lower the opposite arm and leg towards the floor while keeping your lower back gently pressed down, then return.
- Glute bridge (10 reps): lie on your back with feet flat, then lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Pause and lower.
- Bird dog (8 reps per side): on hands and knees, reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back, keeping your hips level. Return slowly.
- Forearm plank (20–30 seconds): elbows under shoulders, body in a straight line. Drop to your knees if you need to — it still works.
- Side plank on knees (15–20 seconds per side): lie on one side, prop yourself on your forearm and lift your hips off the floor.
How to make it harder over time
Once two rounds feel comfortable, add a third round, hold planks a little longer, or move from knees to full planks. Small steps keep progress steady without leaving you sore for days.
How often?
Two or three times a week is plenty, either on its own or tacked onto the end of our twenty-minute home workout. Follow it with a few minutes from our beginner stretching routine.
Listen to your body
Mild effort and muscle fatigue are normal; sharp pain is not. If you have back problems, are pregnant or have recently given birth, check with a doctor or physiotherapist before starting core work.
