6 Best Core Exercises That Will Get You Lean And Stacked

The core is a collection of muscles that attaches the upper body to the pelvis and helps maintain your posture.

The best way to work out the core is with exercises that engage both the front and sides of the muscle group. They can help you get lean and stacked to help you look good from all angles.

Best Core Exercises

Here's a look at six such exercises:

#1 Hanging leg raise

The hanging leg raise targets the core, so it’s great for building a six-pack.

Here's how to do it:

Grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and arms fully extended.
Hang from the bar with straight legs and raised arms, contracting your abs to form a 90-degree angle between your torso and thighs.
Slowly lift your legs towards you till they're about parallel to the floor; hold this position for two seconds before lowering back down again.
If you can't do that movement, try jumping kicks instead of lifting both legs together at once; as you become stronger, try doing one leg at a time instead of both together.

To increase difficulty (and get more results), simply extend each rep by raising yourself higher off the ground or holding each rep longer in that high position before lowering back down again or both.

#2 Reverse crunch

The reverse crunch is a great exercise for the abdominal region, as it targets the entire core. That makes it a great option if you don't wish to split your attention between the various core exercises.

This exercise works primarily the rectus abdominis but also targets your obliques (external and internal), glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors.

Here's how you do this exercise:

Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent 90 degrees.
Lift the hips off the floor, and hold for three seconds.
Push your upper body forward, and lower to start the position to complete one rep.
Do 8-12 reps for three sets, resting 30 seconds between sets.

#3 Plank

A plank is a static exercise that works the core and strengthens the muscles of your back, arms, and legs. It's also an effective way to improve posture and prevent injuries such as lower back pain.

To perform a plank:

Get into a push-up position with your shoulders directly above your hands, keeping them shoulder-width apart.
The forearms should be on the floor at all times throughout this exercise. If you can't do so because you're stiff or have wrist problems, rest them against a wall instead.
Tuck in both of your glutes to stabilize, and engage those muscles throughout the exercise so that they don't take over for other muscle groups (i.e., abdominal).

The goal is to hold this position for at least ten seconds before relaxing into a child's pose or downward dog yoga poses if possible (but not required).

Don't rush through it. Make sure all four corners of each foot are grounded by pressing down evenly through each one while maintaining balance throughout every part of the body from head to toe.

#4 Side plank

The side plank is an advanced, unilateral exercise that's perfect for working the obliques and seeing what your legs and arms are made of.

Here's how you do this exercise:

Lie on your side with your legs straight and stacked on top of each other, with feet together and arms extended by your side.
Keeping your body in a straight line, brace the core by contracting the abs as if you were about to be punched in the stomach.
Without moving from that position, raise your hips towards the ceiling till your body forms a diagonal line from head to toe.
The hips should not rise higher than shoulder height, nor should they drop lower than knee height. They should remain parallel to one another at all times while maintaining contact between legs and floor at all times throughout the exercise.
Hold this pose for 30 seconds before returning down to the starting position (when lowering yourself down.
Keep control over the movement so that you don't drop too quickly, or allow yourself to collapse forward onto his hands). Repeat three more times on each side with perfect form before switching sides again.

#5 V-up

V-ups are a great way to isolate the obliques, which can be very difficult to target. Here's how you do this movement:

Start on your back with your legs raised and together.
Keeping feet together and arms straight, lift your legs off of the ground as you raise your torso off of the floor.
Make sure you don't arch your back or let either foot touch the ground for additional reps.

#6 Wall-sit

Wall sits are a great full body workout to target the hamstrings, glutes, and core.

They're done as follows:

Set up about two feet away from a wall, and grab onto it for stability.
Place your feet against the wall with either leg bent at 90 degrees, depending on what feels most comfortable to you.
Lean back till you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, and slowly lower yourself down till your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Hold this position as long as possible without losing form; keep breathing throughout.

Takeaway

There you have it: Six of the best core workouts that canget you lean and stacked. These moves are great for beginners and advanced lifters alike, so don’t feel intimidated by any of them. If you need any extra guidance, consult a trainer for added assistance.