7 Best Exercises All Athletes Should Do to Strengthen Their Core

A strong and stable core is crucial for athletes. It helps in improving sports performance, maintaining a good posture, decreasing the risk of injuries, building power and endurance, and more.

By including the right exercises in your workout routine, you will simply feel stronger and better aligned with your body. On the contrary, improper core training is much more likely to increase the chances of injury.

We have created a list of the best exercises for athletes that will help strengthen your core and improve your sports performance.

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Best Exercises for Athletes to Strengthen Their Core

1) Barbell Roll-Outs

Barbell roll-outs are dynamic exercises for working on the core stability and mobility of the body. This exercise is beneficial for athletes as it will actively engage and strengthen their core muscles. Additionally, this exercise will also work on the lumbar positioning and coordination of the body.

How to perform:

• Position yourself on the ground in a kneeling stance.
• With a grip slightly wider than the shoulder distance, clutch the barbell in front of you.
• With straight arms and an upright back, slowly roll the barbell in the opposite direction to your body. Roll the bar outwards until your arms are completely extended.
• Roll the barbell back towards your knees. This completes one rep.

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2) Plyometric Push-Ups

Plyometric push-ups will help athletes enhance their athletic performance by improving their speed and endurance. It will also help them strengthen their core and build muscles by targeting the shoulders, abdominals, and chest.

How to perform:

• Start in a high plank position with an engaged core.
• Lower yourself slowly towards the floor and as you push your body back up, do it with enough force for your hands to leave the floor.
• Some people clap their hands together for an added challenge.
• Land on the ground in a controlled manner. Repeat.

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3) Hanging Leg Raises

Hanging leg raises will help athletes strengthen their core muscles and enhance their grip strength. This exercise will also help in building the stability and mobility of the shoulders. Thus, hanging leg raises are good for athletes to work on the upper body posture and alignment of the body.

How to perform:

• Grasp the bar with an overhand grip and thumbs wrapped around it.
• Raise your legs above the ground and bring them outwards in front of your body.
• While maintaining a good stance, lift your legs so that your hips are angled at ninety degrees to the ground.
• In a deliberate manner, reverse your legs back to the initial position. Repeat.

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4) Renegade Row

Renegade row is also an effective exercise for athletes to strengthen their core and simultaneously work on their back and arm muscles. This exercise will enable building upper body strength and stability.

How to perform:

• Assume a standard push-up position on the ground with two dumbbells in your palms.
• Brace your hips, core, and shoulders. Slowly, bring one dumbbell towards the hips by bending the elbows.
• Hold for a few seconds and reverse to the initial position.
• Swap sides and repeat.

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5) Plank with Shoulder Taps

This exercise will help athletes strengthen their core, shoulders, arms, and glutes. Planks with shoulder taps will tighten the mid-section and enhance your posture.

How to perform:

• Assume a standard high plank position on the ground.
• While maintaining the alignment of your body, lift one hand off the ground and bring it towards the opposite shoulder.
• Swap sides and repeat.

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6) Landmine Rotation

It can be considered a dynamic exercise that will help you strengthen your core and build shoulder stability. This exercise is also beneficial for reducing the risk of back injury.

How to perform:

• Secure and lock one side of the bar in the wedge of the machine while holding the weighted side with both your hands.
• Twist your body towards one side and reverse to the central position.
• Immediately swap sides and repeat.

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7) Hanging Windshield Wipers

Resistance training from the windshield wiper will help athletes strengthen their core muscles along with working the leg and core muscles. This exercise will fully activate your core muscles and help you build stronger shoulder muscles.

How to perform:

Hang on with an overhand grip on the bar and tighten your abs. In a deliberate manner, bring your legs above and outwards in a manner where your hips are positioned at ninety degrees to the ground. Now move your legs from one side to the other slowly like a wiper position.

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Takeaway

The aforementioned exercises are some of the best and most effective exercises for athletes to strengthen their core. These workouts also provide a multitude of other benefits such as building muscles, working on the arms and shoulders, improving the alignment of the body, and so on.

However, improper form while doing these exercises can lead to serious injury or muscle strain. Please ensure to incorporate the proper stance.