144 Best Core Exercises, With Photos and Muscle Maps

Front and sides of the midsection. Trunk flexion, rotation and resisting movement of the spine.

Front

Core highlighted on the body.

Exercises 144
Primary Target 83 movements
Stretches 11
Location Front and sides of the midsection

Core Exercises — Primary Target 83

These load the core directly. Fitnit-tracked movements first, then those with step-by-step photographs.

Crunches Crunches beginner No Equipment AI tracked Air Bike Air Bike beginner No Equipment Alternate Heel Touchers Alternate Heel Touchers beginner No Equipment Barbell Side Bend Barbell Side Bend beginner Barbell Bent-Knee Hip Raise Bent-Knee Hip Raise beginner No Equipment Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends beginner Cable Machine Bottoms Up Bottoms Up beginner No Equipment Butt-Ups Butt-Ups beginner No Equipment Cable Crunch Cable Crunch beginner Cable Machine Cable Judo Flip Cable Judo Flip beginner Cable Machine Cable Reverse Crunch Cable Reverse Crunch beginner Cable Machine Cable Russian Twists Cable Russian Twists beginner Cable Machine Cable Seated Crunch Cable Seated Crunch beginner Cable Machine Cocoons Cocoons beginner No Equipment Cross-Body Crunch Cross-Body Crunch beginner No Equipment Crunch - Hands Overhead Crunch - Hands Overhead beginner No Equipment Crunch - Legs On Exercise Ball Crunch - Legs On Exercise Ball beginner No Equipment Dead Bug Dead Bug beginner No Equipment Decline Oblique Crunch Decline Oblique Crunch beginner No Equipment Decline Reverse Crunch Decline Reverse Crunch beginner No Equipment Dumbbell Side Bend Dumbbell Side Bend beginner Dumbbells Elbow to Knee Elbow to Knee beginner No Equipment Exercise Ball Crunch Exercise Ball Crunch beginner Exercise Ball Exercise Ball Pull-In Exercise Ball Pull-In beginner Exercise Ball Flat Bench Leg Pull-In Flat Bench Leg Pull-In beginner No Equipment Jackknife Sit-Up Jackknife Sit-Up beginner No Equipment Janda Sit-Up Janda Sit-Up beginner No Equipment Knee/Hip Raise On Parallel Bars Knee/Hip Raise On Parallel Bars beginner Not specified Kneeling Cable Crunch With Alternating Oblique Twists Kneeling Cable Crunch With Alternating Oblique Twists beginner Cable Machine Landmine 180's Landmine 180's beginner Barbell Leg Pull-In Leg Pull-In beginner No Equipment Medicine Ball Full Twist Medicine Ball Full Twist beginner Medicine Ball Mountain Climbers Mountain Climbers beginner No Equipment Oblique Crunches Oblique Crunches beginner No Equipment Oblique Crunches - On The Floor Oblique Crunches - On The Floor beginner No Equipment One-Arm High-Pulley Cable Side Bends One-Arm High-Pulley Cable Side Bends beginner Cable Machine One-Arm Medicine Ball Slam One-Arm Medicine Ball Slam beginner Medicine Ball Otis-Up Otis-Up beginner Not specified Pallof Press Pallof Press beginner Cable Machine Pallof Press With Rotation Pallof Press With Rotation beginner Cable Machine Plank Plank beginner No Equipment Reverse Crunch Reverse Crunch beginner No Equipment Rope Crunch Rope Crunch beginner Cable Machine Seated Barbell Twist Seated Barbell Twist beginner Barbell Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull-In Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull-In beginner No Equipment Seated Leg Tucks Seated Leg Tucks beginner No Equipment Sit-Up Sit-Up beginner No Equipment Sledgehammer Swings Sledgehammer Swings beginner Not specified Smith Machine Hip Raise Smith Machine Hip Raise beginner Machines Spell Caster Spell Caster beginner Dumbbells Spider Crawl Spider Crawl beginner No Equipment Standing Cable Lift Standing Cable Lift beginner Cable Machine Standing Cable Wood Chop Standing Cable Wood Chop beginner Cable Machine Standing Rope Crunch Standing Rope Crunch beginner Cable Machine Supine One-Arm Overhead Throw Supine One-Arm Overhead Throw beginner Medicine Ball Supine Two-Arm Overhead Throw Supine Two-Arm Overhead Throw beginner Medicine Ball Suspended Reverse Crunch Suspended Reverse Crunch beginner Not specified Tuck Crunch Tuck Crunch beginner No Equipment Weighted Crunches Weighted Crunches beginner Medicine Ball Wind Sprints Wind Sprints beginner No Equipment Ab Crunch Machine Ab Crunch Machine intermediate Machines Ab Roller Ab Roller intermediate Not specified Advanced Kettlebell Windmill Advanced Kettlebell Windmill intermediate Kettlebell Barbell Ab Rollout Barbell Ab Rollout intermediate Barbell Barbell Rollout from Bench Barbell Rollout from Bench intermediate Barbell Decline Crunch Decline Crunch intermediate No Equipment Double Kettlebell Windmill Double Kettlebell Windmill intermediate Kettlebell Frog Sit-Ups Frog Sit-Ups intermediate No Equipment Gorilla Chin/Crunch Gorilla Chin/Crunch intermediate No Equipment Kettlebell Figure 8 Kettlebell Figure 8 intermediate Kettlebell Kettlebell Pass Between The Legs Kettlebell Pass Between The Legs intermediate Kettlebell Kettlebell Windmill Kettlebell Windmill intermediate Kettlebell Plate Twist Plate Twist intermediate Not specified Russian Twist Russian Twist intermediate No Equipment Suspended Fallout Suspended Fallout intermediate Not specified Weighted Ball Side Bend Weighted Ball Side Bend intermediate Exercise Ball Weighted Sit-Ups - With Bands Weighted Sit-Ups - With Bands intermediate Not specified Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees advanced Barbell Bent Press Bent Press advanced Kettlebell Hanging Leg Raise Hanging Leg Raise advanced No Equipment Hanging Pike Hanging Pike advanced No Equipment Press Sit-Up Press Sit-Up advanced Barbell Burpees intermediate No Equipment

Exercises That Also Work the Core 61

The core assists rather than leads in these — useful for volume without repeating the same movement.

Push-Ups Push-Ups beginner No Equipment AI tracked Squats Squats beginner No Equipment AI tracked Pull-Ups Pull-Ups intermediate No Equipment AI tracked Alternating Floor Press Alternating Floor Press beginner Kettlebell Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up beginner Not specified Carioca Quick Step Carioca Quick Step beginner Not specified Catch and Overhead Throw Catch and Overhead Throw beginner Medicine Ball Chest Push (multiple response) Chest Push (multiple response) beginner Medicine Ball Chest Push (single response) Chest Push (single response) beginner Medicine Ball Chest Push from 3 point stance Chest Push from 3 point stance beginner Medicine Ball Chest Push with Run Release Chest Push with Run Release beginner Medicine Ball Heavy Bag Thrust Heavy Bag Thrust beginner Not specified Incline Push-Up Medium Incline Push-Up Medium beginner No Equipment Incline Push-Up Reverse Grip Incline Push-Up Reverse Grip beginner No Equipment Incline Push-Up Wide Incline Push-Up Wide beginner No Equipment Isometric Wipers Isometric Wipers beginner No Equipment Kettlebell Pirate Ships Kettlebell Pirate Ships beginner Kettlebell Kneeling Arm Drill Kneeling Arm Drill beginner Not specified Lunges Lunges beginner No Equipment Medicine Ball Scoop Throw Medicine Ball Scoop Throw beginner Medicine Ball Plie Dumbbell Squat Plie Dumbbell Squat beginner Dumbbells Push Up to Side Plank Push Up to Side Plank beginner No Equipment Push-Up Wide Push-Up Wide beginner No Equipment Sandbag Load Sandbag Load beginner Not specified

Showing 24 of 61. Browse the full library →

Core Stretches 11

Mobility work for the same muscles. Full stretch library →

Lower Back Curl Lower Back Curl beginner No Equipment Middle Back Stretch Middle Back Stretch beginner Not specified One Half Locust One Half Locust beginner Not specified Overhead Stretch Overhead Stretch beginner Not specified Scissor Kick Scissor Kick beginner No Equipment Seated Overhead Stretch Seated Overhead Stretch beginner Not specified Standing Lateral Stretch Standing Lateral Stretch beginner Not specified Stomach Vacuum Stomach Vacuum beginner No Equipment Toe Touchers Toe Touchers beginner No Equipment Torso Rotation Torso Rotation beginner Exercise Ball Crossover Reverse Lunge Crossover Reverse Lunge intermediate Not specified

Core Exercises by Equipment

No Equipment 49 core exercises Barbell 25 core exercises Cable Machine 14 core exercises Kettlebell 11 core exercises Medicine Ball 11 core exercises Dumbbells 5 core exercises Exercise Ball 4 core exercises Machines 2 core exercises E-Z Curl Bar 1 core exercise

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best core exercises?

Fitnit lists 144 core exercises, 83 of which train the core as the primary muscle. The top of that list is Crunches, Air Bike, Alternate Heel Touchers, Barbell Side Bend.

Where are the core?

Front and sides of the midsection. Trunk flexion, rotation and resisting movement of the spine.

How do I stretch the core?

Fitnit lists 11 core stretches, including Lower Back Curl, Middle Back Stretch, One Half Locust. Each has photographs and instructions.

Can I train core at home with no equipment?

Yes — 49 of these need no equipment at all, including Crunches, Push-Ups, Squats.

Other Muscle Groups

Chest Exercises Pressing movements and drawing the arms across the body Back Exercises Pulling movements, spinal extension and posture Shoulders Exercises Raising and rotating the arm in every direction Biceps Exercises Bending the elbow and turning the palm upward Triceps Exercises Straightening the elbow Forearms Exercises Grip strength and wrist movement All Muscle Groups The full body map Exercise Library Every movement Fitnit lists

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