I’m a fitness editor marathon runner, and I’m here to tell you that sit-ups won’t help you build a strong core muscles. As a mom, I know this for sure because it took me months to get my midsection back shape after having my son, and I did it without doing any sit-ups.
If you don’t have great genetics naturally and a low body fat percentage, don’t even think about getting a six-pack. I’m talking about the deep core strength that keeps your spine safe and acts as a corset for your body when you lift jump run. The best exercise for me so far is The humble deadbug, and below, I share my exact deadbug workout to help you do the same.
If you’re a total beginner recovering from an injury, pregnant, or just had a baby, it’s always best to talk to a qualified professional first before trying anything new exercise.
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10 Minutes of Daily Pilates for 2 Weeks Transformed Core Strength and Improved Posture Naturally
- No sit-ups planks: This 5-minute Pilates routine works your deep core muscles to make you stronger more stable.
- Woman activewear hands on her hips and a smile face pose.
- Don’t do sit-ups or crunches: This core crusher abs workout for beginners builds strong muscles safely.
- You don’t need to do sit-ups; instead, you need this 8 move workout to get strong abs fast.
What are the good things about a deadbug?
The deadbug is one of the best exercises abs because it teaches your core to keep spine stable while your arms and legs move. You will be working out your pelvic floor muscles and your deep core muscles, which are the transverse abdominis. These muscles wrap around your pelvic floor and internal organs. For most women recovering from childbirth or anyone with pelvic instability issues, deadbugs are a must.
Another great thing is that you’re working your abs without stress on your spine, which is not the case with sit-ups planks crunches. When you do this exercise, you’ll be lying on back in a tabletop position, which means your lower back naturally push against the floor for support.
If you feel your lower back coming away from the mat at any point during the exercise, it means you aren’t engaging your core properly, so you should stop start over.
What is the exercise?
Are you ready to begin? After I had my son, I went to a postnatal physiotherapist session, and she gave me the deadbug workout routine to help me get back into running weightlifting training. As I said before, it’s important to get personalised advice first if you just had a baby. I did three sets of 20 reps of each of the three deadbug variations, and I still use this simple workout routine a year later.
Standard deadbug
3 sets 20. A woman doing a dead bug exercise.
To begin, lie on your back with your arms legs tabletop position. This means your arms should be straight from your hands to your shoulders, and your legs should be bent at a 90 degree angle, with your knees stacked on top of your hips.
To work your core pelvic floor muscles, imagine zipping up and in, as if you were trying to squeeze into jeans that were too small tight.
Slowly and carefully, stretch one leg out away from your body. As you lower it toward the floor, straighten it. Don’t let it touch; stop a few inches above the mat. At the same time, stretch your other arm away from your body.
Stop here, then bring both back start position and do the same other side.
Pilates ball deadbugs
Three sets of 20 Pilates ball deadbugs.
You’ll need a Pilates ball exercise for this exercise. I bought this one on Amazon ten dollars.
Start in a tabletop position place the Pilates ball against the thigh of one leg. Push the ball against your leg with the other arm pushing.
Finish your deadbug reps slowly by extending the leg without the ball against it and the arm not holding the ball away from your body, with full control movement.
As you do your reps, keep the tension on ball. Your core has to work harder here to do this.
Before switching the ball to the other leg and starting over, do all of your reps one side.
Weighted deadbug
20 reps 3 sets. An illo of a woman doing a weighted dead bug.
You’ll need a set of light plates weights or the best adjustable dumbbells or ankle weights exercise for this exercise.
Hold a light weight each hand and do your dead bugs. Once more, the extra weight making your core work harder to keep body stable.
The most important thing to remember when doing any of the exercises above is to move slowly controlled. If you rush, it will be easier. Breathing also important in Pilates. When you stretch your arm and leg, breathe out through your pursed lips breathing. When you bring your limbs back to the starting position, breathe in through your nose. Make sure your lower back stays on the mat the whole time you do the exercise.
What do you think?
When was the last time you worked out your core muscles training?
- Before today moment
- Maybe last month… Don’t ask me the date unless I’m laughing really hard.
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Jane McGuire
Editor of fitness
As the Fitness editor for Tom’s Guide fitness, Jane McGuire is in charge of all things fitness, from yoga mats running gear. Jane has been testing and writing about fitness products for the past five years, so she knows what to look for in a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your phone. When Jane isn’t running, you can find her walking Surrey Hills and taking too many pictures of her puppy.
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Exercises
- No planks sit-ups: This 5-minute Pilates routine works your deep core muscles to make you stronger stable body.
- Don’t worry sit-ups and crunches: This core crusher workout for beginners builds strong muscles safely.
- I thought core was strong until I tried the paper test second.
- You don’t need to do sit-ups to get strong abs workout.
- Forget about sit-ups; this is the exercise I do to strengthen hips core.
- Not enough time? This 15-minute dumbbell workout will work your core hard without making you do any sit-ups.
