Core exercises with instructions

In nocardio the core means the abs and the obliques. Both sit at the front and along the flanks, and they have two jobs: bending and rotating the torso — and stopping it from bending or rotating.

The second job is the more common one. In every squat, every deadlift and every overhead press, the core holds the spine in place while load acts on it. That is work, even when nothing moves.

That gives four kinds of core exercise: ones that flex the torso (crunches, leg raises), ones that rotate it (wood choppers, Russian twists), ones that resist flexion (planks, ab rollouts), and ones that resist rotation (single-sided work, Pallof presses).

What matters in execution. The core does not need high rep counts, it needs tension. Twenty fast crunches are worth less than eight slow ones. In a plank the hips neither sag nor pike — the line from shoulder to heel stays straight. And breathing is part of it: holding your breath does not brace your abs, it holds your breath.

How much per week. Roughly 10 to 20 sets, and for the core rather the lower end, because it works in every heavy compound lift. Squat and pull heavy and part of it is already covered.