Strengthen the inner core

The inner core is not only important for our cells, but also for our general health. Today, for once, we don't mean our cell nucleus or our personality, but our "core" - as athletes call our body's center. Unfortunately, we often neglect it during training. And that is a mistake! Here are the best exercises to strengthen it.

How the core of our cell is central to its health, our body's core is also relevant to our overall health. After all, our "core" is our center of gravity. It refers to our midsection and includes not only our abdominal muscles - as many think - but also our lower back and hips. This body region is important for almost all sports, but also our everyday life. Why? Well, when it comes to sports, it's mainly about preventing injuries and training more efficiently. In everyday life, it is mainly about a healthy posture. So a strengthened middle back pain from working at a desk.

With these 5 exercises you can strengthen your middle. And best of all, they don't require any equipment or a gym. All you need is a mat and a little space.

1. hollowman

In Hollowman, or Hollow Position, your back is firmly on the floor while your head and feet are extended upward and your hands are held in the air next to your body, horizontal to the floor. Be sure to push your shoulders down and away from your ears. The lower back is also pressed firmly into the mat. This static exercise is particularly effective and is one of the so-called isometric exercises.

2. bridge

In the bridge, you also lie on your back, place your feet and pull them close to your buttocks. Your arms are right next to your body on the floor and stabilize. Then, with your torso tense, lift your pelvis up so that there is a straight line from your knees to your shoulder blades. Your legs, body and hands form a triangle. The exercise can either be done statically and held or actively with several repetitions of the movement. It not only strengthens the core of the body, but also the gluteal muscles. If you want to go one better, you can additionally put a weight in your lap to intensify the workout. But be careful: Please hold the weight with both hands so that it does not become independent!

3. suspended sitting

In the suspended position, only your butt touches the floor. You stretch your upper body and legs in the air so that they form a V. The most important thing here is to find your balance. The main thing here is to find and keep your balance. To start, you can bend your legs. If you want to strengthen the exercise, stretch them out. Again, as with the Hollowman, it is important to push the shoulders away from the ears.

4. leg lift

Lie flat on your back and lift your feet up at right angles. Then slowly lower them to just above the floor so that you are lying stretched out. Important: Your back must not hurt. Press it strongly into the mat and, if you feel it, place your hands under your lumbar spine for support or don't lower your legs as far. This exercise twists and turns the abdominal muscles like a wet towel, so it is particularly intense and strengthens the core.

5. Plank

The classic at the end. The plank position is the starting position in the push-up. For those who don't know it, you support yourself with your hands on the floor and lift your entire body up into the air except for your toes. The arms and the torso up to the feet are stretched like a board. In other words, only your hands and the balls of your feet are touching the floor. The best thing about this exercise is that you can do it in different variations and thus provide a lot of variety. Try alternately releasing one hand from the floor and briefly tapping the opposite shoulder. Watch your balance! Or alternately lift one foot and pull the knee under your body to the opposite elbow. A great strengthening exercise for the core! Another variation would be the forearm support with rotation. Here you place your forearms on the mat and get into a deeper plank position. Then, reinforce the workout by rotating your hips sideways, alternating right and left. Feet and upper body should hold the position as much as possible.