15-Minute Core Muscle Exercises

You may have heard that “core” strength is vital to your well-being. But what is your core, anyway?

The core, as it's known in strength training circles, consists of all the muscles in your abdominal and lower back areas.

This includes all the abdominal muscles (rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques, transverse abdominus and intercostals) as well as the muscles associated with the spine (the erector spinae group) and the hip flexors (iliacus and psoas, collectively known as the iliopsoas).

Getting to Know the Details
These muscles all work in harmony to provide 

stabilization for your body and to transfer power from the legs to the upper body and vice versa.These muscles, when developed properly, boost confidence and balance as you walk through day by day.

The core muscles also function to keep your insides in, where they belong!

In order for you to healthily develop this group of muscles, you will be performing certain exercises which directly hits the major muscles mentioned above.

You will be needing equipments such as the resistance tube and the adjustable dumbbells.

 For additional information, these equipments were built for you to achieve the figure you want.
 These are cheap, affordable and easy to use, wherever you want to use it. These will save not only your time and effort but also your money.

Core Muscle Exercises with Resistance Tubes

1. Ab Sit-Ups
Lie on your back, your feet flat on the floor, legs together, and arms crossed in front of your chest. Fix the tube in any stationary post, it may be your feet. Engage your abs by holding the ends of the tube with each of your hand. Do this 20 times.

2. Chops
Chops, also called standing cable rotations, are done with the tube fastened to the door at chest level. Stand perpendicular to the door and grab both handles with both hands. Extend your hands straight in front of you. Rotate your hips and arms towards the door, then rotate them all the way back to the other side of your body. Keep your abs tight the whole time and keep your head in line with your hands. You can also attach the tube to a low point on the door and do compounds chop by squatting and then chopping up at an angle when you stand up.

3. Lying Crunches
Lying crunches can be performed with the assistance of a Swiss ball. Attach the tube to the door at about hip level. Have your back to the door, grab the handles and roll across the ball so you are in an inclined position. Extend your arms and hold the handles down by your sides. Crunch downward by engaging your abdominal muscles, then come back up. You should be far enough away from the door that there is resistance in the tube the whole time. Repeat 12 times

Core Muscle Exercises with the Adjustable Dumbbells

1. Side bending

This exercise is done from a standing position. First, grasp a dumbbell in one hand and place it next to your thigh. Keep your feet close together. Place your opposite hand behind your head (Note: This step is optional. You can also place the hand on the waist.). Next, bend your waist to the side opposite the dumbbell. Repeat the exercise several times. Be sure to exhale as you bend to the side. Repeat 12 times on each side.

2. Dumbbell push
This is performed by lying, facing up, on an incline bench, though it can also be done lying on the floor. The head should be at the bottom on the incline bench with the feet hooked under the foot pad. A single dumbbell is held straight in the air above the chest. You will squeeze your abs and raise your head and shoulders off the bench.

You should reach toward the ceiling with the dumbbell. One rep is completed by lowering yourself slowly back to the bench. The lower back should stay flat against the bench at all times. The rectus abdominis is the main muscle used in this exercise.