Skip to main content

7 exercises that target the deep core (and what that actually means)

The best workouts to target your deep core (and why that's important)

a man getting into plank pose
Li Sun / Pexels

Spend enough time — or any time — on bodybuilding TikTok and Instagram, and you’ll see tons of tools and exercises focusing on the coveted six-pack abs. That part of the mid-section is visible, though a six-pack isn’t attainable for everyone. Genetics plays a role.

Besides, toning the midsection is about much more than a particular look—and even those sometimes visible ab muscles. In fitness studio classes and on apps, trainers constantly discuss the “deep core.” These crucial muscles team up to help you run faster, lift heavier, and operate better in your day-to-day life. What are the deep core muscles, and how do you target them? This information and seven bodyweight-only deep core exercises will improve your fitness and function and reduce pain risk.

Recommended Videos

What is the deep core?

a clos eup of a man with a six pack
Tima Miroshnichenko / Pexels

“Core” may be singular. However, numerous muscle groups comprise the core, each serving an essential purpose in strength, length, and mobility. The deep core muscles are the transverse abdominis, multifidus, diaphragm, and pelvic floor. Here’s a quick primer on each:

  • Transverse abdominis. These are the deepest muscles in your core and are often nicknamed the “corset” muscles. A well-oiled transverse abdominis is vital to preventing back pain.
  • Multifidus. A muscle located deep within the back, the multifidus stabilizes the spine and lets you reach, bend, and stretch.
  • Diaphragm. Easier breathing is a hidden benefit of a solid, deep core. The diaphragm is set beneath the lungs and helps you take big, belly breaths.
  • Pelvic floor. Real talk: These muscles support the bladder, small intestine, and rectum, allowing you to perform the primary function of using the bathroom (and holding them until you get there).

These deep muscles combine with the rest of the core muscles — the six-pack abs (rectus abdominis), internal and external obliques, and glutes — to make up your midsection.

The importance of a solid deep core

man on gymnastics rings
Victor Freitas / Unsplash

From helping you reach your fitness goals to helping you touch your toes, the benefits of a solid deep core are multi-layered. Let’s unpack. A well-functioning deep core helps with:

  • Stability
  • Posture, especially if you spend time sitting at a desk
  • Balance
  • Back pain
  • Form when exercising
  • Breathing
  • Bladder/rectum control
  • Back pain reduction
  • Injury prevention
  • Athletic performance and endurance

In other words, strengthening these muscles through deep core exercises helps you improve your workouts and quality of life—yes, it’s that serious.

7 deep core exercises you can do on a mat

shadow of a man doing a plank
Pixabay / Pexels

You can target the deep core muscles. However, doing so will take careful attention to form and a mind-body connection. The step-by-step for these seven deep core exercises will help you master both.

Deep breathing

Yes, deep breathing made this list. They call them “belly breaths” for a reason. Breathing engages the diaphragm and helps you focus on the mind-body connection that will be vital as you progress in a workout targeting the deep core.

How to do it:

  1. Sit straight and tall on a mat or pillow.
  2. Place one hand on your chest and the other beneath the rib cage.
  3. Inhale deeply and slowly through the nose. Feel as the hand rises with the belly.
  4. Hold for two to three seconds.
  5. Exhale slowly through pursed lips as if you are trying to blow out 100 birthday candles, tightening the stomach muscles as you go.
  6. Repeat as desired.

Dead bug

The dead bug engages the entire core and gives the back a bonus workout.

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle in a tabletop position. Your hands should be stretched straight up, and your hands and shoulders should be aligned.
  2. Inhale deeply and lower the left leg and right arm toward the mat, keeping the pelvis stable.
  3. Exhale and return to the starting position.
  4. Switch sides.
  5. Repeat.

Bird dog

Similar to the dead bug, but on all fours, a bird-dog engages the entire deep core. The hamstrings also get some work.

  1. Get in an all-fours position with hands directly under shoulders and knees under hips.
  2. Inhale, keeping the spine neutral as you extend the right arm in front of you and the left leg behind you.
  3. Hold for a breath.
  4. Lower back to start.
  5. Repeat on the opposite side.

Planks

A classic ab exercise, planks target each muscle in the core. Engaging the abs by drawing the belly button into the spine and continuing to breathe will enhance the deep core benefits planks provide.

  1. Get into a high plank position with palms directly under your shoulders and legs extended behind you.
  2. Hold for 30-60 seconds, keeping the spine straight and not sagging.

Hundreds

A mainstay in Pilates workouts, hundreds engage the pelvic floor and help stabilize the spine.

  1. Lie on your back in a tabletop position. Inhale.
  2. Exhale as you lift your chin and shoulders off the mat. Curl your abs and extend your arms in front of you parallel to the floor.
  3. Pump the arms slowly and in a controlled manner as you inhale for five breaths.
  4. Do the same as you exhale for five breaths.
  5. Repeat nine times.

Bridges

It may be called a glute bridge, but this move doubles as a deep core exercise that targets the pelvic floor and transversus abdominis.

  1. Lie on the mat with feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart. Inhale.
  2. Exhale as you peel your hips off the floor with control.
  3. Stop when you hit the top, squeezing the glutes. Hold for three breaths.
  4. Exhale as you lower your back to start.
  5. Repeat.

Toe taps

Similar to dead bugs, this deep core exercise engages the transverse abdominis. Are you really trying for that six-pack? The move also targets the rectus abdominis.

  1. Lie on a mat in a tabletop position with your hands by your sides on the floor. Inhale.
  2. Exhale. Slowly lower both legs to the mat, tapping the toe on the floor.
  3. Inhale. Return to start with control.
  4. Repeat.

Summary

a topless man standing by the water
KAL VISUALS / Unsplash

The deep core muscles may be invisible but play significant roles in our day-to-day functioning. The muscles include the transverse abdominis, multifidus, diaphragm, and pelvic floor. The deep core muscles help stabilize and mobilize the spine, improve posture, assist with breathing and bladder function, reduce injury risk, and boost athletic performance — among a bevy of other benefits. Though deep core exercises are generally safe, speak with your care team before starting a workout post-injury. Some conditions, like diastasis recti, may require a more gradual approach with monitoring.

Topics
BethAnn Mayer
Beth Ann's work has appeared on healthline.com and parents.com. In her spare time, you can find her running (either marathons…
What does your walking pace have to do with your risk of dementia? New research
How important is your walking speed when it comes to your brain health?
Man jogging brisk walking outdoors in nature

Walking has been shown to boost your immune system, mood, and more. People like to walk at different times of the day with varying speeds, distances, and terrains. Maybe you prefer a brisk stroll through the city center or a longer, slower hike on a nature trail. It turns out your walking pace could say a lot about your brain health and overall health. Researchers explored the association between a slowing gait or walking pace and the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. Here’s what to know about the research.
The study

In a study published in JAMA, researchers studied almost 17,000 healthy American and Australian adults over age 65 for a seven-year period. Study participants took cognitive tests every two years that assessed memory, processing speed, verbal fluency, and overall cognitive decline. They also measured their ability to walk at least 3 meters or roughly 10 feet. The researchers averaged the results to determine the individual’s usual walking speed.
The study results

Read more
New study explores whether regular exercise can lower your risk of dementia
Does prioritizing your fitness help protect your brain health?
man exercising running around outdoors dark grey sky

We all want to protect our brains and bodies from disease and decline and stay sharp and vibrant throughout the decades. Regular exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle, and it brings a range of benefits, from lowering blood pressure to perking up your mood and prompting the release of feel-good endorphins. Your training habits can benefit your physical health and your brain health, too. For example, an interesting study showed that people who took part in aerobic fitness training had increased brain volume and white and gray matter. 

Physical activity can sharpen problem-solving, memory, and learning and reduce depression or anxiety. Another study concluded that cognitive decline is nearly twice as common in adults who are inactive compared to active adults. In a recent study, researchers wanted to look at how exercise lowered the risk of dementia. Let’s take a look at the study and the results.
The study

Read more
Can music help you run faster for longer? Here’s what the science shows
Could musical fuel help you finish that tough run?
man running marathon headphones black t shirt outside

Putting your headphones on and setting off into the distance helps you drown out the outside world and focuses your mind on the music. We all have our favorite playlists of tunes that captivate and absorb us in the melodies, harmonies, and beats. If you’re like many runners out there, grabbing your headphones, water bottle, and running shoes might be one of your favorite things to do.

Could listening to high-energy songs while running give you a boost so you can pick up the pace and finish that tough run? Can music make you run faster for longer? Researchers set out to find some answers and determine how music impacts running. Let’s look at the research.
The study

Read more