If someone told you crunches were the best way to build core strength, they weren’t wrong exactly, they just weren’t giving you the full picture.
Crunches target the rectus abdominis, the muscle that runs down the front of your belly. And yes, that muscle matters. But your core is a whole team: your deep transverse abdominis, your obliques, your glutes, your back muscles. They work together to stabilize your spine, keep your balance, and help you move through real life without throwing out your back picking up a bag of groceries.
As a trainer in my 60s, I can tell you this: training your core for function is what actually changes how you feel day to day.
The good news? You don’t need any equipment or a gym membership to train it right. These five moves are some of my favorites for building a strong, stable, functional core at home. They also happen to be a lot more interesting than doing crunch number 47.
Why Crunches Alone Aren’t Enough
Hollywood has been selling us six-pack culture for decades, and somewhere along the way a lot of women decided that crunches were the workout. But here’s what I want you to understand: a strong core isn’t about the muscle you can see.
It’s about the muscles doing their job when you carry groceries, chase a grandkid, get out of a chair, or stand on your feet all day. Those muscles live deep, and crunches barely touch them.
Functional core training means teaching your muscles to stabilize and control movement, not just crunch up and down. These five exercises do exactly that. You’ll feel them in places crunches never reached, and your body will thank you for it.
1. Bird Dog
Sets: 2–3 | Reps: 8–10 each side | Rest: 30 sec
This one is a personal favorite because it does so much at once. Bird dog builds coordination, trains the deep stabilizers along your spine, and fires up your transverse abdominis (the deepest core muscle, sometimes called your “inner corset”).
It’s also excellent for posture, which is something most of us could use a little more of. The key is slow and controlled. This is not a speed exercise.
How to Do Bird Dog:
- Start on your hands and knees, hands directly under your shoulders, knees under your hips.
- Engage your core, think about pulling your belly button gently toward your spine.
- Extend your left arm straight forward and your right leg straight back at the same time, forming one long line from your fingertips to your heel. Keep your hips level. Don’t let one side dip.
- Pause briefly at the top, then return with control and switch sides.
- Continue alternating with each rep.
Form tip: Keep your gaze down at the floor rather than looking forward. It’ll help keep your neck neutral and your spine long.
Explore even more posture exercises to build muscle and stand taller.
2. Glute Bridge
Sets: 2–3 | Reps: 10–12 | Rest: 30–60 sec
Don’t let the name fool you, glute bridges are a core exercise. When you lift your hips, your glutes and core have to work together to keep your pelvis stable and your low back from arching. That combination is exactly what protects you from lower back pain, which is one of the most common complaints I hear from women in midlife.
This move is also beginner-friendly, joint-friendly, and you can do it lying on your living room floor. The best part? Your glutes will be on fire in the best possible way.
How to Do a Glute Bridge:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Engage your core.
- Press through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top and pause for a second before lowering slowly.
Form tip: Watch for rib flare as you lift. Keep your ribs down and your low back from arching excessively.
3. Side Plank
Sets: 2–3 | Time: 20–30 sec each side | Rest: 30–45 sec
Crunches work the front of your core. Side planks work the sides, your obliques and deep lateral stabilizers, which are the muscles that keep you upright, protect your hips, and improve your lateral strength.
In real life, your core has to resist forces coming from every direction, not just front to back. This move trains that. It also builds what I like to call injury resilience: the kind of strength that keeps you on your feet and out of the physical therapist’s office.
How to Do a Side Plank:
- Lie on your side, propped up on one elbow directly under your shoulder. Stack your feet.
- Engage your core and lift your hips off the floor until your body forms one straight line.
- Hold the position, then switch sides.
Make it easier: Bend your knees and keep them on the floor as you lift your hips. This is a great modification if you’re newer to this move, you’ll still feel those obliques working.
4. Superman
Sets: 2–3 | Reps: 10–12 | Rest: 30 sec
Most core exercises train the front of your body. Superman flips that, literally, and works the back side: your lower back, glutes, and the muscles that run along your spine. Those muscles are just as much a part of your core as your abs, and when they’re weak, your posture suffers and your low back pays the price.
This move is simple, requires zero equipment, and is a great counterbalance to all the sitting most of us do during the day.
How to Do Superman:
- Lie face-down on the floor with your legs long and your arms extended overhead. Draw your belly button up away from the ground.
- Engage your abs, back muscles, and glutes, then lift your arms and legs simultaneously off the floor. Keep your gaze down, don’t crane your neck up.
- Hold briefly at the top, then lower back down with control.
Form tip: Focus on length, not height. You don’t need to lift high, just long. Think about reaching your fingertips and toes in opposite directions as you hold.
5. Forearm Plank
Sets: 2–3 | Time: 20–45 sec | Rest: 30–60 sec
Yes, you probably already know the plank. But I’d be leaving something off this list if I didn’t include it, because it genuinely earns its spot every single time. The forearm plank is one of the most complete core exercises there is, it trains your transverse abdominis, your rectus abdominis, your obliques, your glutes, and your back muscles all at once, in an isometric hold that mirrors how your core actually works in real life (holding steady under load, not crunching up and down).
It also builds the kind of core endurance that makes everything else easier: carrying things, standing for long periods, holding your posture at your desk. Don’t skip it.
How to Do a Forearm Plank:
- Start face-down on the floor, forearms on the ground, elbows directly under your shoulders, hands flat, shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core, then press down through your forearms and lift your body off the floor. You’re supported by your forearms and toes.
- Keep your body in one straight line from head to heels. Pull your navel toward your spine and squeeze your glutes to keep your hips from dropping or piking up.
- Hold for 20 to 45 seconds, or longer if you’re feeling strong.
Modification: Drop to your knees if you feel any pressure in your lower back or can’t hold your hips in line with your shoulders. A solid knee plank with great form beats a sloppy full plank every single time.
How to Put This Into a Workout
You can do all five of these moves back to back as a standalone core routine (it takes about 15 to 20 minutes), or tack two or three of them onto the end of a strength training session as your core finisher. Aim to hit this routine two to three times a week for best results.
Your body won’t transform overnight, but a few weeks in, you’ll notice things: your posture sitting up straighter, your back feeling more supported, your balance getting sharper. That’s functional strength doing its job.
All you need is a yoga mat and about 15 minutes. No gym, no equipment, no excuses (I say that with love).
Moral of the story? Crunches aren’t the villain. They’re just not the whole story. Your core deserves a full workout, and these five moves are a great place to give it one. Grab your mat, try the routine this week, and let me know in the comments which one you feel the most!
PS. Looking for a full core workout to follow along with? Check out Get Healthy U TV, we’ve got core workouts, strength training, and more for women who want to feel strong at every age.
FAQs
Two to three times a week is the sweet spot for most women. Your core muscles respond well to consistency, and they also need a little recovery time between sessions, especially the deep stabilizers. You don’t need to do an hour-long core class. Even 15 focused minutes two or three times a week adds up significantly over time.
They can, yes, but always check with your doctor or physical therapist if you’re dealing with a specific injury or chronic pain. In general, strengthening the deep core muscles (especially the transverse abdominis and glutes) takes a lot of pressure off the lower back. The dead bug and bird dog in particular are moves that physical therapists often recommend for exactly this reason. That said, start gently and stop if anything hurts.
Absolutely. Every move on this list has a beginner-friendly entry point. Modify the side plank to your knees, slow down the dead bug range of motion, hold the plank for just 10 or 15 seconds at first. Start where you are. That’s always the right starting point.
Yes, and I’d actually say they’re especially important during and after menopause. Hormonal changes can affect core stability, pelvic floor function, and posture. Building functional core strength during this stage of life supports all of that. These moves are low-impact, joint-friendly, and designed for real-life strength, exactly what midlife women need.