The Best Core Workout: How to Build Stability, Strength, and Power

The Best Core Workout: Build Stability and Power

When most people think of the “core,” they picture six-pack abs. But the true function of the core goes far deeper than aesthetics. Your core is the foundation of human movement, a system of muscles that stabilises the spine, protects against injury, and allows you to generate and transfer power in almost everything you do — from walking and running to lifting, surfing, or playing with your kids.

At Neurohealth Wellness, we see time and again how weak or poorly coordinated core muscles contribute to pain, stiffness, and recurring injuries. That’s why we emphasise functional, progressive, and science-backed approaches to core training — ones that focus not just on building strength, but on restoring control, stability, and resilience.

This blog will guide you through a progressive core training system you can start today. It begins with beginner-friendly exercises that reconnect you with deep stabilisers, builds into intermediate challenges for dynamic stability, and culminates in advanced routines that push your strength, mobility, and coordination to new levels.

Whether you’re recovering from pain, looking to prevent injury, or aiming to improve your performance, this progressive approach provides a roadmap for building a resilient core that supports your whole body for life.

Why Core Strength Matters

Your core is not just your abs. It’s a 360-degree network of muscles including:

• Deep stabilisers: transverse abdominis, multifidus, pelvic floor, diaphragm.
• Spinal supporters: erector spinae, quadratus lumborum.
• Hip and pelvic stabilisers: glutes, hip flexors.
• Obliques and rectus abdominis for trunk movement and rotational control.

When these muscles work together, they:

• Stabilise the spine under load (McGill, 2010).
• Reduce the risk of low back pain (Hides et al., 2001).
• Improve balance and athletic performance (Kibler et al., 2006).
• Support efficient movement in everyday activities (Hibbs et al., 2008).

A strong core doesn’t just make you better at sport — it makes you more resilient in life. From carrying groceries to sitting at a desk, your core is always working. Training it functionally helps prevent breakdown, compensations, and recurring injuries.

The Neurohealth Approach to Core Training

Many core workouts you’ll see online focus on endless crunches, sit-ups, or high-intensity ab circuits. These may make your muscles burn, but they often fail to train the stability and endurance your spine and nervous system need.

At Neurohealth Wellness, our ethos is:

• Function over aesthetics: We care less about the six-pack, more about how your body moves.
• Prevention over reaction: Building resilience now saves you from pain later.
• Progression over shortcuts: Gradual, structured training ensures safe, lasting gains.
• Holistic care: Core stability links to your posture, feet, breathing, and nervous system.

The routines below are designed with this philosophy in mind. They’re progressive, adaptable, and supported by research — and we’ll show you how to scale from beginner to advanced.

Beginner Core Routine (Foundation Phase)

If you’re new to core training or coming back after injury, start here. The goal is not to exhaust your abs, but to reconnect with deep stabilisers and build control.

Warm-Up: Diaphragmatic Breathing

• Lie on your back with one hand on your belly.
• Inhale deeply, expanding your ribs and stomach outward.
• Exhale slowly, keeping your spine neutral.
• 5–10 breaths.

Why it matters: Breathing is the foundation of core stability. The diaphragm, pelvic floor, and deep abdominals work as a team. Training them together builds a functional base (Kolar et al., 2012).

Dead Bug

• Lie on your back, arms pointing up, knees bent at 90°.
• Slowly lower the opposite arm and leg toward the floor without arching your back.
• Return to start and switch sides.
• 8–10 reps per side.

Bird Dog

• Begin on hands and knees.
• Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg backward.
• Keep your hips square and avoid arching.
• Hold 3 seconds.
• 8 each side.

Glute Bridge

• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat.
• Press through heels to lift hips, squeezing glutes at the top.
• Keep ribs down and core engaged.
• 10–12 reps.

Why bridges? Strong glutes are critical for core and spine health. Research shows weak glutes are linked to back pain and hip instability (Cooper et al., 2016). The bridge integrates hips and core functionally.

Modified Side Plank

• Lie on your side with knees bent and elbow under shoulder.
• Lift hips off the ground, forming a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Hold 20–30 seconds per side.

👉 Perform this circuit 2–3 times per week. Once you can complete it with ease and control, progress to the intermediate phase.

Intermediate Core Routine (Dynamic Phase)

Now that you’ve built stability, it’s time to challenge it under movement. This phase trains your body to maintain control when life (or sport) isn’t perfectly predictable.

Dead Bug with Resistance Band

• Anchor a band above you.
• Hold it while performing the dead bug.
• The band adds resistance, forcing greater anti-extension control.

Bird Dog with Elbow-to-Knee Tap

• Perform a standard bird dog.
• Bring your elbow and knee together under your torso.
• Extend back out.
• 8–10 each side.

Glute Bridge March

• Start in a glute bridge.
• Lift one foot a few centimetres off the ground, keeping hips level.
• Alternate legs slowly.
• 8 per side.

Side Plank with Hip Lift

• Begin in a full side plank on feet.
• Drop hips slightly, then lift them back up.
• 10 reps per side.

Why it matters: Adding dynamic movements builds endurance and prepares your core for real-world tasks like carrying uneven loads, running, or changing direction.

Advanced Core Routine (Resilience Phase)

This phase is about resilience and power — training your core to stay stable under high demand and through bigger ranges of motion. Only progress here once you can master the basics without compensation.

Single-Leg Deadlift with Reach

• Stand on one leg.
• Hinge forward, reaching toward the floor while keeping your back flat.
• Return to upright.
• 6–8 per side.

Plank with Shoulder Tap

• In a high plank, slowly tap one shoulder with the opposite hand.
• Keep hips level — no rocking.
• 10–12 per side.

Glute Bridge on Stability Ball

• Place feet on a ball.
• Perform a bridge, keeping hips level.
• For extra challenge: march one leg at a time.

Rotational Medicine Ball Throws (if available)

• Stand side-on to a wall.
• Rotate through hips and core, throwing a ball explosively.
• 6–8 throws per side.

Why it matters: Advanced drills build rotational control, power transfer, and reactive stability — skills that are crucial for sport, but also protect against sudden twists and unexpected movements in daily life.

How Core Training Prevents Injury

Research consistently shows that targeted core training reduces risk of low back pain and improves function:

• Low back pain prevention: Retraining multifidus and deep abdominals reduces recurrence of back pain (Hides et al., 2001).
• Balance and falls: Core stability training improves balance in older adults (Granacher et al., 2013).
• Athletic performance: A strong core enhances force transfer and efficiency in sport (Kibler et al., 2006).
• Posture and breathing: Functional breathing and deep core engagement improve spinal alignment and endurance (Kolar et al., 2012).

By building resilience through progressive training, you don’t just reduce pain — you also expand your capacity to move freely and powerfully.

Where Neurohealth Wellness Fits In

At Neurohealth Wellness on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, we specialise in helping people restore balance, function, and resilience. Our chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and hypnotherapists work together to support not just pain relief, but long-term wellbeing.

• Chiropractic care: Restores joint and nervous system function, making core training safer and more effective.
• Soft tissue therapy and cupping: Reduce restrictions that interfere with stability.
• Rehab guidance: Our team (including Dr. Tristan and Dr. Lucinda) integrate evidence-based rehab with hands-on care.
• Holistic approach: We connect your feet, posture, breathing, and lifestyle into one integrated plan.

We don’t just prescribe exercises — we guide you through a structured system that ensures you’re progressing safely, preventing injury, and unlocking your body’s full potential.

Practical Tips for Success

• Train consistently, not intensely. Two to three focused sessions per week beat occasional marathons.
• Progress when you can perform all reps with control — not when you’re simply tired.
• Expect errors and embrace them as part of learning. Just like in balance training, little “wobbles” are how your nervous system adapts.
• Remember: core training is not about chasing fatigue, but about building skill, stability, and endurance.

FAQs

How long will it take to notice results?
Most people feel improvements in posture and control within 3–4 weeks of consistent training.

Can core training help with back pain?
Yes. Research shows core-focused rehab significantly reduces recurrence of low back pain (Hides et al., 2001). At Neurohealth, we combine it with hands-on care for best outcomes.

Do I need equipment?
No. All beginner and intermediate routines require only bodyweight. Resistance bands, balls, or medicine balls can enhance advanced training.

Final Thoughts

A resilient core is about more than strong abs. It’s about building the stability, endurance, and coordination your body needs for life. By following this progressive system, you’ll lay a foundation that reduces pain, enhances performance, and supports your overall wellbeing.

At Neurohealth Wellness, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Whether you need assessment, hands-on support, or tailored rehab, our team has the expertise to guide you.

👉 Ready to build your strongest foundation? Book an appointment with our team today.

References

• Cooper NA, Scavo KM, Strickland KJ, Tipayamongkol N, Nicholson JD, Bewyer DC, Sluka KA. Prevalence of gluteus medius weakness in people with chronic low back pain compared to healthy controls. European Spine Journal. 2016.
• Granacher U, Gollhofer A, Hortobágyi T, Kressig RW, Muehlbauer T. The importance of trunk muscle strength for balance, functional performance, and fall prevention in seniors: a systematic review. Sports Med. 2013.
• Hibbs AE, Thompson KG, French D, Wrigley A, Spears I. Optimizing performance by improving core stability and core strength. Sports Med. 2008.
• Hides JA, Jull GA, Richardson CA. Long-term effects of specific stabilizing exercises for first-episode low back pain. Spine. 2001.
• Kibler WB, Press J, Sciascia A. The role of core stability in athletic function. Sports Med. 2006.
• Kolar P, Sulc J, Kyncl M, Sanda J, Neuwirth J, Bokarius AV, Kriz J. Postural function of the diaphragm: inspiration and stabilization. J Appl Physiol. 2012.
• McGill SM. Low back stability: from formal description to issues for performance and rehabilitation. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2010.

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