Get Your Core Game On: 5 Must-Do Core Exercises For Athletes

For athletes, having a strong core is essential for optimizing performance on the field or in the rink.

Not only does it improve your balance and stability, but it also helps to protect you from injury.

Having a well-developed core can help you move better and hit harder when playing sports like soccer, basketball, baseball, and hockey.

Core exercises are an important part of any athlete's fitness routine – so if you're looking to strengthen your core muscles for optimum power, then look no further than our list of the best core exercises for athletes:

Intense Core Workout For Athletes

Let’s have a good look at the best core stability exercises for athletes to take their performance to the moon:

1. Dead Bug

The Dead Bug exercise is an effective core stability exercise for athletes that can help improve stability, strength, and coordination.

How To Do Dead Bug?

• Lie flat on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
• Engage your core muscles and press your lower back into the floor.
• Slowly lower your right arm and left leg towards the floor while keeping your core engaged and your lower back pressed into the floor.
• Return your arm and leg to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

2. Sprinter Sit-Ups

Sprinter sit-ups are amongst the excellent no-equipment core exercise for athletes as they help to strengthen the abdominal muscles, improve posture, and enhance overall athletic performance.

Incorporate sprinter sit-ups into your core workout routine 2-3 times per week for optimal results.

How To Do Sprinter Sit-Ups?

• Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms by your sides.
• Bring your left knee up to your chest while simultaneously lifting your right arm and reaching towards your left knee.
• Lower your left leg and right arm back down to the starting position.
• Repeat the movement on the opposite side, bringing your right knee up to your chest while lifting your left arm and reaching towards your right knee.
• Continue alternating sides, performing 10-15 reps on each side.
• To make the exercise more challenging, you can hold a medicine ball or weight plate while performing the sit-ups.

3. Crossover Crunch

Incorporating the crossover crunch into your regular workout routine can help improve your athletic performance by strengthening your core and improving your stability and balance.

It is recommended to start with a small number of repetitions and gradually increase as you get stronger.

How To Do Crossover Crunch?

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Place your right ankle on your left knee, creating a "figure 4" shape with your legs.
• Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing out to the sides.
• Contract your abs and lift your shoulders off the ground, bringing your left elbow to your right knee.
• Slowly lower your shoulders back down to the ground.
• Repeat on the other side by switching the position of your legs and bringing your right elbow to your left knee.
• Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions or times.

4. Bear Crawl

If you are looking for an intense core workout for athletes, make sure you incorporate bear crawl into your exercise regime.

As you become more advanced, you can add variations, such as crawling sideways or in a zigzag pattern to challenge your body even further.

How To Do Bear Crawl?

• Start on your hands and knees, with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Lift your knees off the ground to hover just a few inches above the floor.
• Keep your core tight and your back flat as you begin to crawl forward, moving your opposite arm and leg at the same time.
• Move forward for a set distance or time, making sure to keep your hips level and your core engaged throughout the movement.
• To return to your starting position, reverse the movement by crawling backward.
• Repeat for several sets, gradually increasing the distance or time you crawl as you become stronger.

5. Plank To Push-Up

The plank to push-up is one of the best core exercises for young athletes, as it targets the entire core, including the abs, obliques, lower back, and hip muscles.

Start with a few repetitions of the plank to push-up exercise and gradually increase the number of repetitions as you get stronger. Incorporate this exercise into your regular workout routine for a stronger and more stable core.

How To Do Plank To Push-Up?

• Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders, your body in a straight line from head to heels, and your core engaged.
• Lower down into a forearm plank by lowering your elbows to the ground one at a time, keeping your body in a straight line.
• Once you are in a forearm plank, press back up into a high plank position one hand at a time, keeping your core engaged and your body in a straight line.
• Repeat the movement, alternating which arm you lead with each time.

Concluding Remarks

It is imperative for athletes to take care of their core as it plays a pivotal role in physical performance. A strong core means improved posture and balance, better breathing, and less risk of injury.

Core exercises are a great way to strengthen the midsection muscles—especially when paired with other bodyweight exercises—and should be incorporated into an athlete’s regular exercise routine.

By focusing on stability, balance, and full-body movement through exercises, athletes can ensure their core will remain at its strongest throughout their active careers.

For athletes looking to make use of supportive equipment during their core workouts from the comfort of their own homes, don’t hesitate to check out Gripzilla’s collection at https://gripzilla.co/