14-Day Intensive Core Strengthening Series: Build a Stronger Foundation

Whether you want to improve your aesthetics, avoid lower back pain, or increase your functional fitness, core training has been proven to help (1, 2). However, despite the wealth of information available regarding the core, a lot of exercisers fail to train it correctly.

That’s because many people don’t really know what the core is!

Contrary to popular belief, the core is NOT just another word for your rectus abdominis or abs. Rather, core refers to all the muscles that encircle your midsection and can also include your glutes and lats.

These muscles work together to stabilize your hips and spine, which is arguably the most important function of the core.

Put another way, your core is the center of your body and bridges the gap between your arms, torso, and legs. If your core is weak, your entire body is weak. That’s because, as the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.  

Consequently, you need more than just sit-ups, crunches, leg raises, etc., to build a stronger core. While those exercises are helpful, they only work the muscles on the front of your abdomen and do very little for the rest of your core muscles.

I’m a veteran personal trainer and it’s my job to help my clients achieve their fitness goals. Invariably, a stronger core makes almost every exercise and workout safer and more effective, so proper core training is always near the top of my to-do list.

In this article, I share a 14-day program designed to immerse you in core training and teach you how these critical muscles really work.

Core Function Basics

Your core controls your lumbar spine or lower back. As such, it’s responsible for a host of different movements, all of which need to be included in an effective core strengthening program.

Those movements and the main muscles responsible for making them are:

Spinal flexion (rectus abdominis) – this is the movement and muscle that most people are familiar with. When your abs contract, they flex your spine forward, essentially curling your back. However, this is just one of the functions of your core.

Spinal lateral flexion (obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae) – lateral flexion means bending sideways. While you might not do this movement very often, strong lateral flexors can help protect your spine from injury, especially when carrying a heavy object in one hand.

Spinal rotation (obliques) – your obliques are essentially your waist muscles and rotation means twisting your spine. These muscles and this action are critical for athletes as it’s how you generate power for throwing, punching, etc.

Spinal extension (erector spinae) – the core doesn’t just flex and rotate your spine; it also extends it. In other words, it helps you lean backward, too. Strong spinal erectors protect your lower back from pain and injury and are critical for good posture.

Spinal bracing (transverse abdominis plus all outer core muscles) – while your core muscles are responsible for the movements of your spine, they’re equally involved in keeping your spine stable and stationary. Bracing prevents unwanted movement, and for every dynamic exercise in your core training program, there should be an isometric or static exercise that improves core stability.

There are numerous smaller but equally important core muscles that I haven’t mentioned here, including the iliopsoas (hip flexors), quadratus lumborum, rotatores, spinalis, and the pelvic floor and diaphragm.

But, to avoid hitting you with too much anatomy, I’ve only listed the main muscles for each movement. However, it’s good to know that these smaller muscles also play crucial roles in core strength and stability.

So, as you can see, there is more to core training than doing sit-ups for your abs or waist twists for your obliques. If you want a 3D core, you need to incorporate a range of movements and exercises into your training routine.

And speaking of routines, there is a two-week core training program in the next section!.

Related: Core Training Archives

14-Day Intensive Core Strengthening Routine

Follow this core program for the next two weeks. Each workout includes exercises for the movement patterns described above and uses a range of different training tools. I’ve also included isotonic and isometric exercises to ensure you develop both dynamic strength and static core stability.

By the end of the 14 days, you’ll have a whole new library of core training exercises and methods to call on for future workouts.

But, before you start any of these workouts, make sure you prepare your muscles, joints, and mind with a short warm-up. Start with 5-10 minutes of light cardio followed by dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises focusing on your hips and back.

Alternatively, add your core workout to the end of your usual cardio or strength training program. As you’ll already be warm, there is no need for an additional warm-up.

Week 1

While some of these exercises will be familiar to you, there should be plenty of new movements to discover. Take your time to learn each exercise, doing them all with perfect form.

Workout 1

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Stability ball crunch	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
2	Dumbbell side bend	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
3	Pallof press	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
4	45-degree back extension	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds

Workout 2

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Medicine ball slam	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
2	Side plank	2-3	30-45 seconds	60-90 seconds
3	Windshield wiper	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
4	Prisoner good morning	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds

Workout 3

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Front plank	2-3	30-45 seconds	60-90 seconds
2	Suitcase deadlift	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
3	Medicine ball rotational throw	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
4	Reverse hyper	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds

Workout 4

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Kneeling cable crunch	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
2	Saxon side bend	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
3	Bicycle crunch	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
4	Chinese plank	2-3	30-45 seconds	60-90 seconds

Workout 5

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Hanging knee raise	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
2	Oblique cable crunch	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
3	Dumbbell Russian twist	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
4	Cable pull through	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds

Workout 6

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Dead bug	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
2	Javelin press	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
3	High to low cable woodchop	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
4	Prone skydiver	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds

Workout 7

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Barbell rollout	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
2	Cable side bend	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
3	Landmine oblique twist	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds
4	Medicine ball overhead throw	2-3	12-20	60-90 seconds

Week 2

More sets of each exercise plus shorter rest periods mean that this week will be a little more intense than the previous seven days. Keep your head down and work hard, remembering that every completed workout takes you one step closer to the end!

Workout 8

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	V sit-up	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
2	Oblique crunch	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
3	Low to high cable woodchop	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
4	Bird dog	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds

Workout 9

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Frog crunch	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
2	Barbell side bend	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
3	Single-arm dumbbell bench press	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
4	Romanian deadlift	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds

Workout 10

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Body saw	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
2	Single-arm farmer’s walk	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
3	Stability ball Russian twist	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
4	Superman	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds

Workout 11

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Weighted crunch	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
2	Side plank with leg lift	3-4	45-60 seconds	45-60 seconds
3	Half-kneeling Pallof press	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
4	Kettlebell swing	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds

Workout 12

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Hanging straight leg raise	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
2	Stability ball oblique crunch	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
3	Single-arm cable chest press	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
4	Zercher good morning	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds

Workout 13

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Reverse crunch	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
2	Standing elbow to knee	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
3	Twisting medicine ball slam	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
4	Stability ball back extension	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds

Workout 14

	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Decline sit-up	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
2	Twisting side plank	3-4	45-60 seconds	45-60 seconds
3	Resistance band Russian twist	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds
4	Overhead medicine ball throw	3-4	12-20	45-60 seconds

Frequently Asked Core Training Questions

Do you have a question about this program or core training in general? No problem, because I’ve got the answers! Alternatively, if you need more information, please drop me a line below and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

1. Will this program give me six-pack abs?

Six-pack abs are the result of muscle hypertrophy combined with low body fat. As such, this program will help you in your quest for a six-pack, but only if your diet and exercise routine get you lean enough for your abs to become visible.

Read more about getting six-pack abs here.

2. The suggested reps are too easy/too hard for me – what should I do?

Please consider the recommended rep ranges (typically 12-20) as guidance only. That rep count may be too low for some people but too high for others. So, do as many reps as it takes to get close to failure. Leave no more than 2-3 reps in the tank to ensure you’re working hard enough to strengthen your core.

For isometric exercises, e.g., planks, continue until you can feel the target muscles starting to burn and shake.

All that said, never sacrifice good form for a longer set. If your technique starts to break down, you should stop and rest before continuing your workout.

3. Some of these exercises aren’t conventional core movements. Are they still effective?

Exercises like single-arm dumbbell presses and Romanian deadlifts might not be what most people think of as core training, but they are actually very core-centric. You’ll have to use your core muscles to stabilize your spine as you move your arms and legs. So, don’t be fooled – even though you’re training other muscle groups, your core is still hard at work.

4. What should I do if I can’t perform any of the listed exercises?

With 56 exercises included in this program, it’s possible that you might not be able to do a few of them. No worries – simply swap out the exercise you can’t do with one from another workout in the program.

However, if you need to replace, e.g., a spinal flexion exercise, make sure to choose a similar movement. The exercises in each workout are listed in the same order. So, if you can’t perform a movement designated as #3, select another #3 exercise from a different workout.

5. Will these exercises help get rid of belly fat?

Spot reduction, which is the idea that doing exercises for a certain part of your body leads to localized fat loss, is a controversial topic. Usually dismissed as a myth, there is some evidence suggesting that it does occur provided you work out in a very specific way (3).

Unfortunately, spot reduction workouts are too long and impractical for most exercisers, so while it may be possible, this program is not designed to achieve such a goal. That said, combined with a sensible diet and balanced workout program, it will contribute to abdominal fat loss, albeit indirectly.

Related: The DEFINITIVE Answer to Lower Belly Fat: Insights from New Research

Closing Thoughts

Whatever your fitness goal is, a stronger core will help you achieve it. Core stability and strength contribute a lot to athletic performance, and can help lower your risk of suffering from back pain.

Plus, who doesn’t want a flat, toned, defined midsection, right?!

Comprising 56 unique exercises plus several different training methods, this program is designed to immerse you in effective core training, teaching you what you need to know to create your own future core workouts.

However, remember that your core is just one body part, and you’ll get better results if you combine this program with a balanced workout routine that includes all your other major muscle groups.

References:

1 – Wirth K, Hartmann H, Mickel C, Szilvas E, Keiner M, Sander A. Core Stability in Athletes: A Critical Analysis of Current Guidelines. Sports Med. 2017 Mar;47(3):401-414. doi: 10.1007/s40279-016-0597-7. PMID: 27475953.

2 – Wang XQ, Zheng JJ, Yu ZW, Bi X, Lou SJ, Liu J, Cai B, Hua YH, Wu M, Wei ML, Shen HM, Chen Y, Pan YJ, Xu GH, Chen PJ. A meta-analysis of core stability exercise versus general exercise for chronic low back pain. PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e52082. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052082. Epub 2012 Dec 17. PMID: 23284879; PMCID: PMC3524111.

3 – Brobakken MF, Krogsaeter I, Helgerud J, Wang E, Hoff J. Abdominal aerobic endurance exercise reveals spot reduction exists: A randomized controlled trial. Physiol Rep. 2023 Nov;11(22):e15853. doi: 10.14814/phy2.15853. PMID: 38010201; PMCID: PMC10680576.

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