20 minute core workout will help you with running, weight lifting, or even if you’re just hoping to eliminate lower-back pain. A strong core can help you achieve your goals.
what is a good 20 minute core workout?
A 20-minute core workout can provide a comprehensive and challenging routine to strengthen and engage your core muscles. Here’s a sample workout that incorporates a variety of exercises:
- Plank – 2 minutes: Begin in a high plank position, with your hands directly under your shoulders. Engage your core and hold the position for 2 minutes, maintaining a straight line from head to toe.
- Bicycle Crunches – 1 minute: Lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Lift your head, shoulders, and feet off the ground. Perform bicycle crunches, bringing your opposite elbow to your knee as you extend the other leg. Continue alternating for 1 minute.
- Russian Twists – 1 minute: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet lifted slightly off the ground. Twist your torso from side to side, touching the floor beside your body with your hands. Continue for 1 minute.
- Side Plank – 1 minute per side: Start in a side plank position, supporting your body on one forearm, with your body forming a straight line. Hold this position for 1 minute on each side, focusing on engaging your core muscles.
- Mountain Climbers – 1 minute: Begin in a high plank position. Alternate driving your knees towards your chest in a running motion. Maintain a steady pace for 1 minute.
- Reverse Crunches – 1 minute: Lie on your back with your hands by your sides or underneath your hips. Lift your legs off the ground and bring your knees towards your chest, curling your pelvis off the floor. Repeat for 1 minute.
- Bird Dog – 2 minutes: Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend your right arm forward while simultaneously extending your left leg backward. Focus on maintaining stability and engaging your core. Return to the starting position and repeat with the left arm and right leg. Continue alternating for 2 minutes.
- Pilates Scissors – 1 minute: Lie on your back with your legs extended towards the ceiling. Lower one leg towards the ground while keeping the other leg lifted, then switch legs in a scissoring motion. Continue alternating for 1 minute.
- Stability Ball Rollouts – 2 minutes: Kneel on the ground with a stability ball in front of you. Place your forearms on the ball and engage your core. Slowly roll the ball forward, extending your arms and stretching your body into a straight line. Keep your core tight and roll the ball back towards your knees. Repeat for 2 minutes.
- Boat Pose – 2 minutes: Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet lifted slightly off the ground. Lean back slightly while maintaining a straight spine. Extend your legs straight out in front of you, forming a “V” shape with your body. Hold this position for 2 minutes, engaging your core.
Remember to focus on proper form, engage your core muscles throughout each exercise, and breathe consistently. Adjust the difficulty level and intensity based on your fitness level and comfort. If needed, you can modify the exercises or take short breaks between exercises.
20 Minute Core Strength – No Repeats AB Workout!
What are 7 exercises I can do at home for a 20 minute core workout?
Here are seven effective exercises that you can do at home to create a 20-minute core workout:
- Plank: Begin in a high plank position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position for 1-2 minutes, focusing on engaging your core muscles and maintaining proper form.
- Bicycle Crunches: Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent. Lift your head, shoulders, and feet off the ground. Perform a bicycle motion by bringing your opposite elbow towards your knee while extending the other leg. Continue alternating sides for 1 minute.
- Mountain Climbers: Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Drive one knee towards your chest and quickly switch to the other knee, mimicking a running motion. Continue alternating for 1 minute while keeping your core engaged.
- Russian Twists: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet lifted slightly off the ground. Lean back slightly and twist your torso from side to side, touching the floor beside your body with your hands. Maintain a controlled and steady pace for 1 minute.
- Flutter Kicks: Lie on your back with your legs extended and your hands resting by your sides. Lift your legs slightly off the ground and perform small, rapid kicks up and down. Keep your core engaged and maintain the movement for 1 minute.
- Superman Hold: Lie face down on the ground with your arms extended in front of you and your legs straight. Lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground, engaging your back and core muscles. Hold this position for 1 minute while focusing on keeping your body aligned.
- Side Plank with Hip Dips: Start in a side plank position, resting on one forearm with your body forming a straight line from head to heels. Lower your hip towards the ground and then lift it back up, engaging your oblique muscles. Repeat for 30 seconds on each side.
Perform each exercise for the specified time duration, taking short breaks between exercises if needed. Adjust the intensity and difficulty level based on your fitness level and gradually increase as you get stronger. Remember to maintain proper form and engage your core muscles throughout each exercise.
20 MIN Abs & Booty Workout
20-Minute No-Equipment Abs Circuit
A 20-minute no-equipment abs circuit is a great way to target and strengthen your core without the need for any specialized equipment. Here’s a sample circuit that you can follow:
- Plank – 1 minute: Start in a high plank position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core and hold this position for 1 minute, focusing on maintaining proper form and breathing.
- Bicycle Crunches – 1 minute: Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent. Lift your head, shoulders, and feet off the ground. Perform a bicycle motion by bringing your opposite elbow towards your knee while extending the other leg. Continue alternating sides for 1 minute.
- Mountain Climbers – 1 minute: Begin in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Drive one knee towards your chest and quickly switch to the other knee, mimicking a running motion. Continue alternating for 1 minute while keeping your core engaged.
- Reverse Crunches – 1 minute: Lie on your back with your hands by your sides or underneath your hips. Lift your legs off the ground and bring your knees towards your chest, curling your pelvis off the floor. Repeat for 1 minute.
- Russian Twists – 1 minute: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet lifted slightly off the ground. Lean back slightly and twist your torso from side to side, touching the floor beside your body with your hands. Maintain a controlled and steady pace for 1 minute.
- Flutter Kicks – 1 minute: Lie on your back with your legs extended and your hands resting by your sides. Lift your legs slightly off the ground and perform small, rapid kicks up and down. Keep your core engaged and maintain the movement for 1 minute.
- Plank Jacks – 1 minute: Start in a high plank position, with your hands directly under your shoulders. Jump your feet out wide and then back together, similar to a jumping jack motion. Continue for 1 minute, focusing on stability and core engagement.
- Pilates Scissors – 1 minute: Lie on your back with your legs extended towards the ceiling. Lower one leg towards the ground while keeping the other leg lifted, then switch legs in a scissoring motion. Continue alternating for 1 minute.
- Side Plank with Hip Dips – 30 seconds per side: Start in a side plank position, resting on one forearm with your body forming a straight line from head to heels. Lower your hip towards the ground and then lift it back up, engaging your oblique muscles. Repeat for 30 seconds on each side.
Complete the circuit by performing each exercise for the specified time duration, taking short breaks between exercises if needed. If you have more time, you can repeat the circuit for additional rounds. Remember to maintain proper form, engage your core muscles, and breathe consistently throughout the circuit.
Build core strength and prevent lower back pain
To effectively build core strength and prevent lower back pain within a 20-minute workout, it’s important to incorporate exercises that target the muscles surrounding your core and promote stability. Here’s a sample workout routine:
- Warm-up (2 minutes): Begin with a brief warm-up to increase blood flow and prepare your body for exercise. You can perform light cardio exercises like jogging in place, jumping jacks, or marching in place.
- Plank (1 minute): Start in a high plank position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core and hold the position for 1 minute, focusing on maintaining proper form and breathing.
- Bird Dog (1 minute): Get on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Extend your right arm forward while simultaneously extending your left leg backward. Focus on stability and balance, engaging your core. Return to the starting position and repeat with the left arm and right leg. Continue alternating for 1 minute.
- Dead Bug (1 minute): Lie on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling and your legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Slowly lower your right arm and left leg towards the ground while keeping your core engaged. Return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Continue alternating for 1 minute.
- Side Plank (30 seconds per side): Start in a side plank position, supporting your body on one forearm, with your body forming a straight line. Hold this position for 30 seconds on each side, focusing on engaging your core and maintaining stability.
- Glute Bridges (1 minute): Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Engage your core and lift your hips off the ground, creating a bridge position. Hold this position for 1 minute, focusing on squeezing your glutes and maintaining a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Superman Hold (1 minute): Lie face down on the ground with your arms extended in front of you and your legs straight. Lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground, engaging your back and core muscles. Hold this position for 1 minute while focusing on keeping your body aligned.
- Cat-Cow Stretch (1 minute): Get on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Alternate between rounding your back upwards (cat) and arching your back downwards (cow) in a controlled manner. Repeat for 1 minute, focusing on mobilizing your spine and engaging your core.
- Cool-down and Stretch (2 minutes): Finish the workout with a cooldown period and gentle stretching. Focus on stretching the muscles of your core, lower back, and hips. Examples include child’s pose, kneeling hip flexor stretch, and seated forward fold.
Remember to listen to your body, maintain proper form, and breathe consistently throughout the workout. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of exercises as your core strength improves. It’s important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have pre-existing lower back pain or any underlying conditions.
20 minute light dumbbell no-repeat workout to strengthen the core
Here’s a 20-minute light dumbbell and no-repeat workout to strengthen your core:
Equipment needed:
- Light dumbbells (2-5 pounds or adjusted according to your fitness level)
Note: Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest. Complete the entire circuit, and repeat it for a total of 2 rounds.
- Russian Twist with Dumbbell: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet lifted slightly off the ground. Hold a dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest. Lean back slightly and twist your torso from side to side, touching the dumbbell to the floor beside your body. Continue for 40 seconds.
- Deadbug with Dumbbell: Lie on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling, holding a dumbbell. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Slowly lower your right arm and left leg towards the ground while keeping your core engaged. Return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Continue alternating for 40 seconds.
- Dumbbell Windmills: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in your right hand overhead. Rotate your left foot outwards while keeping your right foot pointed forward. Lower the dumbbell towards your left foot by hinging at the hips and bending your torso to the side. Keep your core engaged and maintain a straight line from your right hand to your right foot. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Continue alternating for 40 seconds.
- Dumbbell Russian Twist with Leg Extension: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet lifted slightly off the ground. Hold a dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest. Lean back slightly and twist your torso from side to side while extending one leg out straight. Bring the leg back to the bent position and continue alternating sides for 40 seconds.
- Plank Row: Start in a high plank position with a dumbbell in each hand, hands directly under your shoulders. Engage your core and lift one dumbbell off the ground, pulling your elbow back and keeping it close to your body. Lower the dumbbell back down and repeat with the other arm. Continue alternating for 40 seconds.
- Dumbbell Side Bend: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your right hand. Keeping your back straight, bend to the right side as far as comfortably possible, lowering the dumbbell towards your knee. Engage your core and return to the starting position. Repeat on the left side. Continue alternating for 40 seconds.
- Dumbbell V-Ups: Lie on your back with your legs straight and hold a dumbbell with both hands overhead. Engage your core and lift your upper body and legs off the ground, reaching the dumbbell towards your toes. Slowly lower back down to the starting position. Repeat for 40 seconds.
Remember to use a weight that challenges your core muscles but allows you to maintain proper form throughout the exercises. Focus on engaging your core and breathing consistently. This workout targets your core muscles from different angles and incorporates light dumbbells to add resistance and enhance the challenge.
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