\u201cI never do crunches, ever, and I don\u2019t like planks,\u201d trainer and Oner Active athlete Hayley Madigan told me.<\/p>\n
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Instead, she prefers to do moves like overhead marches and dumbbell pass-arounds. Rather than just targeting the abs on the front of the stomach, these moves recruit all your core muscles and challenge them to resist movement from other areas of your body.<\/p>\n
I also asked Krissy Cela, co-founder of Oner Active<\/a>, for her favorite core moves\u2014she picked the same exercises.<\/p>\n Here is how to do the two moves and another bonus favorite exercise (suitcase carries) from Madigan.<\/p>\n Overhead march<\/p>\n Standing Dumbbell March – YouTube Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 each side<\/p>\n Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your shoulders.Engage your core and extend your arms to press the dumbbells overhead, so your arms are straight.Moving slowly and with control, raise your left knee to hip height, then return your foot to the floor.Raise and lower the right knee.Continue, alternating sides with each rep.<\/p>\n Trainer tip: Keep your upper body as still as possible, while moving your legs slowly.<\/p>\n Dumbbell pass around<\/p>\n How To: Standing Dumbbell Around The Body Pass – YouTube Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n Sets: 2-3 each direction Time: 30sec<\/p>\n Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight just below your chest in your left hand with your right hand behind your back.Pass the weight around your waist, into your right hand, then bring both hands to the front.Pass the weight into your left hand and continue, moving slowly and with control.<\/p>\n Trainer tip: Keep your torso as still as possible, resisting the pull of the weight.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople think it\u2019s easy and I\u2019m like, no\u2014you\u2019ve got to stabilize yourself!\u201d explains Madigan.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I\u2019m moving a weight around, my core\u2019s got to switch on, because it\u2019s gonna want to be pulled around.\u201d<\/p>\n If you want a harder variation, try lowering the weight to hip height. Or you can do around the worlds<\/a> with a kettlebell, which create more force for your core to resist.<\/p>\n
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