The Best Core Exercises for Women  

Are your skinny jeans patiently waiting for you to find the perfect booty workout? Have you packed your swimsuit away with dreams of one day having a toned, round butt that you aren't self-conscious about taking to the beach? There is no area of the body that women become engrossed with more than their butt and stomachs.

Because many women naturally hold onto body fat in this area, it can be one of the toughest to whip into shape. Every woman wants a shapely butt and a flat stomach. 

They are the two body parts that are always falling victim to our criticism. We think they are too fat or saggy, but the good news is you can improve your rear assets dramatically with a few quick and simple exercises. 

Kim's Core Exercises for Women

Butt Blaster:

This exercise targets your hips, butt, and upper legs for better tone and is one of the most effective core exercises for women who want a tighter butt.

Exercise Instructions:

• Begin with your hands and knees on the floor, and your back flat. Lift one leg up, keeping your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. 
  
  
• Slowly press the bottom of your foot toward the ceiling as far as you can go without arching your back or changing the angle of your bent leg. 
  
  
• Lower back to starting position and complete 10-20 repetitions. Switch legs.

Side Lunge:

The lunge is one of the best and most convenient core exercises for women to take advantage of whether at home or on the road, all you need is a little space.

Exercise Instructions:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and step toward the side with your right foot, lowering your right knee to a 90-degree angle. Your back left leg should be straight with all of your weight on your right leg. 
  
  
• Step back to starting position and repeat with your left leg. The intensity of this exercise may be increased by holding a dumbbell in front of you. You don't need to include the dumbbells when you first start doing this exercise. 

• More on the Side Lunge
• Dumbbell Lunge Information

Traditional Plank:

The plank has always been one of the most popular core training exercises. This exercise will do a great job of tightening your core and abs.

Exercise Instructions:

• Get into a push-up position resting on your forearms, contract your abdominal muscles and hold the pose for 30-60 seconds. It is important that you keep your back in a straight line.

Tips: 

• Once you get comfortable with this position, you can increase the level of difficulty by slowly bringing your left knee to your right elbow. Return to starting position and repeat with the opposite side.

Bosu Ball Squats:

 When you get a little bored or need a bigger challenge than doing standard squats... try the bosu ball squat. 

Adding this small piece of equipment will make your squat exercises much more difficult as you work hard to maintain your balance. 

Exercise Instructions:

• Place one foot at a time on the bosu ball. Once you are able to stand up straight with good balance and holding a medicine ball, engage your abs and slowly lower yourself down into a squat position.

• Using your quads and glutes, return to your starting position.
  
  

• The Benefits of Squats

Bird-Dog:

 The Bird-Dog is an excellent full body exercise that does a great job opening your hip flexors and major core muscles

Exercise Instructions:

• Start out on your hands and knees with your palms flat on the floor shoulder-width apart (as pictured).
  
  
• Engage your abs and extend your left arm straight out in front of you and your right leg straight out behind you. Make sure your body is in a straight line and hold the posture for 30-60 seconds before returning to your starting position. 
  
  
• Repeat the exercise with your other arm and leg.

• More on Hip Extensions

Bridge Hip Raise:

The Bridge is a favorite body weight exercise designed to strengthen your butt and hamstrings. It is also one of the most popular core exercises for women.

Exercise Instructions:

• Lie on your back with your hands by your sides, your knees bent, and your feet planted flat down on the floor. 
  
  
• Pull your feet back under your knees as far back as possible and then raise your hips in a fast explosive motion upward. 
  
  
• Once you are at the top, pause briefly, squeezing your glutes tightly, then release back down.

• More on Hip Raises
• More on Body Weight Exercises

Core Exercises for Women

These core exercises for women will help you build the body that you always wanted, but they can do more. They also supercharge your overall strength, balance and stamina to help you in other physical activities or in your normal daily activities.

Other pages that might interest you:

• Bulgarian Split Squats
• Thigh Toning Exercises

I will continue to share ideas about diet and exercise that have helped me along the way. If you have any questions I can help you with, or if you have any ideas you want to share, feel free to contact me or visit our Q&A forum.