Elevate your abs workouts and take your fitness to the next level with weighted core workouts. At amp we are committed to helping you achieve your fitness goals from the comfort of your own home. Today we are looking at core workouts and the benefits of adding weights to increase resistance and strength.
Core workouts target the muscles in the abdomen, back and pelvis. These exercises are not only an essential component of overall fitness, but they also offer a multitude of benefits, including improved posture, enhanced stability and balance, reduced risk of injury and increased athletic performance.
Now imagine taking these benefits to the next level by incorporating weights into your core workouts. By doing so, you increase the resistance your core muscles have to work against, which leads to greater strength and endurance. This added challenge can result in more defined muscles and higher calorie burn, making it an effective way to reach your fitness goals.
Maintaining a strong core is crucial for women, not only for aesthetics but for functional fitness as well. A strong core supports the spine and prevents back pain. It also plays a vital role in everyday activities such as lifting, bending and twisting. So, whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, a busy mum or a professional athlete, a strong core is the foundation of a healthy active lifestyle. Let’s build a strong, powerful core together.
How to do this weighted core workout by Sarah, Find UR Fit
This weighted core workout features 4 exercises, completed with the addition of Amp Wellbeing Dumbbell Strength Bars. Work through each exercise, completing 9 reps of each before moving on to the next one. Alternatively, you can start at 8 reps per round, adding a rep per round to build progressive overload and overall strength and development.
You can take a short 10 second rest between reps as needed – it is more important to ensure you maintain form as you repeat the exercises than to continue when tired and cause injury. Rest for 20 – 30 seconds between rounds.
Set the clock for 9 minutes and see how many rounds you can do!
Weighted core workout
- Half sit up with overhead raise
- Weighted crunches
- Tuck sit into deadbug
- Weighted scissor legs
Keep reading for full exercise instructions.
Half sit up with overhead raise
- Sit with your knees bent and your feet on the floor, hold the weight in both hands out in front of you and use your abdominal muscles to lean back into a half sit up position.
- Raise back up into a seated position and then hold at the top, as you use your abdominals to raise back up extend your arms above your head.
- Slowly return back half way to the starting position, repeat 9 times.
Weighted crunches
- Lie on the floor with your knees bend and feet on the floor, hold the strength bars in both hands with your arms stretched up to the ceiling.
- Use your abdominal muscles to raise up into a crunch.
- Return to the ground, lowering down in a slow and controlled movement. Repeat 9 times.
Tuck sit into deadbug
- Lie on the ground with your arms and legs outstretched holding the dumbbell in both hands.
- Slowly raise the arms, keeping your elbows directly over the shoulders above you, keeping your arms straight as you bring your knees into a 90 degree angle at the same time.
- Keep your spine neutral with your lower back pressed into the floor (to avoid any arch in your back) and your core engaged the whole time.
- Once at the top, roll up into tuck sit up without putting your feet on the floor holding your balance.
- Use your abdominal muscles to slowly lower yourself back to a lying position and slowly lower the legs out straight in front of you while lowering your arms back outstretched behind your head. Repeat the movement 9 times.
Weighted scissor legs
- Lie on the ground with your legs stretched straight up into the air and your arms directly overhead holding the dumbbell, keeping your elbows in line with your shoulders and your core engaged.
- Ensure your lower back is pressed into the floor to maintain a neutral spine with no arch in the back.
- Slowly lower each leg to the ground one at a time, keeping your spine neutral to prevent an arch in your back and keeping your legs straight. Repeat each side 9 times.
If you are ready to take your abs workouts up a level, our Amp Wellbeing Dumbbell Strength Bars are available in 1.5kg bars (3kg pair) 2kg bars (4kg pair) or 2.5kg bars (5kg pairs). Find more workouts like this to get started in our Workout Centre. Let us know what else you'd like to see and how you get on!
