I’m a fitness editor and a marathon runner, and I’m here to tell you that sit-ups won’t help you build a strong core. As a mother, I know this for sure. It took me months to get my stomach back to normal after giving birth to my son, and I did it without doing any sit-ups.
If you don’t have great genes and a low body fat percentage, don’t expect to have a six-pack. I’m talking about the deep core strength that keeps your spine safe and acts like a corset for your body when you lift, jump, and run. The best exercise for me is? The simple deadbug is what I do to work out, and below is my exact deadbug workout to help you do the same.
If you’re a complete beginner, recovering from an injury, pregnant, or just had a baby, it’s always best to talk to a qualified professional before trying something new.
You might like this: A woman in activewear with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face shows off her abs.
Don’t do sit-ups or crunches: This “core crusher” abs workout for beginners builds strong muscles without them. The picture shows a woman lying on an exercise mat with strong abs.
I thought my core was strong until I did the “paper test” for one second.
What are the good things about a deadbug?
The deadbug is one of the best exercises for your abs because it teaches your core how to keep your spine stable while your arms and legs are moving. You will be working out your pelvic floor and deep core muscles, like the transverse abdominis. These muscles wrap around your pelvic floor and internal organs. For most women recovering from childbirth or anyone with pelvic instability, deadbugs are a must.
Another great thing is that you’re working your abs without putting any stress on your back, which is not the case with sit-ups, planks, or crunches. When you do this exercise, you’ll naturally push your lower back into the floor for support because you’re lying on your back in a tabletop position.
If you feel your lower back coming off the mat at any point during the exercise, it’s a sign that your core isn’t working properly, so you should stop and start over.
What is the exercise?
Are you ready to start? After I had my son, I saw a postnatal physiotherapist. She gave me the deadbug workout to help me get back into running and lifting weights. If you are postpartum, it’s important to get personalised advice, as was said above. I did three sets of 20 reps of the following three deadbug variations, and I still do this simple workout a year later.
Standard deadbug: 3 sets of 20
- When you lie on your back, your arms and legs should be in a tabletop position.
- This means that your arms should be straight from your hands to your shoulders.
- Your legs should be bent at 90 degrees, with your knees stacked on top of your hips.
- Tighten your core and pelvic floor muscles.
- Imagine that you are trying to zip up and in, like you are trying to fit into jeans that are too small.
- Slowly and with control, stretch one leg out away from your body.
- As you lower it toward the floor, keep it straight.
- Don’t let it touch; stop a few inches above the mat.
- At the same time, stretch the other arm out away from your body.
- Stop here, then bring both back to where you started and do it again on the other side.
Deadbug with a Pilates ball: 3 sets of 20
- To do this exercise, you’ll need a Pilates ball.
- Put the Pilates ball against the thigh of one leg while you are in a tabletop position.
- Push the ball against your leg with the other arm.
- Finish your deadbug reps by slowly extending your leg without the ball pressing against it.
- Extend the arm not holding the ball away from your body.
- As you do your reps, keep the tension on the ball.
- This will make your core work harder to hold it.
- Do all of your reps on one side before switching the ball to the other leg and starting over.
Weighted deadbug: 3 sets of 20
An illustration of a woman doing a weighted dead bug.
- You will need either a set of light plates or adjustable dumbbells or ankle weights.
- Hold a light weight (2 to 5 pounds) in each hand and do your dead bugs.
- The extra weight is making your core work harder to keep your body stable.
The most important thing to remember when doing any of the exercises above is to move slowly and with full control. If you rush the move, it will be easier. Breathing is also important in Pilates. When you extend your arm and leg, breathe out through pursed lips. When you bring your limbs back to the starting position, breathe in through your nose. Make sure your lower back stays on the mat the whole time you do the exercise.
