6 Core Moves That Are Anything But Basic

Transform your core with exercises that target more than your six-pack abs.

Because transforming your core takes a whole lot more than just your standard sit-up, we bring you six unique moves that target and engage your muscles from all angles for next-level results. Bonus: They're also way more fun than doing crunches ad nauseam. Traci Copeland, Nike Master Trainer, breaks down the not-so-basic moves that will ensure your entire core not only looks amazing (yes, even those pesky lower abs!) but is damn strong, too.

Tuck/Pike/Straddle
Start lying on your back with both knees bent. Bring your knees into your chest as you reach towards your feet. Next, reach for your toes as you come into a pike position, then reach forward as you come into a straddle. Be sure to squeeze your lower abdominal muscles as you come up through your straddle. Repeat for 12 reps.

Towel Knee-Up

Start lying on your back with your legs extended all the way out and your arms extended straight over your head. Holding a towel tight over your head creating tension in your shoulders, bring your knees into your chest as you lift your shoulders off the ground. Be sure to squeeze your lower abdominal muscles at the top. Repeat for 12 reps.

Slow Mountain Climbers
Start in plank position with your core engaged. Slowly draw your knee towards your chest, then draw the opposite leg. Perform 12 reps on each side.

V-Up
Return to lying position. With arms alongside your ears and toes pointed, try to touch your toes as you come into a V position. Perform 12 reps.

Scissor Kick
Take your hands behind your head, extend both legs on the ground in front of you. Keeping your lower back pressed into the ground, bring one leg up as you reach the opposite hand to the outside of your foot (or ankle or calf if you can't reach) Repeat with opposite arm and leg for 12 reps.

Side Tuck-Up
With fingers facing your heels, turn knees to the side and bring knees into chest as you remain leaning back. Perform 20 reps, then rotate and perform 20 reps on the opposite side.

6 Must-Do Moves to Strengthen Your Core

Strengthen your core, improve your stability, and better your balances with these moves.

One-Legged Squat Reach

Targets abs, butt, and legs

• Stand on left leg with right foot a few inches off ground near left ankle.
• Bend left leg about 90 degrees, keeping back straight and reaching right hand to outside of left foot.
• Return to start. Continue for 30 seconds (or 15 reps), then switch sides and repeat for 30 seconds.

Curtsy Salute

Targets shoulders, triceps, butt, and legs

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in left hand overhead, palm facing forward, and right hand on hip.
• Lunge right leg diagonally back, bending both knees (as if doing a curtsy) while bending left elbow to bring dumbbell by right ear.
• Stand on left leg, extending left arm up, as you raise right leg out to side. Return to curtsy.
• Do 12 reps. Switch sides and repeat.

Liftoff

Targets shoulders, back, abs, butt, and hamstrings

• Stand with feet together, arms by sides.
• Hinge forward from hips until back is parallel to ground, arms extended down.
• Simultaneously lift left leg behind you and raise arms directly out to sides.
• Maintaining hinge position, lower arms and leg so that they are a few inches off ground; repeat for 1 minute. Switch legs for next circuit.

Pendulum

Targets abs, butt, and legs

• Balance on right leg, left leg bent and raised behind you slightly. With right hand on hip, lower into a squat on right leg and reach left hand toward right toes.
• Rise up, keeping left foot off floor, and reach left arm forward.
• Reach left arm overhead and lean back slightly as you extend left leg forward. Hold for 1 count, keeping abs tight, and then lean over to touch toes again.
• Do 10 reps, then switch legs and repeat.

Attitude Touchdown

Targets back, abs, obliques, butt, and legs

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, lift bent right leg behind you at hip level and extend arms overhead, palms facing each other.
• Balancing on left leg, lower into a single-leg squat and hinge forward at hips, reaching both hands to floor to left of left leg as you lower right foot to floor to curtsy (right leg crossed behind left, right knee bent 90 degrees).
• Quickly return to start and repeat. (Switch sides for each circuit.)

Single-Leg Deadlift

Targets butt and hamstrings

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing front of thighs.
• Hinge forward at hips 90 degrees as you lift extended left leg behind you so that body is parallel to floor from head to left heel, arms hanging down.
• Return to start. Do 15 to 20 reps. Switch sides and repeat. Do 2 to 3 sets.

5 Reasons Fit Women Are Better in Bed

It's not just Kegels that can boost your sex life. Research shows that exercising your whole body—through strength training, cardio, and flexibility workouts like yoga—can up your bedroom skills and O factor. Check out these five reasons to get sweaty before you hop into bed.

1. It'll increase confidence.

Confidence is a self-fulfilling prophecy: The better you think you are at something (sex included), the better you'll be. And research from the University of Arkansas shows that people who are physically fit not only to think of themselves as hotties, but as better in bed. For instance, in the study, 60 percent of women who exercised four to five days a week said they were above average in the attractiveness department, while 80 percent said they were above average in the bedroom.

2. It'll boost your sex drive.

Your body produces testosterone to help repair and build stronger muscles after strength training. It's men's primary sex hormone, but it can increase your sex drive and satisfaction, too, says sexologist Ava Cadell, PhD. (While cardio has some benefit, strength training has the biggest influence on testosterone—not to mention sexy, toned muscles.)

3. It'll fight stress.

By now, you probably know that exercise fights stress. But in case you haven't connected the dots, that also means better sex. According to research from the Kinsey Institute, women's sex drives are more sensitive to stress than those of men. Luckily, by upping your levels of feel-good endorphins and dopamine while slashing libido-wrecking adrenaline and cortisol, regular exercise can increase your sexual desire and keep you from thinking through to-do lists during an otherwise intimate moment, Cadell says.

4. It'll boost down-there blood flow.

University of Texis at Austin researchers had women watch a travel film followed by a porno on two separate occasions, one where they biked for 20 minutes beforehand and one where they didn't. Blood flow to the women's nether regions was 169 percent greater during the X-rated film when they cycled. And a rush of blood does more than put your partner's manparts at attention. More blood flow means more sensitivity, and more sensitivity means more intense (and likely) orgasms.

5. It'll improve endurance.

It doesn't take much effort to lie back and enjoy the missionary position, but if you want to hit every position in the Kama Sutra, you're going to need strength, endurance, and serious flexibility, Cadell says. A workout routine that balances strength training and cardiovascular exercise as well as flexibility-promoting exercises like yoga will help you score all of the above.

Booty Workout: 14 Minutes To A Bigger Butt

Kick Backs with the bands are an intense Booty Building exercise. For this workout Viktoria's trainer is putting her through an intense Butt lift workout. Try it!

How to do Splits Yoga Strech Workout

Fitness Model and Yoga instructor Golden Moeras is showing you a yoga flexibility routine that will help you get more flexible inner thighs so you can do the splits. Try it!

Barbell Workout

Check out this barbell workout to get summer ready!

Strong is sexy! Sometimes big heavy metal weights can be a little bit daunting, but combining weight training into your workout will help you burn more calories and tone your body. So bust your fears, check out this barbell workout to get summer ready!

How to do it: Perform 8-10 reps of each move one after the other in a circuit, resting between sets if you need to. Once a circuit is complete, return to the start and repeat. Keep going until you’ve reached the time recommended for your level.

Beginner: 10 mins

Intermediate: 15 mins

Advanced: 20 mins

Squat (Areas trained: Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings, Calves)

Technique

-       Holding the barbell resting on your shoulder muscles, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart

-       Bend your knees and hips to lower your body until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the floor

-       Reverse the position, extending your hips and knees to return to the start position.

Romanian Deadlift (Areas trained: Hamstrings, Lower back, Glutes)

Technique

-       Hold the bar with an overhand grip approximately shoulder-width (your thumbs should brush the outside of your thighs)

-       Place your feet approximately hip-width apart, with knees soft and your feet straight ahead

-       Maintaining a flat back position, bend forward at the hips, lowering the bar towards the floor

-       Reverse the position, extend your hips and return to the start position

Hip Thrust (Areas trained: Glutes, Hamstrings, Core) 

Technique

-       Set up with your shoulder blades in with the bend an holding a barbell to your hips.

-       Place your feet close to your bottom, so that at the top of the hip thrust, your calves are at 90 degrees to the floor

-       Drive through your heels and focus on using your glutes to pish your hips straight up. Finish with your hips as high as possible while maintaining a neutral spine.

-       Lower; repeat. 

Sculpt in 7 Minutes!

Sculpt in 7 Minutes!

Your best body in less than 10 minutes, you say? it can be done- Wahoo's 7 Minute Workout app shows us how. 

Whether you'e a full-time mum or busy office worker, we're pretty sure a short and sweet workout  you can get done in under 10 minutes will sound appealing. Well good news, it can be done. If you're prepared to go hard and give it your all, it is possible to have an effective workout in 7 minutes, and with Wahoo Fitness' 7 Minute Workout, which combines aerobic and resistance training to work your heart as well as your mules, you don't need to leave the house to make it happen. This high-intensity form of training is popular for a reason, but you need to work hard if you want to see results.

Try the workout here to reap serious rewards asap!

Perform each move for 30 seconds at a time with a 10 second rest in between each. Try to do as many as possible in 30 seconds. keep going for seven minutes in total.

Kit you'll need: Chair/step 

Squats, Areas trained: Bottom, Quads

Technique 

Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips and your toes pointed slightly out. 

Keeping your back straight, bend your knees and bend at the hips to lower until you are parallel with the floor. 

Push back up to th orginial standing poisition and repeat. 

Step-Ups {onto a chair), Areas trained: Bottom, Legs

Technique

Stand in front of the chair.

Step up onto the chair with one foot, followed by the other.

Pause and then step off with the opposite foot first.

Repeat, changing sdes with each rep.

Side Plank, Areas trained: Core, sides

Technique

Form a straight line with your body on its side, resting on one forearm with your feet stacked on top of each other. 

Hold for 30 seconds.

High knees, Areas trained: Legs, Bottom, Core

Technique 

Run on the spot lifting your knees as high as possible.

Swing your arms as if you were running normally.

Tricep Dips, Areas trained: Triceps

Technique 

Sit on a chair with the heels of your hands on the edge.

Slide your bottom off the seat and support your weight with your hands.

Bend your elbows back and slowly lower your bum toward the floor while keeping your elbows tucked in.

Push back up to the start and repeat,

Lunge, Areas trained: Legs, Bottom 

Technique 

Stand with your shoulder back and relaxed, and your chin up.

Take a large stap forward with one foot.

Bend both knees to about 90-degree angle, with your back knee just about the floor.

Push back up to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite leg, alternating legs with each rep.

Jumping Jack, Areas trained: Bottom, Legs, Core

Technique 

Start with your feet together and arms at your sides.

Slightly bend your knees and jump up in the air.

As you are jumping kick your legs out and bring your arms up and out to for a 'star' shape.

Land softly and repeat exercise.

Press-up Rotation, Areas trained: Chest, Triceps, Core, Sides

Technique 

Starting in a plank poisition with your hands directly under your shoulders, bend your arms to lower your chest towards the ground.

Push back up to the start.

At the top, rotate your body into side-plank position with one arm on the ground and the other extending towards the celing.

Rotate back to plank position.

Repeat, this time rotating to the opposite side, continue to alternate with each rep.

Dead strong

Want to bolster your muscles and get better at everything you do in the gym? Perfect one of the three big lifts: the deadlift

Never tried a deadlift before? You're missing out. 'You need to be doing this move,' says Richard Tidmarsh, lead trainer at London's Reach Fitness. Here at WF, we've long been huge advocates of lifting weights, but it's nice to see such a huge phenomenon take off thanks to its benefits for strength, fat loss and wellbeing.

But let's get one thing straight: you can only reap these amazing benefits if you're doing it properly. 'Awful form, wasting time on isolate movements and using weights that are too light or too heavy are all common mistakes,' says Richard.

So let's take a step back and look at the humble deadlift. 'It works pretty much every major muscle group in your body hitting your back, glutes, legs and core. So, if you get it right, it'll improve your posture and strength – and, with time and the right training plan, will be a huge weapon in your armoury to add lean tissue to your body.'

Deadlift

Technique

-Set up behind the bar with it touching your shins. Hinge at the hips and knees taking a grip a little wider than shoulder-width apart. With your weight in your heels and spine long and straight, prepare to lift with your chin in a neutral position.

-Now with a deep breath in that you will hold tight during this phase, simultaneously push down through the floor with your heels and drive up with your hips and legs to lift the bar. Maintain a straight spine with your shoulder blades pulled together throughout with your core and back engaged.

-Finish the lift by locking out to full hip extension and standing up straight with the bar tight against you, your back and glutes engaged. You then return the bar in reverse order to the floor, maintaining the positive spine position to execute the lift.

Safety tip

Start with a weight you are comfortable with to get your form perfect. If you have poor spine and hip mobility, you will not be able to get into a good lifting position. So work on these areas of movement before even considering doing this lift.

Meet our expert

Richard Tidmarsh is the owner and lead trainer of Reach Fitness London and trains international athletes such as UFC fighter Jimi Manuwa, as well as celebs such as Jessie Ware and Millie Mackintosh.

Sexy Abs Routine

Sexy ab muscles are just 5 moves away

Are you looking for a flat, tight and toned midsection? Well, look no further than these ab-sculpting moves. Incorporate this workout into 2 or 3 of your sessions per week.

You will need a stability ball for this workout

The moves

• Crunches: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
• Stability ball side crunches: 3 sets of 12-15 reps per side
• Plank: 3 sets 30 sec
• Bicycle crunches: 3 sets of 15 reps per side
• Stability ball roll-ins: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Crunches

Sit on the ball. Walk your body forward until your hips are just o the ball and your back
is on the ball. Keep your feet about shoulder- width apart to help maintain your balance and place your hands behind your head. Crunch forward by lifting your shoulder blades on the ball. Hold at the top for one second and slowly lower back down to the starting position.

TIP: The more your hips are on the ball the 
more challenging the exercise becomes. Rolling down further and taking your hips o the ball decreases the range of motion. Placing your feet closer together also increases the diffculty of the exercise.

Stability ball side crunches

Lie with your left side on the ball. Stagger your feet so that your right leg is in front of your left leg. Place your hands behind your head. Crunch your body to the right side, lifting your left side o the ball. Move in a straight line. Hold at the top for one second, then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. TIP: You may need to anchor yourself during this exercise by placing your feet against the base of a wall or firm object.

Plank

Balance on your elbows and toes, with your legs extended, keeping your body in a straight line. Hold the same position for 10-30 seconds without moving.

Bicycle Crunches

Lie supine with your hips flexed at 90 degrees and your hands behind your head. As you curl your body forward, like a crunch, bring your right knee toward your left elbow and extend your left leg out at 45 degrees. While keeping your shoulders lifted off the floor, continue alternating from left to right, bringing your opposite knee and elbow together.
Tip: Keeping your shoulders on the floor maintains tension on the abs and works them harder. A slow tempo and fewer reps (15 each side) helps more with firming. A faster tempo and more reps (50 each side) helps more with calorie burning.

Stability ball roll ins:

From a push up position, place your feet on the ball. Keep your arms straight and your abs contracted.
Keeping your abs engaged, bring your knees toward your chest. Hold for one second, then slowly return to the starting position.