Exercises/Core

The best core exercises, rated

18 core exercises, from the highest rated to the most situational. Each one with how to do it, the rep range and alternatives.

Rating A: Great choices 3

Rating ACableCable CrunchAbs with real overload and stretch.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine CrunchStable, loadable ab exercise.How to do it Rating ADumbbellWeighted Decline CrunchLoadable with a dumbbell: the best home crunch.How to do it

Rating B: Good choices 7

Rating BBand, ball or wheelAb Wheel RolloutHeavy eccentric loading in the stretch, but you can only progress through distance.How to do it Rating BCableCable WoodchopTrains the obliques with overload.How to do it Rating BBodyweightCaptain's Chair Knee RaiseLike the hanging knee raise, but with back support and without your grip giving out.How to do it Rating BBodyweightHanging Knee RaiseEasier stepping stone to the leg raise.How to do it Rating BBodyweightHanging Leg RaiseEffective as long as your pelvis tilts, otherwise mostly hip flexors.How to do it Rating BBodyweightReverse CrunchA good ab exercise without equipment.How to do it Rating BBand, ball or wheelStability Ball CrunchStretches the abs more than a regular crunch, but hard to load.How to do it

Rating C: Situational 8

Rating CBodyweightCrunchThe basic version.How to do it Rating CBodyweightDead BugGood for motor control/rehab, not for muscle growth.How to do it Rating CDumbbellFarmer's CarryGood for grip, traps and core.How to do it Rating CCablePallof PressGood anti-rotation stability, but little hypertrophy stimulus.How to do it Rating CBodyweightPlankIsometric and hard to make heavier.How to do it Rating CBand, ball or wheelRussian TwistVery popular, but low loading and an unfavourable combination of flexion and rotation.How to do it Rating CBodyweightSide PlankFine for stability, but barely possible to overload.How to do it Rating CDumbbellSuitcase CarryStrong core stability and grip.How to do it

Also trains your core

Exercises for other muscles where your core help.

Rating ABarbellBarbell Back SquatDeep squats gave more glute and adductor growth than half squats, and as much glute growth as hip thrusts plus more quad growth.How to do it Rating ABodyweightCopenhagen AdductionThe best-studied adductor programme: in a randomised trial in 35 football teams, this single exercise cut the odds of groin problems by 41%.How to do it Rating BBarbellBarbell Front SquatGood quad stimulus, but the rack position and upper back often give out before the quads do.How to do it Rating BBarbellBarbell Overhead PressStrong strength exercise, but less stable for hypertrophy, and the front delts already get a lot from bench pressing.How to do it Rating BBodyweightCopenhagen PlankStatic version of the Copenhagen adduction: good to start with or as an extra.How to do it Rating BDumbbellGoblet SquatGreat for beginners and at home, but the load is quickly limited by what you can hold.How to do it

Plan your training

Knowledge base
What is progressive overload?Four ways to keep making progress, and how fast to go.Read How many sets per muscle per week?The weekly volume that builds muscle.Read One-rep max calculatorYour max from any hard set, and the weight for 2 to 12 reps.Read

How we rate exercises

Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.

Questions about
core training

What is the best core exercise?

There is no single best one. In Mitta’s library, the highest rated core exercises are the cable crunch, machine crunch and weighted decline crunch. Pick the one that suits your equipment and feels best.

Can I train my core at home?

Yes. Exercises that need little more than dumbbells or your body weight include the weighted decline crunch, ab wheel rollout, Captain's chair knee raise and hanging knee raise.

How many core exercises should I do?

One or two per workout is enough for most people. What matters more is the number of hard sets per week. How many sets per muscle per week?

Be one of the first in.

We’re opening Mitta to small groups. Join before launch and get 50% off Pro or Pro + AI for 3 months.

One email to confirm, then your invite when it’s ready. Write to privacy@digicc.one to stop. By joining you confirm you are 18 or older. Privacy