I’m a trainer – forget about crunches, these 3 moves strengthen the abs

Sit up and take note, folks.

UK-based personal trainer James Stirling, known on Instagram as @London_Fitness_Guy, has taken to the platform to share his insights on what does and doesn’t build core strength.

Disappointing a widespread belief, he explained, “Doing a lot of crunches won’t build you a strong core.”

Why is a strong core a priority? The core area, also called the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (LPHC), stabilizes the upper and lower body, improving posture, supporting mobility and preventing injuries.

Stirling said that while many think a ripped midsection shows core strength, the real deal goes deeper.

“A strong core actually refers to our deep muscles that are at least one layer below the surface muscles. Basically, if you can see a muscle, it is superficial and not a major core muscle.

Superficiality hasn’t stopped men from seeking six-pack surgery. Known as high-definition liposuction, this “ab-etching” procedure involves surgically sculpting the stomach muscles and is growing in popularity.

As the name suggests, high-definition lipo offers a degree of definition not offered by the traditional procedure, which removes fat and volume but does not deal with the underlying “anatomy.”

If you’d rather get abs and build your core without cosmetic procedures, Stirling recommends a holy trinity of focused exercises.

Drag raft

Stirling explained that the dumbbell pull is a “really good exercise to build strength in the hips, hamstrings and core.”

To begin, assume a high plank position with a dumbbell, bell, or other weighted object positioned outside of one of your hands.

Using the opposite arm, reach under your body to catch the weight. Keeping your hips and torso still, pull the weight through the ground and onto the outside of your pulling arm.

Repeat on the other side and continue alternating for 40 seconds.

Weighted heel taps

Heel taps can work the transversus abdominis, the deepest of the six ab muscles. According to Peloton instructor Kristin McGee, building it can help with your posture, stabilize your spine, and mobility in your hips.

Begin by lying on the floor with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Holding a dumbbell overhead, alternately tapping each heel on the ground.

This exercise can also be performed without weight.

Sideboard

Stirling’s last exercise is a side plank. To start, lie on your side with your knees bent. Next, rest your upper body on your elbows and lift your hips off the floor. Tighten your core and core muscles to keep your body straight and relaxed.

Harvard Health Publishing claims that planks are more effective than squats, saying they “recruit a better balance of muscles in the front, sides, and back of the body than squats, which target only a few muscles.”

Stirling recommends performing each exercise for 40 seconds and completing three sets as a circuit.

Research has shown that just 22 minutes of physical activity each day can avoid the negative health consequences of sitting for long periods of time.

Despite Stirling’s enthusiastic recommendation, one obesity researcher maintains that while you can get stronger, you can’t use exercise to slim certain body parts.

“Spot reduction is a myth—we can’t control where our bodies lose fat,” wrote Dr. Nick Fuller from the University of Sydney in Australia to The Conversation in 2023. “But we can achieve the results we’re looking for in specific areas by targeting overall fat loss.”