1st October 2026
how to strengthen your core without doing a single sit-up
When you hear the words core workout, do you immediately picture endless sit-ups and planks wondering when it will all be over?
Good news! You can strengthen your core without doing a single sit-up. In fact these are core exercises for everyday life!
We caught up with Chris, our Gym Lead and Personal Trainer at Brio Northwich, to find out why a strong core is about more than crunching your way through hundreds of reps.
Functional core exercises is all about teaching your body to stay strong, stable and supported while you move. Whether you're carrying the shopping, picking something up off the floor, playing sport or carrying the kids, your core is working hard in the background.
bending and hinging: giving your back a helping hand
Bending and lifting might seem like everyday movements that don't require much thought, but doing them properly takes a combination of core stability, strength and good technique.
Barbell bent-over row
Start with your feet about shoulder-width apart and hinge at your hips, keeping your back nice and straight. Keep the barbell close to your legs and pull it towards your belly button, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
It's a great way to work your back while your core gets involved to keep everything stable.
Romanian deadlift (RDL)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and your spine in a neutral position.
Push your hips backwards as you hinge forwards – imagine there's an imaginary button behind you that you're trying to press with your bum! Lower until you feel a stretch through your hamstrings, then drive your hips forwards to return to standing.
Your hamstrings, glutes and core all get involved. Teamwork makes the dream work!
rotation and anti-rotation exercises
Your core isn't just there to help you sit up straight. It also helps stop your body from twisting when you don't want it to. Core strength for posture is very important!
That's where rotational and anti-rotational core exercises come in handy. They're particularly useful for everyday movements like carrying a bag on one side or turning while keeping your balance.
Cable rotation
This movement involves transferring weight smoothly from one side of your body to the other using your, you guessed it - core.
Keep the movement controlled and avoid letting your hips do all the work. Your core should be helping to control the movement rather than simply joining in for moral support.
Pallof press
The Pallof press is an anti-rotation exercise, meaning your core has to work hard to stop your body from twisting.
Press the cable or resistance band straight out in front of your chest and resist the pull back towards the machine.
Chris' top tip: The wider your feet are, the easier it is to stay stable. Bring your feet closer together and suddenly your core has a lot more work to do.
exercises for lifting and carrying
Ever picked something up off the floor and immediately thought, “Yep… that definitely wasn’t how I was supposed to do that”?
Whether you're picking up a kettlebell, lifting the shopping or rescuing something that's fallen behind the sofa, your legs and core are doing more work than you might realise.
Kettlebell deadlift
Keep your spine neutral and hinge down towards the kettlebell. Then drive through your legs to stand back up. Chris' advice? Think about “pushing the earth away” as you lift. It might sound a little dramatic, but it works!
The movement teaches you how to lift from the floor using your legs and glutes, while keeping your core braced and your back supported. And, importantly, it means your back doesn't have to do all the heavy lifting. It has enough going on!
Reverse lunge with pickup
This one combines a reverse lunge with picking something up from the floor, making it a great glute and core exercise.
You're working your legs, glutes and core while practising a movement you'll probably use in everyday life although hopefully not while trying to pick up 17 things you've dropped at once.
Chris says: “Focus on the glutes. They are the largest muscle group in the body and they are the most important part of your core. If you have strong glutes, everything else will follow.”
So, basically… don't forget about your bum!
loaded carries: core training without the crunches
You might not realise it, but carrying your shopping, a suitcase or even a child who has suddenly decided they can no longer walk is a pretty good core workout. That's where loaded carries come in.
Farmer's carry
Hold a weight in each hand and walk while keeping your body upright and controlled. Your core works hard to keep you stable and maintain good posture as you move.
Think of it as carrying your shopping bags - except these ones are deliberately heavy and there's no reward of getting home to find a nice snack at the bottom.
Suitcase carry
This time, hold a weight in just one hand and walk while keeping your torso upright. Because the weight is only on one side, your obliques have to work hard to stop you leaning towards it.
In other words, don't let the weight win.
Chris says: “Throughout these two movements, your core will be working really hard to stabilise the weight you're carrying, protecting your spine and resisting any movements throughout.”
how to add a full body core workout to your gym session
The good news is you don't need to completely overhaul your gym routine or suddenly become that person who spends an hour doing core exercises.
Chris recommends:
Add a finisher: Pick one or two core exercises and add them to the end of your usual workout. A little extra work goes a long way.
Make the most of leg day: Add some glute-focused exercises to build strength through your lower body and core. Your bum will thank you later.
Mix things up: Already doing some of these movements? Try a different variation. Swap rotational exercises for anti-rotational ones, for example, and give your muscles something new to think about.
you ready to ditch the sit-ups?
A strong core isn't about seeing how many sit-ups you can survive before questioning your life choices. It's about being able to move, lift, carry and stay stable in everyday life - whether you're at the gym, carrying the shopping or attempting to lift something awkward out of the boot of your car.
So next time you're at Brio, give some of these movements a try.
And if you're not sure about your form or how to set up an exercise, our gym instructors are always happy to help. Just ask!
Want to see the exercises in action? Check out Chris' video below and follow along.
