Kathryn Alexander

Do you need a dumbbell shoulder workout at home? You are in luck! Shoulders are a very easy muscle group to workout at home, since you can do a full shoulder workout with a pair of dumbbells.

You won’t need expensive or big equipment either; no squat rack or special bench needed. If you have a set of dumbbells, or even some lighter weights and resistance bands, you’ll have plenty of options to get a great dumbbell shoulder workout at home!

Shoulders are a smaller muscle group than legs and glutes, for example, so you don’t need quite as much heavy weight to get a great shoulder workout. You probably know this intuitively: you can squat and deadlift heavier weights than you can overhead press.

Of course, when you have the chance to train shoulders at a gym, you can increase the weights and utilize all the equipment, but I guarantee you can get some of the best shoulder workouts of your life at home with minimal equipment and hard work.

Below are some of the best dumbbell shoulder exercises for your workout at home or even in the gym. And, I’m throwing in a couple body weight and band exercises because they work too!

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

• sit on a sturdy bench or chair and brace your feet into the ground or bench
• hold the dumbbells at shoulder level
• tuck your elbows slightly so they are in line with your body and not poking behind you
• press straight overhead until elbows are straight
• stop before weights clank each other
• if you get good contact with the ground and drive your feet in, you can do a bit more weight on the seated shoulder press than the standing dumbbell press

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Presses

• stand tall with your abs and glutes engaged
• hold the dumbbells at shoulder level
• tuck your elbows slightly so they are in line with your body and not poking behind you
• press straight overhead until elbows are straight
• stop before weights clank each other
• if you are between weights (ie, 17 pounds would be optimal, but you only have 10 or 20), then you can give it a little push from your lower body to move the heavier weights

1 Arm Dumbbell Overhead Press

• stand tall with your abs and glutes engaged
• you won’t drive with your lower body, but keep a slight bend in your knees
• stand with feet shoulder-width. Much wider will give you too much stability. (the offset nature of this exercise actually makes you work your core muscles too)
• hold one dumbbell at shoulder level
• tuck your elbow slightly so it is in line with your body and not poking behind you
• press straight overhead until elbow is straight
• control the descent and repeat for the desired number of reps

Lateral Raise

• stand tall
• keep your arms straight but not locked
• reach for the sides of the room as you bring the dumbbells to shoulder level
• control the return to the start position
• the dumbbell lateral raise is one of the best exercises for shoulder work. Maybe my favorite!

Front Raise

• with a dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms straight in front of you
• palms will be facing down
• you can do these seated or standing, but control the movement both ways and minimize rocking forward and backward
• these target front delts

Bent Over Rear Delt Raise

• hinge over with hips behind you and back straight
• keeping elbows straight but not locked, extend the dumbbells to your side
• be sure dumbbells don’t travel toward your hips or out in front of you
• control the return to your start position

Bent Over Rear Delt Row

• hinge over with hips behind you and back straight
• upper arms are extended straight out to your side, with palms facing behind you
• bend at the elbows as if you are elbowing the ceiling
• aim for elbows to be straight out from your shoulder, not toward your hips

Prone Rear Delt Series

• lay face down on the mat
• bend your elbows like goalposts, with thumbs pointed up
• raise your arms a few inches up and down
• repeat with arms straight out like a “Y”
• repeat with arms straight out to your sides like a “T”
• repeat the whole series with your palms facing down

Dumbbell Upright Row

• Start with a dumbbell in each hand. 
• Stand with feet about shoulder width, and arms extended down straight in front of your body
• Palms will be facing your torso.
• Drive your elbows up toward the ceiling, leading with your elbow.
• When dumbbells are about shoulder height (or a few inches lower), reverse the movement and return to your starting position.
• Control the dumbbells down and repeat for all your reps. 
• This will work your shoulders and upper back muscles (traps).

Band Pullaparts

• stand tall
• extend your arms in front of you, gripping a light band
• keep elbows straight but not locked as you press your arms straight around your side
• I prefer palms down but you can experiment with different hand positions
• squeeze your shoulders behind you as you make a big wide sweep with your arms
• press until the band touches your chest
• control the return to your start position and repeat
• the goal isn’t to squeeze your shoulder blades here. Instead, think about keeping them wide, apart from each other, and really reach toward the edges of the room. 

What Muscles Make Up the Shoulders?

I threw a bunch of exercises at you, so let me elaborate on what you’re actually working. Dumbbell exercises for shoulders primarily target the three heads of the deltoid muscle. Here’s a breakdown of the shoulder muscles worked by specific dumbbell exercises:

Deltoid Muscles

1. Anterior Deltoid (Front)
   • Primary Exercises:
     • Front Raises: Lifts dumbbells directly in front of you, targeting the anterior deltoids.
     • Arnold Press: Combines pressing and rotating movements to engage the front deltoids.
2. Lateral Deltoid (Middle)
   • Primary Exercises:
     • Lateral Raises: Lifts dumbbells to the sides, focusing on the lateral deltoids.
     • Shoulder Press: Overhead pressing movement primarily targets the lateral and anterior deltoids.
3. Posterior Deltoid (Rear)
   • Primary Exercises:
     • Bent-Over Reverse Fly: Targets the rear delts by lifting the dumbbells outward in a bent-over position.
     • Face Pulls (with dumbbells): Pulling dumbbells toward the face while maintaining a bent-over position can also engage the rear deltoids.

Supporting Muscles

While the primary focus of these exercises is the deltoid muscles, several supporting muscle groups are also engaged:

1. Rotator Cuff Muscles
   • Function: Stabilizes the shoulder joint during movements.
   • Exercises: Engaged in all shoulder movements, especially those involving rotation like the Arnold press.
2. Trapezius (Upper Traps)
   • Function: Assists in lifting and stabilizing the shoulders.
   • Exercises: Shrugs and to a lesser extent during overhead presses.
3. Serratus Anterior
   • Function: Helps in the upward rotation of the scapula, essential for overhead movements.
   • Exercises: Engaged during shoulder presses and front raises.
4. Rhomboids
   • Function: Retracts the scapula.
   • Exercises: Engaged during bent-over reverse flys and other rear deltoid exercises.

By incorporating a variety of dumbbell exercises, you can effectively target and develop all parts of the shoulder muscles, contributing to balanced shoulder strength and aesthetics.

The Benefits of Shoulder Exercises

There are so many benefits to working shoulders:

Functional Benefits

Strong shoulders enhance your ability to perform everyday tasks such as lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling objects. This includes activities like carrying kids, lifting heavy items, and reaching overhead.

Strong shoulders also help maintain proper posture by supporting the arms and reducing the tendency to slouch. Good posture reduces stress on the spine and helps prevent lower back pain.

Finally, shoulders can really enhance athletic performance. Many sports and physical activities rely on shoulder strength and stability, including swimming, basketball, tennis, and weightlifting. Strong shoulders improve performance and reduce the risk of injury in these activities.

Health Benefits

Healthy shoulders give you many health benefits too, including injury prevention. Strong shoulders help stabilize the shoulder joint, reducing the risk of injuries such as dislocations, strains, and rotator cuff tears. Well-developed muscles provide better support and protection for the joints and ligaments.

Strong shoulders can help alleviate pain associated with conditions like impingement syndrome, arthritis, and tendonitis. It can also prevent compensatory muscle imbalances that lead to discomfort in other areas such as the neck and upper back.

Strong and flexible shoulder muscles contribute to a better range of motion, making it easier to perform various movements without discomfort or restriction.

Aesthetic Benefits

Finally, and possibly the most fun benefit, is the aesthetic look of well developed shoulders. Well-developed shoulders contribute to a balanced and proportionate physique. Broad shoulders enhance the appearance of the upper body, creating a V-shaped torso that is often considered aesthetically pleasing.

In short, big shoulders always look good!

Overall Well-Being

Achieving shoulder strength and muscle development can boost self-confidence and body image, motivating individuals to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Maintaining shoulder strength is crucial for aging populations to preserve independence and perform daily activities without assistance. It helps in maintaining mobility and quality of life as one ages.

In summary, strong shoulders are essential for functional efficiency, injury prevention, improved health, and overall aesthetic appeal. Regularly incorporating shoulder-strengthening exercises into your fitness routine can yield significant benefits across various aspects of life.

Here’s a great leg and glute workout to do from home, if you’re looking to make it a full body situation! Or, if you’re adding in back, learn how to do barbell rows and their variations.

How To Incorporate These Dumbbell Shoulder Exercises at Home

Now that you have the shoulder exercises, what is the best way to add them in your program? There are obviously a lot of variables here, like how your workouts are split and what other exercises you are doing. If you are doing an upper body day, I’d recommend adding 2-3 of the above exercises in. If you are doing a shoulder-specific training day, you can do 4-6. 

I suggest doing both the compound movements (overhead presses) and isolation exercises (lateral raise, band pullaparts). 

As far as how these exercises complement the other exercises you are doing, it’s hard to give you an exact step-by-step guide. I’d rather walk you through what fits your needs.

First, consider what will be redundant. For example, if you bench press often, you are probably getting lots of work on your front delts. You might not need to add front raises in. In fact, you might need to add more band pullaparts, face pulls, and rows to offset muscular imbalances. 

Seconds, what’s your ultimate goal? If its full development and you want to pack on the muscle mass for boulder shoulders, you’ll still want to supplement with heavy weights. You might do a hybrid workout routine where you can progress the weight and work on your strength goals at the gym, and do another shoulder session at home.

Balance out your shoulder work with some back work. Here’s how to add barbell rows in your routine.

Try These Dumbbell Shoulder Exercise in Your Workout Routine

So there you have it! A complete, but not exhaustive list of some of the best shoulder exercises you can do at home for muscle growth, shoulder stability, and shoulder health. Try these dumbbell exercises, and see which work for you to build your best routine for a dumbbell shoulder workout at home.

Work With Me!

If you are looking for a personal trainer in Austin, I’d love to talk with you! If you are not in Austin, Round Rock, or central Texas, let’s talk about online training.

Message me here for a free consult about personal training in Austin, Texas, or here for online personal training, and we’ll discuss your goals, background, equipment availability, schedule, and exercise preferences.

Let’s get you strong and healthy! 💪

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

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Should I go to the gym every day? Should I go 3 times a week? More? How do I know what is best for me? 

Whether you should go to the gym every day or less frequently depends on your fitness goals, current fitness level, overall health, and what kind of training you are doing. As with everything in life, there is not a definite yes or no answer. Sorry- I wish it was that simple! 

But, I can walk you through and help you decide what is best for you! 

There are some reasons to go to the gym everyday, and there are some reasons that it makes more sense to do 3-5 gym sessions per week. 

Read below to see which applies best to you. 

Why You Should Not Go to the Gym Everyday

Like I mentioned above, some people’s goals aren’t conducive to going to the gym every day. If you are doing very heavy, or very intense training, you’ll probably want to take some rest days between training days. 

If you are doing a less intense workout plan and you don’t rest, you can do a lower intensity workout, active recovery, or other recovery method on some of your exercise days.

If your goal is weight loss, I encourage you to get regular exercise. In this case, you might go 3-6 days a week, and take a rest day. 

If your goal is to compete in a specific competition, you’ll probably be training hard. In this case, you’ll want to balance how much effort you can exert while maintaining energy levels needed for training.

Recovery When Going to the Gym Everyday

When you have reached the point where you are lifting very heavy weights, you’ll need more time for recovery and muscle growth between training sessions. Additionally, if you are training aggressively for a competition you’ll most likely be training intensely enough that you should NOT be training 6+ days a week if all sessions are at that intensity.

Without adequate rest, you risk overtraining, which can lead to injuries and burnout. This is especially applicable the more advanced you become as a lifter, and the stronger you are. 

Often, overtraining is under recovery. Our bodies can actually handle more than we think, provided we are eating good food in the right amounts, letting and/or facilitating physical recovery, and managing mental and emotional stress as well.

Of course, if you have a coach, speak with your coach. If you would like to do a free consult to see if we would work together for your fitness goals, message me here. 

Not allowing for recovery can hinder progress.

Logistically speaking, going to the gym every day might not be sustainable in the long run and could lead to fatigue. 

Fun fact, many of my online and hybrid in-person/remote clients actually live in Austin, where I train clients in-person. It’s just hard to fit driving to the gym in many times a week. Many of these clients have built out a home gym or garage gym and meet me once a week or once a month, and then do the rest of their training at their home gym (or wherever they choose to have a gym membership).

Why You Should Go to the Gym Everyday

On the other hand, there are some benefits of going to the gym every day. Going to the gym every day can help build a consistent habit. This is very important for some people who thrive on consistency and routine. 

Exercise is also great for mental health, so daily workouts can be ideal for many people’s overall health.

This is also important if you have set a goal for yourself, and you need to keep your word to yourself. If this is the case, I would choose a time frame to commit to. It would be difficult to say you’ll go to the gym every single day forever. For a shorter amount of time, you can do it.

If this is you, and you want to go every day, that’s ok! This just means you should make a smart plan so that you have some workouts that are more intense, and some workouts that are not as tiring. 

If you love going to the gym often and love incorporating all the equipment in your training, read here about different barbells and how much they weigh.

What Type of Training Are You Doing?

Like I touched on earlier, what type of training you do every day has a large part in how often you should exercise. Do you do heavy resistance training every day, more general cardiovascular exercise, or hard HIIT workouts? 

If you are doing exhausting, full-body workouts or athletic prep, I highly recommend you have at least one day of enough rest. 

If you choose to do daily exercise, you can split up your weight training, or do different types of workouts like adding in yoga, Pilates, running, swimming, or other aerobic exercise. 

Common splits that hit the major muscle groups include:

• Upper/lower body
• Push/pull/squat style split
• Bodypart specific like chest/arms/back/legs

Getting a variety of exercise types is actually a great way to improve overall health. Whether you use weight machines, free weights, or bodyweight exercises, the combination of resistance training, cardio, and general movement leads to many health and physical fitness benefits. It will help you maintain a healthy heart rate, minimize the risk of high blood pressure, and stave off heart disease. This variety of daily exercise will also help you maintain healthy muscle tone, build lean muscle mass, and keep body fat in a healthy zone.

Cardiovascular Training Physical Activity Guidelines

Real talk, I love lifting. I like strength training sessions much more than doing cardio. However, it feels good to feel good, and cardiovascular training is a crucial way to help you feel great and maintain your general health. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) currently recommends the following exercise guidelines: 

• 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity
• Moderate intensity to high intensity resistance training twice a week

This combo is great for those looking to build and maintain general fitness. Of course, if you’re chasing specific fitness goals, you’ll spend more time on those. If you like rock climbing, practice rock climbing. If you are doing a triathlon, then practice running, swimming and biking, and make strength training your supplemental exercise.  In this case, you’ll probably be doing enough exercise that you won’t need to count total minutes of exercise or minutes of moderate aerobic activity.

Generally speaking though, for healthy adults, a fitness routine that includes a few days of cardio and 2-3 days of lifting will create a workout schedule that contributes to great heart health, cognitive function, and mental health. 

The above guidelines were sourced from The American Heart Association on 6/3/2024.

If you’re interested in more information about heart health, here’s a more in-depth science based article on how much exercise you need to do for optimal health.

Training Three – Five Days a Week

Instead of forcing yourself to go to the gym everyday, try a regular workout routine of 3 -5 days a week. There are some great benefits to training and resting on alternating days.

Benefits of training a few days a week include allowing time for your muscles to repair and grow stronger post workout. Three to five days of training per week allows this recovery and growth between, reducing the risk of overtraining and injury. If your main goal is muscle strength or muscle building, you’ll want to have rest days.

The recovery days also allow your central nervous system time to recover. Some types of exercise are more heavy on the nervous system, and some require less. Either way, taking a rest day is great for your muscles, joints and other soft tissue to recover as well. 

Other Benefits of Going to the Gym 3-5 Days a Week

Let’s be honest, life is busy! Going to the gym every day is tough on the schedule! Not everybody has that much time to spend. Going to the gym 3-5 days a week on a regular basis is a lot more feasible for many people. If your routine is more sustainable and easier to fit into a busy lifestyle, it will lead to better long-term adherence. 

That’s what you want, after all. You want to do this long term! Exercise forever, and you’ll feel great forever. 

Incorporating rest days also reduces burnout. Burnout is mental as well, not just physical fatigue. If you can stay mentally fresh and motivated, you’ll enjoy your workouts so much more. 

With fewer training days, each session can be more focused and intense, leading to better performance and results. Additionally, emphasizing quality workouts rather than the quantity can lead to more effective and efficient training.

Finally, having a little more time allows you to do more things like keep up your hobbies, spend time with family and friends, and just live a little more balanced lifestyle. A less demanding gym schedule can lead to the right balance of work and play, health benefits and rest, and we could all use a little more balance, I think. 

How Many Days Should You Go To The Gym?

Having read through this, what makes the most sense to you? You can probably tell by now that I’m a fan of taking some days off from the gym. Work hard, rest hard is my motto. 🙂

Choose an exercise plan, and commit to it. As you go, listen to your body. Pay attention to how you feel and if your training program is working for you. Do you feel worked, and sleep hard at night? Do you feel overdone, and hate going to the gym, and generally want to quit? 

Remember, if you do choose to go to the gym every day, some of your days can be lower intensity, stretching, recovery, etc. Give yourself some variety in your training so that you can have natural highs and lows in training intensity. Some days might be vigorous activity like heavy weights some might be brisk walking, and some might be lower intensity cardio exercise. 

Finally, consider working with a fitness professional or coach. Sometimes it’s hard to see the best way in our own path. A coach can create an effective plan for you give your goals, schedule, current fitness level, and gym access. 

Ultimately, finding a routine that works for you and is enjoyable is the most important thing in maintaining long-term fitness and health. Practice different styles of physical exercise until you find the balance of progress, enjoyment, and time spend exercising and at the gym. 

Work With Me!

If you are looking for a personal trainer in Austin, I’d love to talk with you! If you are not in Austin, Round Rock, or central Texas, let’s talk about online training.

Message me here for a free consult about personal training in Austin, Texas, or here for online personal training, and we’ll discuss your goals, background, equipment availability, schedule, and exercise preferences.

Let’s get you strong and healthy! 💪

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

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Dumbbell curl muscles worked, exercises, and tips on how to maximize your biceps growth for bigger and stronger arms.

Dumbbell curls primarily target the muscles at the front of the upper arm, specifically the biceps brachii. However, they also engage several other muscles to stabilize and support the movement. Here are the main muscles worked during dumbbell curls:

1. Biceps Brachii: This is the primary muscle targeted by dumbbell curls. It’s located on the front of your upper arm and is responsible for flexing the elbow joint, bringing your forearm towards your upper arm.
2. Brachialis: Located underneath the biceps brachii, the brachialis muscle also plays a significant role in elbow flexion. It helps to add thickness to the upper arm.
3. Brachioradialis: This muscle runs along the forearm and also aids in elbow flexion. It’s particularly active during hammer curls but is engaged to some extent during standard dumbbell curls as well.
4. Forearm Muscles (Flexors): Various muscles in the forearm, such as the flexor carpi radialis and flexor carpi ulnaris, assist in stabilizing the wrist and controlling the movement of the dumbbell during curls.
5. Shoulder Stabilizers: While not the primary focus, the anterior deltoid (front shoulder) and other shoulder stabilizer muscles may also be engaged to some extent to stabilize the shoulder joint and shoulder blades (scapula) during the movement.

Setting the Foundation: Starting Position

The dumbbell curl can be done very strictly, in an effort to make it an isolation exercise. As you become more comfortable and experienced at the dumbbell biceps curl, you can add in some body movement. For now, let’s talk about how to master it at a lighter weight. As bodybuilders say, make light weight feel heavy. 

First, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart—this offers a sturdy base that supports a full range of motion. The stance is our foundation; it’s what grounds us and preps our entire body for the work ahead. Alternatively, you can sit on the edge of a bench that allows your arms to extend down by your sides. 

Next, let’s talk grip. Hold a pair of dumbbells with your arms straight and palms facing your side. This is your start position. This grip engages the biceps muscles right from the get-go, setting the stage for an efficient curl. Ensure you’re using a weight that allows for maintaining proper form. Later in your lifting career, you can break the rules a little bit.

Lastly, elbow placement is crucial. Keep your elbows tight to the side of your body. Don’t let your elbows pop out to the side of your body or flare out as you initiate movement. If this happens, it’s an indication that the weight is becoming a struggle for you. If you’re at the point where you are wanting to deliberately use swinging, or momentum, you can. But be aware that if your elbows are getting wiggly, and your goal is strict form, you’ll want to drop the weight back down. If you are aiming for biceps isolation, you’ll want to ensure your biceps are doing the work, for the best results. 

Executing the Perfect Dumbbell Curl

A traditional bicep curl with dumbbells is typically what we consider a supinated bicep curl. It is probably the most common of the biceps exercises, and for good reason. It’s a great biceps exercise and one I’d like you to master. Step by step directions are below. 

• stand tall with abs and glutes engaged
• OR sit on a bench with good posture. No flopping around or lazy sitting
• squeeze your back to secure your shoulders in place
• begin with your palms facing your side
• bend at the elbows and bring the dumbbells in front of you, not moving elbows or shoulders forward or back
• rotate your wrist so your palms are now facing up toward the ceiling
• squeeze at the top
• control the descent

There are variations in wrist position such as with hammer curls or Zottman curls, but the most traditional of curls begin with a neutral grip (meaning palms face each other), and when you supinate as you curl up, you turn your wrists so that it is an underhand grip. There are many right ways to work the biceps, but I just wanted to note that the above directions refer to the most common way. 

Avoiding Common Mistakes On the Dumbbell Biceps Curl

Common mistakes people make when doing the dumbbell biceps curl:

• Using too much weight: Many believe that heavier weights guarantee bigger biceps, but this often leads to poor form and decreased muscle growth. Use an appropriate amount of weight that isn’t baby weight but allows you to maintain constant tension on the bicep muscle. 
• Swinging the elbows: Keeping your elbows pinned at your side is crucial. Swinging them forward like you’re in a dance contest takes tension off the biceps brachii muscle, hindering growth. 
• Losing control at the top of the movement: The temptation to relax at the top can cause you to lose the constant tension needed for muscle growth. Ensure you lower the dumbbells with the same control as lifting them. Don’t just drop them. If you do, you’ll miss all the benefits of the eccentric portion of the life.
• Ignoring the full range of motion: Skipping parts of the movement means you’re not working the muscle fibers effectively. Make sure you fully extend and flex at the elbow joint for the best results. 

Variations for Continued Growth of the Biceps Muscles

I cannot stress enough the importance of incorporating various dumbbell curl variations into your routine. By targeting the biceps in different ways, we stimulate muscle growth from multiple angles, leading to better results. Let me share with you a few variations for great biceps workouts.

• Hammer Curls: With a neutral grip, these engage not just the biceps brachii but also the brachialis muscle, contributing to thicker, well-developed upper arms. 
• Preacher Curls: By isolating the biceps during the preacher curl, you keep constant tension at the top of the movement, which is crucial for muscle fibers recruitment. 
• Concentration Curls: A great way to hone in on the biceps with a mind-muscle connection that’s hard to beat. Each curl done well forces you to maintain perfect form, maximizing muscle growth.

By varying the stimulus, you can ensure continued growth and progress towards achieving bigger biceps. Each variation offers its unique benefits, from improved grip strength to enhanced focus on either the long head of the biceps or short head of the biceps, ultimately leading to stronger, more muscular arms. 

Wanna branch out and try a dumbbell shoulder workout at home? Here are some of the best exercises.

Incorporating Equipment and Accessories Beyond Dumbbells

Remember, any movement where you deliberately flex at the elbow will involve biceps. Curls are most commonly done with dumbbells and barbells, but there is a world of different equipment to add in. Barbell curls can be done with different bars, such as thick bars or EZ curl bars. You can use dumbbells, kettlebells, center mass bells, which all still rely solely on gravity. 

If you’d really like to vary it up, you can do biceps curls with resistance equipment like cable machines, plate or pin loaded machines, and resistance bands. 

With cable machines, you can maintain constant tension on the biceps muscles, stimulating growth from angles dumbbells alone don’t always. The cable machine is really a game changer for helping you maintain time under tension during biceps work. Resistance bands add a varied resistance curve, providing peak tension at the top of the movement. These can really help you maximize the dumbbell curl muscles worked.

EZ curl bars angled grip reduces stress on the forearm muscles and elbow joint, allowing you to focus more on the bicep muscles. These feel more comfortable to many people too. Over the years of training, I have found that many of my clients prefer an EZ curl bar, either on the cable or as a barbell.  

By integrating these tools, you’ll engage the biceps brachii muscle (and the other dumbbell curl muscles worked) more comprehensively, building not just bigger, but stronger biceps. 

Unleashing Your Arm Potential

Building the full potential of your arms requires a multi-faceted approach, one that goes beyond just curling a pair of dumbbells. Yes, the journey to bigger biceps, stronger forearms, and an you will rely heavily on dumbbell bicep curls, but I encourage you to try other lifts as well. Hammer curls, preacher curls, the Zottman curl, 21’s, etc, all work biceps in different ways, and at slightly different angles.

As you practice these variations, you’ll go from googling dumbbell bicep curls worked to fully understanding how to feel and engage your biceps in many angles and exercises. 

Finally, I want you to work other muscle groups too. It’s fun to get a pump in your biceps, but for optimal arm size and strength, and just bigger arms, you’ll want to work triceps too. You’ll even want to work chest, back, shoulders, and even legs for full body symmetry and development. 

Let Me Help You!

I know this is a lot to think about, when maybe your most pressing question was which muscles the dumbbell bicep curl works! If you need help finding an exercise solution that works for you, I’d be happy to do a free consult and see if we are a good match. If we are, I’ll make a custom program for you, taking into account your goals, schedule, equipment availability, and exercise background. This can be done with online personal training if you are not in central Texas. 

Work With Me!

If you are looking for a personal trainer in Austin, I’d love to talk with you! If you are not in Austin, Round Rock, or central Texas, let’s talk about online training.

Message me here for a free consult about personal training in Austin, Texas, or here for online personal training, and we’ll discuss your goals, background, equipment availability, schedule, and exercise preferences.

Let’s get you strong and healthy! 💪

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

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• Quick Note: Exercise is Quality of Life

If you are looking to do simple core workouts at home, you are in the right place. I am going to tell you two different core workouts, and explain when to do each one. 

Before we jump into the specific exercises, I want to give you some more background into the difference between core workouts, ab workouts, and which is best for you. 

What are the Abdominal Muscles?

The abdominal muscles, also known as the abs, are a group of muscles located in the abdomen or the stomach area. They play a crucial role in providing stability and support to the trunk, facilitating movements such as bending forward, twisting, and maintaining posture. The main abdominal muscles include:

• Rectus abdominis: This is the most well-known abdominal muscle, commonly referred to as the “six-pack muscles.” It runs vertically down the front of the abdomen and is responsible for flexing the spine, usually in a straight line. 
• External obliques: These muscles are located on the sides of the abdomen and run diagonally downward. They help with rotation and bending of the trunk.
• Internal obliques: Situated beneath the external obliques, these muscles also run diagonally but in the opposite direction. They work in conjunction with the external obliques to assist with trunk rotation and bending.
• Transverse abdominis: This muscle is the deepest of the abdominal muscles and wraps around the abdomen horizontally. It acts like a corset, providing stability and support to the spine and pelvis.

These muscles work together to support the abdominal wall, protect the internal organs, and assist in various movements and activities. Strengthening and conditioning the abdominal muscles can help improve core stability, posture, and overall functional movement.

What Muscles Make Up the Core Muscles?

The abdominal muscles I mentioned above make up the abs, which are on the front of your stomach. Core muscles include most of the muscles in your torso. This means core muscles include all of the abdominal muscles, but also the other muscles in your back and midsection that are in your trunk. 

The core muscles work together to stabilize the spine, pelvis, and trunk, providing a solid foundation for movement and overall stability. While the abdominal muscles are a significant part of the core, other muscles also contribute to its function. In addition to the abdominal muscles listed above, muscles that make up the core include:

• Multifidus: These small muscles run along the spine and play a crucial role in stabilizing each vertebra, contributing to overall spinal stability.
• Erector spinae: A group of muscles located along the back of the spine, the erector spinae helps maintain an upright posture and assists in spinal extension and rotation.
• Quadratus lumborum: Located on either side of the lower back, these muscles help stabilize the pelvis and spine and assist in lateral flexion of the trunk.
• Pelvic floor muscles: Found at the base of the pelvis, these muscles provide support to the pelvic organs and contribute to core stability and control.
• Diaphragm: A dome-shaped muscle located beneath the lungs, the diaphragm plays a crucial role in breathing and also contributes to core stability by creating intra-abdominal pressure.

Together, these muscles work in coordination to support the spine, pelvis, and trunk during various movements and activities, providing stability, balance, and protection to the body’s core. Work both ab movements and core movements for optimal ab development and core strength. 

What is the Difference Between Ab Work and Core Work? 

As you can see, all abdominal muscles are muscles of the core, but not all core muscles are abs. This means that an ab workout will focus more on crunches, sit ups, some twists, abdominal bracing, and many other forms of spinal flexion. 

Core work includes, in addition to the above, anti-rotation, twisting, and spinal flexion and extension. Remember, core work includes many back muscles.

It is important to do both ab work, and core work. Whether your abs show or not, they are there and it’s smart to train them to be strong. The leaner you get, the more your abs will show (if you work them). 

It is impossible to cleanly separate these muscles and movements though; for example, what people call lower abs often works your whole abdominal wall, and hip flexors. Planks and toros stabilization exercises work your entire core, the superficial rectus abdominis, deep transverse abdominis, and many muscles in the back. Muscles in your core even help stabilize the shoulder blades. 

This is good news though! Like many exercises, we find that when trained well, they really work your entire body in a beneficial way. Training core will help with specific core strength, and whole body strength and stabilization. These simple core workouts at home make it easy to train.

So, let’s get into it. Below I have categorized these sessions into an A session, which is focused on abs, and a B session, which is a whole core session. Try these both for simple core workouts you can do at home. 

A Session: An Ab Workout For Home

This session is 7 exercises. I’ll give more specific details below, but I suggest doing them as a big circuit.

Crunches

• lay on your back, supporting your head if you choose
• using your abs, think about bringing your ribs closer to your hip bones
• this is not a sit-up; it’s a partial range of motion crunch
• you can do these on the floor or on a stability ball. If you use a stability ball, Swiss ball or BOSU ball, set up with your bellybutton approximately on the top of the ball. This will be challenging but will give you the best ab workout.

Alternating Toe Touch

• lay on your back with your right leg bent and right foot on the floor
• bring your outstretched left leg up to touch your left foot with your right hand
• do all your reps on this side and then repeat on the other side

Toe Touch

• lay on your back with your legs in the air
• reach your right arm toward your left toes in a quick crunch motion
• reach your left arm toward your right toes in a quick crunch motion
• continue alternating sides

Russian Twist

• Start in situp position
• Hold your feet a few inches off the ground
• Rotate your shoulders to face your left side, then back across the midline to face the right side
• Keep your chest up and don’t let your low back sink into the floor

V Up

• from a regular seated position on the ground, hinge back while keeping your back straight
• this is crucial – no rounding in your low back! 
• make a “V” shape with your upper body to hips to knees
• with your hands behind you for balance, extend this “V” as you lean back and extend your legs at the same time
• without pressing into the ground, return to your start position

Dead Bug

• lay on your back with arms and legs extended into the air
• squeeze your abs to press your back into the ground
• maintain this abdominal squeeze
• extend your right arm and left leg toward the floor in a controlled manner
• shorten your range of motion if your low back pops off the ground
• return to your start position, and repeat with your opposite arm and leg
• you’ll get it- this one’s a thinker!

Reverse Crunch

• Lay on your back with both feet up in the air
• Keep your feet flat, as if you’re balancing a clipboard on them. 
• Use your abs to curl your hips up, pressing your feet into the air
• Control the descent back to your starting position
• Keep your range of motion small!

B Session: Core Workout for Home

Crunch

• lay on your back, supporting your head if you choose
• using your abs, think about bringing your ribs closer to your hip bones
• this is not a sit-up; it’s a partial range of motion crunch

Bird Dog

• start in 4 point position (hands and knees on ground, knees under hips, hands under shoulders) 
• control your torso so your back is flat and tight
• pretend you are balancing red wine on your back and wearing your favorite white cashmere $$$ shirt
• extend your right arm trying to resist movement in the torso
• return to start position
• repeat with all limbs
• to increase the challenge, do right arm + left leg together, then left arm + right leg at the same time
• If you wanna get super crazy here, set up like normal, then pick your knees up off the ground just an inch. This is way hard! Let me know if you try this 🙂

Plank

• If you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, skip this one please!
• this can be done from hands or elbows
• maintain a straight body position from your legs through the crown of your head
• keep your back engaged so your shoulders don’t shift up into your ears, and lift hips you don’t sink toward the floor
• there are many plank variations, including the high plank position, which is when you do the plank from your hands
• keep breathing through your nose and think happy thoughts!
• check out this whole blog post about plank exercises for beginners

Side Plank

• If you want bonus plank work, you can do side planks. Here, move from your regular plank to your left elbow.
• You can do these in a straight line from your spine all the way to knees on the ground or feet on the ground.
• Rotation and repeat from your right elbow. 
• Another option for planks is to do them from your hands, with arms extended, rather than elbow. 
• If that’s the case, pop onto your left hand, then right hand, then back to regular planks. Experiment to see which works best for you. 

Which plank is better? Neither, both! On hands, with arms extended, since more of your bodyweight is in your feet, it’ll be probably easier to hold longer. It might feel like more arm work though. If your wrists feel comfortable with it, try it. Also try the elbow/forearm version, since it’s a little more intense on your core. 

Plank Knee to Elbow

• start in plank position from hands
• maintain a straight neutral position from your legs through the crown of your head
• keep your back engaged so your shoulders don’t shift up into your ears, and you don’t sink toward the floor
• bring your right knee toward your right elbow 
• return right foot to floor and perform the same movement on your left side
• your knee probably won’t touch your elbow, and that’s ok. Don’t crunch to reach it

Bicycle Crunches

• Lay on your back with your hands by your ears and knees bent at 90 degree
• As you extend your right leg, reach your right shoulder toward your left knee
• Alternate, so as you extend your left leg, your right knee bends
• Crunch to bring your left shoulder toward your right knee
• Continue alternating, bending your legs as if you’re riding a bike, and doing an oblique (side) crunch on the same rhythm

How To Implement These Simple Core Exercises At Home

I suggest picking one of these sessions to do at a time. Let’s say you’re going to do the A session, which is more abdominal focused. Do the exercises in order, about 10 each. Then move immediately to the next exercise. Rest as you need, but push through a little burn. You got this 🙂

At the end of the first round, you will have done 10 each of crunches, alternating toe touches toe touches, Russian twists, V ups, dead bugs, and reverse crunches. Whew! Rest and breathe for about 2 minutes. And then do it again! 

You do have options though: if this is your first time doing ab work in a while, you can do one round and see how your abs respond the next day. Aim for proper form and learning the exercises, rather than crushing yourself or rushing through the exercises. Then the next time you do the session, do 2 or 3 rounds. 

As you go, you might even time the work sets. Don’t time it for a goal of how fast you can go, but time it for observational purposes. This will help when you are planning out your session, and it will help with motivation to do another round. 

Related: here’s a great leg and glute home workout. Check it out!

Most times, big rounds like this look intimidating, but actually only take a few minutes. After you have rested a couple minutes, you can often do another set, even if it seems really challenging. 

Apply this same rep scheme and strategy to the B session, the core session. When you are ready, you can alternate these sessions, doing the A session one day, and the B session the next. 

As you go, challenge yourself to do more rounds, more reps, or just continue focusing on controlled quality reps. Learning and practicing optimal and proper form is crucial.

Need a bonus ab exercise? This one requires a band and is tough!

This list is 10 of the best ab exercises. Many of these will be familiar.

Who Are these Core Workouts For?

Everybody!!! Whether you are a freelance writer in Austin or a business executive in New York City or a surfer in California, building and abdominal strength and a stronger core will help with your everyday life. Abdominal work can improve posture, improve and prevent lower back pain, and make your daily life more pleasant. Add these into your workout routines once or twice a week and see how it benefits the rest of your training!

Some of these might seem like beginner moves, and they are accessible to beginners! But they are not only for beginners. As you get more advanced in your lifting, you will find you are able to do the exercises better by recruiting more muscle fibers. Basically, you’ll do a better job. And, these simple core workouts at home are equipment free and easy to practice.

For this reason, I suggest you keep working the basics. You can include many exercises. Don’t get caught up in which are the best ab exercises or the best core-strength exercises. As long as you can do them pain free, most any exercise can be a great exercise when done well. 

Try These Simple Core Workouts At Home

And let me know how it goes! I’d love to hear! 

If you are in the market for some specific exercise guidance (for abs or the rest of your body!) planned for you, let’s do a free consult to talk about training. If you are looking for an Austin personal trainer, I am here! But, I have a fantastic online personal training system, so I’d be happy to work with you wherever you are. 

Message me here if you are interested. 

Happy ab & core training!!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

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Tricep exercises for women, from personal trainer Kathryn Alexander.

Triceps exercises for women are important for arm strength, shape and tone. Who doesn’t want sculpted upper arms, for dresses, tank tops and swimsuits? Strong triceps and arms however, go beyond just aesthetics. Triceps strength is crucial for upper body strength, which leads to increased physical ability. 

I want all my clients to feel strong and confident in their activities of daily living, and a bit beyond. I want you to be able to put your suitcase up in the luggage compartment on a plane with ease. I want you to be able to move your couch, pick up your kids, and even your big and wiggly pets.   

Why Focus on Triceps

Strong triceps are not just about the back of your arms; they’re part of having a balanced upper body musculature. The triceps brachii plays a critical role not just in the aesthetic appeal of our upper arms but in functional movements too. Strengthening them helps not just in looking good but in boosting our body’s upper-arm strength, enhancing performance in various sports, and even in daily tasks.

From pushing open a heavy door to excelling in your overhead press, the triceps support a range of motions at the shoulder and elbow joints. This is why focusing on your triceps workout, integrating exercises like close grip presses, triceps pressdowns, and skull crushers, is important.

I’ve heard women refer to the back of the upper arm as bat wings or teacher arms. I really want you to love your arms and only joke about your arms affectionately!

Trust me: strength training your triceps is the key to toned and strong arms, increases in strength and ability, and balanced musculature for a healthy body. Read on for how to incorporate triceps exercises in your weight training for fantastic results!

Anatomy of the Triceps

The triceps brachii is a three-headed muscle located at the back of your upper arm. The triceps are responsible for extension of the elbow joint, and make up the majority of your upper arm mass. Consisting of the long head, medial head, and lateral head, this muscle group is pivotal in almost every motion involving your arms.

The long head is on the back of your arm, playing a crucial role not just in arm strength but also in shoulder joint stability. The medial head is deeper than the long and lateral heads. Meanwhile, the lateral head is on the back and side of your arm, as the name lateral implies, and gives your arms that sculpted appearance every time you extend your elbow. 

Best Tricep Exercises

Any movement that includes elbow extension will work the triceps. Triceps can be worked in compound movements, which move several joints at once, or in isolation movements.  Compound movements include close grip bench presses, and triceps dips. Isolation exercises don’t truly isolate one muscle group, but they typically act in a very small focused movement on one joint. Examples of these are triceps kickbacks and cable press downs. 

Compound exercises engage multiple muscle groups and provide the best way to build overall strength, while isolation exercises focus on the triceps for more targeted muscle activity. I recommend compound and isolation exercises for a full triceps workout. 

In no particular order, here are some of the best triceps exercises you can do. Some of these require a set of dumbbells, a cable system, or body weight. You can do many of these with a few pieces of home gym essentials. If you don’t have all this equipment and need a custom program, contact me here to discuss options!

Note: this is a list of exercises that will help you build your triceps, and at the end of this post I’ll include how-to’s for many of these.

1. Close Grip Bench Press: This compound exercise not only targets the triceps but also engages the chest and shoulders. By keeping your hands closer together, you shift more of the workload to the triceps.
2. Tricep Dips: These can be performed on parallel bars or a bench and are excellent for targeting the lower part of the triceps muscle. These are not a beginner exercise, so build a base of strength before working triceps dips.
3. Skull Crushers (Lying Triceps Extensions): Done with a barbell, dumbbells, or an EZ curl bar, skull crushers focus on the triceps without much assistance from other muscle groups. This is a great exercise! One of my favorites. Sounds way scarier than it is! 
4. Overhead Tricep Extensions: This exercise can be done standing or seated, with dumbbells or a cable machine. It specifically targets the long head of the triceps.
5. Diamond Push-Ups: By forming a diamond shape with your index fingers and thumbs, this variation of push-ups puts more emphasis on the triceps. Close grip pushups with your elbows tucked by your side similar work triceps. Here’s a full tutorial on pushups and pushup variations.
6. Tricep Kickbacks: When done with proper form, a tricep kickback isolates the triceps muscles effectively. It’s important to keep your upper arm stationary and only move your forearm. Here’s a whole blog post where I break down triceps kickbacks.
7. Cable Pressdowns: A cable machine offers constant resistance throughout the movement, providing a different stimulus for muscle growth.
8. Resistance Band Pressdowns: These are similar to cable pushdowns but use a resistance band, which can be more joint-friendly and offers resistance through the entire range of motion.
9. JM Press: A hybrid between a close grip bench press and a skull crusher, it’s a favorite among powerlifters for building triceps strength.
10. Triangle Push-Ups: Another push-up variation that targets the triceps by placing the hands in a triangle position under the chest.
11. Dumbbell Tricep Extension: This can be performed with one arm or two, and it’s a great way to focus on the triceps without the support of other muscles.
12. Dumbbell Floor Press: This is a variation of the bench press that limits the range of motion, thereby increasing the triceps activation.
13. Bodyweight Triceps Extensions: Using a TRX or rings, or even a sturdy table, you can perform bodyweight triceps extensions to work the muscle in a different way. These are really challenging! Fun but challenging!
14. Triceps Dips on Rings or TRX: The instability of the rings or TRX straps makes this exercise more challenging, engaging more stabilizing muscles. Remember I said dips are tough? These are the next level. Work up to these!

How To Incorporate These Triceps Exercises for Women

In your training session, I recommend doing your big, compound movements first. This means that after your warm up, you’ll do squats, deadlifts, bench press, heavy rows, etc. I like putting arm work at the end of the session, so that your arms are fresh for the aforementioned exercises. There is a time and place for most everything, but typically you won’t want to fatigue your triceps before bench pressing, or overhead pressing, for example. 

The exception is that if you are a recovering leg-aholic and haven’t done regular upper body workouts. I am kinda kidding, but the truth is that if your program has been imbalanced because you have focused so much on leg and glute goals, then you might want to put in a whole upper body session.

If that’s the case, I again suggest you do your compound movements like barbell work, rows, presses, etc. Then add in focused triceps work at the end. These exercises can be modified to fit any fitness level and can be made more challenging by increasing the weight, adding resistance, or changing the tempo of the exercise.

Generally speaking, try picking a compound exercise like the close grip bench press, and then two isolation exercises like cable press downs and skull crushers. These are general recommendations for these tricep exercises for women, but they also apply to men. Again, the differences in individual’s training will be based on goals and preferences, not gender.

Need some outdoor time with this gorgeous weather lately? Try these favorite outdoor recreation spots in Austin.

How Are These Tricep Exercises for Women Different than For Men?

The truth is, they are not very different. Like, at all. Tricep exercises for women will be the same exercises for men. The difference is based on individual’s goals, so my recommendation for incorporating these exercises is similar for men and women, actually. We all have the same origins and attachments of the muscle groups, so these exercises will work for triceps growth and strength for everybody.

However, some of these are more challenging and will require more strength. Additionally, men tend to have more testosterone, and a greater ability to put on muscle size. 

Women can absolutely do all of these exercises! If some fo these are tough for you right now, focus on increasing strength into the others. Building strength and learning exercises is a long process. It will happen, slowly but surely.

Do you need some gym motivational quotes? I got you. Here are my favorites. I tried to narrow it down but 53 was the best I could do.

How To Do These Triceps Exercises

The above list is an overview of the many triceps exercises available for you to do, but below I’ll give a few more how-to videos on specific exercises. If I’ve missed one you’d like me to cover more, please let me know!

Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extensions

Triceps Kickbacks with Dumbbells

How to do the triceps kickbacks: a full tutorial.

Cable Triceps Overhead Extensions

Cambered Bar Triceps Press

Skullcrushers with a Barbell

Skullcrushers with Dumbbells

Close Grip Bench Press

Floor Press with Dumbbells

Add These Tricep Exercises into Your Workout

In conclusion, tricep exercises for women are a crucial component of a balanced workout routine. By incorporating a variety of exercises that target the triceps brachii from different angles, women can achieve strong, toned arms and improve their upper-body strength. I wish you the best tricep workouts of your life! 🙂 Remember, slowly but surely. Surely! 

This deserves more than a side note, but read this article on how to work your biceps, which comprise the rest of your upper arm musculature. If you need more pressing advice, here are the 5 best chest exercises.

Keep at it! Let me know if I can give you specific advice, of if you’d like to do a free consult to see if we are a good fit to work together toward your physique goals.

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

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• More Semi-Private Personal Training Options!
• Quick Note: Exercise is Quality of Life

Alternatives to sit ups: try these other ab and core exercises instead of sit ups to round out your ab work and see results!

Creating a strong and stable core is a fundamental part of any fitness or strength journey. While traditional sit-ups have been a staple exercise for targeting the rectus abdominis—the muscle group that makes up those six-pack abs—they may not be the best option for everyone, especially considering the stress they can put on the lower back and hip flexors. 

Why Should I Do Sit Ups?

Sit ups are often part of physical selection tests for the military, FBI, and other employers. They are easy to administer, don’t require equipment, and easy to count. If you are training for one of these tests, then you must absolutely do sit ups!

I just had a client pass the FBI physical fitness test this February and I am so proud of her! You can bet we did lots of sit ups and pushups. Sit ups also work the rectus abdominis really well! If you are lean enough to see your abs, sit ups can help maintain that definition. 

Why Should I Look For Alternatives To Sit Ups?

Full range of motion sit ups can be tough on the spine, particularly in the lumbar and sacral regions. The repetitive flexion in the lower spine area can be rough on the discs, and can cause discomfort.

Will a full sit-up absolutely hurt you if you do a set? Probably not. But, doing high volume sit ups is probably not going to take you to your goal. I rely on the following exercises more than sit ups for all my clients. I only add sit ups in if they are training to pass a test, like my client I mentioned above. 

Also, sit ups don’t necessarily work the entire core. They primarily work your anterior core muscles, but your core is made up of many muscle groups, including the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, external obliques, and erector spinae. Sit ups don’t work all of those. 

By working your entire core, you will strengthen the deep core muscles for stronger, more stable torso. This translates into back health and functional movement. 

The good news is that there are plenty of alternative exercises that can provide a comprehensive core workout while minimizing potential risks. Here are some effective exercises to consider incorporating into your routine.

Kinds of Ab Exercises

You can consider ab and core exercises to be rotation, anti-rotation, or flexion. Flexion exercises are probably the ones you are most familiar with. These include sit ups and crunches and primarily use your rectus abdominis, that 6 pack muscle. 

Rotation exercises include twists like Russian twists and windshield wipers. These work your obliques as well as the rest of your core musculature. Anti rotation exercises require you to resist movement by maintaining a strong core. Examples of these are planks, side planks, and Pallof presses.

Finally, there are exercises that work on maintaining stability of the torso while working hip flexors. People often describe these as working the lower abdominal muscles. Example of these are leg raises, dead bug and other Pilates-like movements. 

So, while there definitely are benefits of sit-ups, check out the best sit-up alternatives and incorporate some of those in your ab workout.

Flexion Exercises

Abdominal Crunches

Crunches are a better alternative to full sit-ups for many because they reduce the strain on the lower back and focus on the upper abdomen. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Curl your upper half towards your knees, keeping your lower back on the floor.

You can use an Ab Mat or a towel wrapped around your back to give you greater range of motion. Be forewarned, these burn. 🙂

Decline Bench Crunches

These are so fun for some reason! Hook your feet under the stability bar and lean back. From here, just sit up. You can do these like a lever, with your back straight, or curl up, rounding your spine as you go. If these are easy and you are ready for a progression, you can hold a weight plate at your chest, or with arms extended toward the ceiling. 

Swiss Ball Exercises

Using a Swiss ball can enhance the engagement of the entire core due to the instability it provides. Exercises like Swiss ball crunches, pikes, and rolls-outs are great for targeting different angles of the abdominal wall and outer sides of your abdomen. These are fantastic alternatives to sit ups.

Bosu Ball Exercises

You can use the Bosu ball like the Swiss ball. Start with your belly button approximately on the middle of the Bosu ball. From here, you can do crunches, side oblique crunches, or leg lifts. 

Incorporating a variety of sit-up alternatives like these into your workout routine can lead to better results by working the muscles of the anterior core, lower abdomen, and entire core from different angles and in a more functional and controlled manner.

Not only are these exercises effective alternatives to the traditional sit-up, but they also help in reducing the undue stress on the lumbar spine and promote a stable core throughout the entire movement.

Rotation/Rotary Core Exercises

Russian Twists

Russian twists are a dynamic exercise that targets the entire core, especially the transverse abdominis, external obliques, and the muscles along your spine, including the erector spinae. To do this, sit on the ground with your knees bent, lean back slightly to engage your core, and twist your upper body from side to side.

For added resistance, hold a medicine ball or weight plate. Make sure to keep a straight line from your shoulder blades down to your hips to maintain proper form.

Windshield Wipers

Windshield wipers are an advanced exercise that not only targets your entire core but also challenges your lower back and enhances spinal stability. Lie on your back and extend your arms to form a “T” shape for stability. Raise your legs and rotate them from side to side in a controlled manner, mimicking the motion of windshield wipers.

Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are a functional movement that works the entire body, with a focus on the core, particularly the transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis. These are hard to define as just rotation, as they really involve some anti rotation and flexion as well. Start in an extended push-up position and alternate bringing your knees towards your chest in a quick, controlled motion. If these are hard, you can do one leg at a time instead of continuous movement of both legs at once.

Bear Crawls

I love me some bear crawls! These can be like high-school-football-punishment tough, or precise deliberate work you can do on your living room floor. You get to pick!

To do the more precise, less punishing version, set up on all fours on the floor. Keep an active, neutral, flat back. Pick your knees up off the ground about an inch and travel forward, taking very small (2 inch) steps. Reverse and travel backwards.

Here’s a whole blog post I wrote about how to do bear crawls. Below are the videos of both versions of the bear crawl.

Hip Flexion and Core Stability

Leg Raises

Leg raises are a great way to strengthen your lower abdomen and hip flexors while promoting core stability. Lie flat on your back with your legs straight, and lift them up to a 90-degree angle before slowly lowering them back down. For a more advanced version, try hanging leg raises from a pull-up bar.

Dead Bug

The dead bug is an excellent exercise for improving overall core strength and stability. Dead bugs are absolutely one of my favorite exercises, for myself and my clients. Some people think they are elementary, but they are fundamental! If you can do these well, continue to do so and they will pay you back. 

Start by lying on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Lower your right arm and left leg towards the ground, keeping your lower back pressed against the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

Flutter Kicks

This exercise is a simple yet effective way to engage the lower abs and hip flexors. Lie on your back with your legs extended and lifted a few inches off the ground. Kick your legs up and down in a fluttering motion, making sure to keep your lower back pressed to the ground.

Anti-Rotation Ab Exercises

Planks

Planks are great anti-rotation exercises. They require your whole body to work together to resist gravity. These can be done from hands or elbows. Facing the ground, maintain a straight body position from your legs through the crown of your head. Keep your back engaged so your shoulders don’t shift up into your ears, and you don’t let your low back sink toward the floor.

Note that if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, these can be dangerous. If that’s the case, please skip these and side planks. 

Side Plank

Side planks are a phenomenal unilateral exercise that strengthens the obliques, lower back, and deep core muscles. Lie on your side with your feet stacked and your right elbow directly under your shoulder. Lift your hips off the ground and form a straight line from your head to your feet. Hold the position, then switch to the left side.

Pallof Press

The Pallof press is an anti-rotation exercise that develops core strength and enhances anti-lateral and anti-rotational stability, which is crucial for the lumbar spine. Stand in a feet shoulder-width position with the cable machine or resistance band at chest height. Press the handle or band straight out in front of your chest and hold, resisting the pull of the band or cable. Pallof presses don’t look like much, but these are sneaky hard.

Renegade Row

This compound exercise not only works the upper back, shoulders, and arms but also provides an intense core workout, especially targeting the rectus abdominus and overall core strength. Assume a plank position with a dumbbell in each hand. Row one dumbbell up towards your rib cage while balancing on the other arm, then alternate. Beyond just being an alternative to sit ups, these work your entire body. You’ll even feel these in your glutes! 

If your lower back needs strengthening, try these machines for lower back work. This is especially important if you work a desk job and sit much of the day.

Try These Alternatives to Sit Ups For Yourself

As you continue on your fitness journey to six pack abs, remember that a strong core is about more than just flat abs; it’s the foundation for a functional movement, a stable core, and a healthy, active lifestyle. When your whole core is strong, your back will feel great, you’ll love your posture, and generally feel good. 

Need more? Here are the 10 best ab exercises, in my opinion, and my current favorite ab exercise.

What is your favorite core exercise? Let me know! And try these exercises in your core workouts, and let me know how you like them! 

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About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

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