Get the six-pack you’ve always wanted plus an indestructible core with these challenging exercises.

Building a washboard on your midriff is a nice benefit of core exercises, but strengthening your core is about more than that. Those central muscles that include your hip flexors, abdominals, and even your back work to stabilize your body, and they are the bridge that transfers energy between your lower and upper body. If you are new to fitness, you might be doing well to get through a few sets of sit-ups or crunches. However, if you want to take your core workout up a notch, these exercises are more difficult and will challenge you and your core.

Punishing Your Core With a Push-Up

What do you get when you cross basic planks with one-arm push-ups? You get a challenging move that’s the superstar of push-ups and one of the most difficult core exercises to perform. To give them a shot, begin on the floor and extend your arms so you’re in a basic plank position. Lift your right arm and left leg off the ground and hold for two seconds, then put your arm and leg down and return to the staring position. That’s only one rep! Next, lift your left arm and right leg, and hold for another two seconds. Continue lifting the opposite arm and leg in alternating sequences, completing a total of three sets of 10 to 12 reps for each side.

Sit-Ups That Make Your Core Take Notice

This unique sit-up utilizes a Roman chair, taking away the support that the floor would normally give you to alleviate tension at the bottom of the exercise. Start by sitting on a Roman chair with your ankles hooked under the top padded bar. Lean back while holding dumbbells or a barbell at chest-level. You should lower your torso until it’s almost level with your legs. Then, in a controlled, fluid move, sit up and press the weight up overhead, kind of like you would in a military press. Lower the weight back to chest-height and repeat, doing 10 reps and a total of 3 sets. The great thing about this exercise is that it pretty much works the entire core: hip flexors, ab muscles, shoulders, and back.

Blast Your Core and Improve Balance

Another vital function of a strong core is to help you keep your balance, so it’s great that one-legged single dumbbell rows, one of the most challenging core exercises, helps improve balance while working your back. Start in a standing upright position, holding a dumbbell in your left hand with your arms at your sides. Lift your left foot off the floor while bending both knees slightly. Then bend forward about 45 degrees at your hips. Keep your back straight and allow the dumbbell to hang down just below your knee. Bring the dumbbell up to chest level by bending your elbow in a rowing move before lowering it back to the starting position. Try to get through three sets of 10 reps on each side.

Split Squat Triple-Threat

Start with a Bulgarian split squat, but do it with the help of a cable machine to increase the benefits for your core. Image via joedefranco/youtube

The most effective but most challenging exercises are ones that work more than one body part at a time. According to “Surf Survival” by Andrew Nathanson, Clayton Everline, and Mark Renneker, modified Bulgarian split squats done while holding onto the sides of a cable machine will improve your core, legs, and balance all in one shot. Start by standing on the outside of a cable machine, arms length away from it, holding onto the frame for help with balance, and with a bench behind you. Bend your left knee and place the top of your left foot on the bench. Bend your right knee until your upper right leg is almost parallel with the ground. Simultaneously, press against the cable machine frame as if you were trying to push it down and to the left. You’ll really feel this part of the exercise in your core. Concentrate on keeping your back straight and holding your abs tense all the way through the exercise. Extend your right knee and stand back up to the starting position. Complete three sets of 12 to 15 reps, then change legs and repeat the exercise with your left leg, pressing down and to the right when you push against the machine frame.