Core Exercises for Trunk Strength and Control

Explore core exercises using bodyweight, cables, and weights, with practical technique tips and guidance for building trunk control safely.

Core exercises train the muscles around your trunk, including the abdominals, lower back, and hips. They appear in strength training, conditioning, and functional movement practice.

What are core exercises?

This category includes movements that stabilize, flex, rotate, or load the trunk under control. Examples include planks, dead bugs, sit-ups, carries, and drills using cables or a medicine ball. The demands vary: some exercises emphasize endurance, while others focus more on strength, coordination, or resistance to movement.

Practical training guidance

Keep your ribcage and pelvis controlled and avoid using momentum to complete a repetition. Select a variation you can perform with consistent technique, then increase resistance gradually when using weights, cables, or a medicine ball. Stop if you feel sharp pain and seek qualified coaching if you are unsure about your form.

Cable Alternate Triceps Extension

The Cable Alternate Triceps Extension is an effective exercise for strengthening and defining your triceps. This exercise offers a unique way to train each arm separately, promoting balanced muscle development and allowing you to target specific weaknesses. Execution Set the cable machine to a h

Cable Bench Fly Press

The Cable Bench Fly Press is a dynamic exercise that takes the strength and flexibility of your chest muscles to the next level. By combining fly and press movements, you get the best of both worlds: stretching and contracting the chest muscles, leading to comprehensive muscle development. Executio

Cable Bench Press

The Cable Bench Press is a dynamic exercise that takes the traditional bench press to the next level by using cables. This provides constant tension on the muscles throughout the entire movement, resulting in a more intense workout. It is an excellent way to build strength and muscle mass in your ch

Cable Bent Over Raise

The Cable Bent Over Raise is an effective exercise for strengthening and shaping your shoulders. This exercise offers a unique way to isolate the rear of your shoulders, which is often overlooked in traditional workouts. Execution Set the cable machine to the lowest position and attach a handle

Cable Biceps Curl

The Cable Biceps Curl is a popular exercise that targets the strengthening and toning of your biceps. This exercise provides constant resistance through the cable, creating a unique challenge compared with traditional dumbbell curls. Execution Set the cable machine to the lowest position and att

Cable Chest Fly Middle

Introduction: The Cable Chest Fly Middle is an effective exercise for isolating and strengthening the chest muscles. This exercise helps develop a full, well-defined chest by targeting the muscles from different angles. Execution: Begin by setting the cable machine at chest height. Grip the handles

Cable Forward Triceps Extensions

This exercise trains the triceps by extending the arms against cable resistance. Using cables provides more even resistance throughout the entire range of motion than variations of this exercise with free weights. This makes the exercise easier and safer for beginners. There are several cable e

Cable Front Raises with Straight Bar

If you're looking for an effective way to train your shoulders, the cable front raise with a straight bar is an excellent choice. This exercise is unique because it provides constant tension on the muscles, leading to better muscle growth and strength development. Execution Set the cable machine

Cable Lat Pullover

Introduction: The Cable Lat Pullover is an effective exercise for strengthening the upper body, particularly the latissimus dorsi. This exercise helps improve muscle definition and increases functional upper-body strength. Execution: 1. Set up the cable machine with a rope or bar and select an app

Cable Lateral Raise

Lateral raises (also called side raises) are primarily performed to place more emphasis on the middle head of the deltoid (shoulder muscle). In addition to the large shoulder muscle itself, various muscles around the shoulder joint are recruited to stabilize it. Smaller stabilizing muscles such as t

Cable Lateral Raises

If you are looking for an effective way to train your shoulders, Cable Lateral Raises are an excellent choice. This exercise is unique because it provides constant tension on the muscles, leading to better muscle growth and definition. Execution Stand next to the cable machine with the pulley at

Cable Leaning Lateral Raise

The Cable Leaning Lateral Raise is an effective exercise for strengthening and defining the shoulder muscles. This exercise offers a unique way to isolate the deltoids by using the cable machine, providing constant resistance throughout the movement. Execution Set the cable machine to its lowest

Cable Lying Fly

The Cable Lying Fly is an effective exercise that targets the chest muscles while also giving the shoulders and triceps a good workout. This exercise is unique because you perform the movement lying on a bench, which provides a stable position and allows you to focus fully on the chest muscles. Exe

Cable Machine High to Low

The Cable Machine High to Low is a versatile exercise that focuses on strengthening your upper body, with particular emphasis on the chest muscles. This exercise offers a unique way to train your muscles from different angles, which can lead to improved muscle definition and strength. Execution

Cable Narrow Chair Stand-Up

The Cable Narrow Chair Stand-Up is a dynamic exercise that targets strengthening your lower body and core while also improving stability and balance. This exercise combines the benefits of a squat with the resistance of a cable machine, creating a unique challenge. Execution Begin by setting the

Cable One-Arm Bent-Over Row

Introduction The Cable One-Arm Bent-Over Row is an effective exercise that targets the back muscles, with a particular focus on the lats and rhomboids. Using one arm at a time allows you to concentrate on the muscle contraction and promote symmetrical back development. Execution Set the cable ma

Cable One-Arm Front Raise

Front raises are primarily performed to place more emphasis on the anterior head of the deltoid (shoulder muscle). The pectoralis major assists in raising the arms. This particularly involves the fibers that run from the clavicle to the upper arm, also known as the 'upper chest'. In addition to the

Cable Overhead Extension Rope

If you're looking for an effective way to strengthen your triceps, the Cable Overhead Extension with a rope is an excellent choice. This exercise targets the triceps in a unique way by providing constant tension throughout the movement, resulting in an intense muscle workout. Execution Set the c

Cable Overhead Triceps Extension

The cable overhead triceps extension is a variation of, among others, the cable triceps pushdown and cable forward triceps extensions. Because the resistance comes from behind and below you, the upper arms are held overhead instead of forward or downward. This creates a greater stretch on the (long

Cable Overhead Triceps Extension

This exercise trains the triceps by extending the arms against cable resistance. Using cables provides more even resistance throughout the range of motion than versions of this exercise with free weights. This makes the exercise easier and safer for beginners. There are multiple cable exercises that

Cable Pull-Throughs

Intro: Cable Pull-Throughs are a fantastic exercise for strengthening the posterior chain, particularly the glutes and hamstrings. This exercise also helps improve hip flexibility and stability. Execution: 1. Set the cable machine to the lowest position and attach a rope handle. 2. Stand with your

Cable Pushdown

The Cable Pushdown is a popular exercise aimed at strengthening and defining the triceps. This exercise offers a unique way to provide resistance against the movement, resulting in effective isolation and strengthening of the triceps muscles. Execution Stand upright in front of the cable machine

Cable Pushdown (Straight Arm)

The Cable Pushdown with straight arms is an effective exercise for strengthening and defining your triceps. This exercise offers a unique way to isolate your arms and target the triceps without unnecessary strain on your shoulders. Execution Set the cable machine to a high position and attach a

Cable Rear Lateral Raise

The cable bent-over rear delt (or reverse) fly (also called the bent-over cable side/lateral raise) is an exercise targeting the posterior head of the deltoid (shoulder muscle). The lateral head and, to a lesser extent, the anterior head also assist in this movement, but are activated less. Many oth