Forget sit-ups — you only need these 5 moves to build a stronger core and boost your posture without weights

Table of Contents

Because you don't need any equipment, this exercise not only builds core strength, but it also helps improve your posture.

To make the workout more comfortable and safeguard my joints from impact of the floor.

Just because weightlifting isn't your focus, it doesn't mean you can be lax about your form. To stay healthy and get the most out of your workouts, doing each exercise with perfect form is crucial. Fortunately, Itsines has videos that show the full routine, which you can see here.

Watch Kayla Itsines' 5-Move Abs Workout

• Marching Hip Bridge, 20 total repetitions (10 per leg)
• Flutters, 30 sec
• Bent-Leg Raise, 10 reps
• Bicycle Crunches, 20 repetitions (10 per side)
• Leg Raise, 10 reps
• 3 rounds

It's a five-move routine divided into three rounds with no rest periods in between. However, if you're unable to complete the full workout, allow yourself breaks between moves and rounds.

This is because core exercises rely on body weight and endurance rather than heavy weights, allowing the muscles to recover faster and perform repeated efforts for a longer period before fatigue sets in.

She said in her post, "I designed this workout to focus on your abdominal area below the navel." You'll definitely notice this, and feel the effects, with the flutter kicks, leg raises, and bent-leg raises. These three exercises, in particular, target the muscles in the lower abs, such as those that lift the legs and stabilize the pelvis.

.

Working the hip bridge and bicycle exercises also engages other key core muscles beyond the lower abs, including the glutes, transverse abdominis, and obliques.

Strengthening your core can enhance stability and enable your body to react more swiftly to changes, which is crucial for maintaining better posture and reducing the likelihood of falling over.

As someone who works in an office, I'm constantly mindful of my posture since I spend most of my time hunched over a laptop. To combat this, I enjoy staying regular with core workouts, but when I need something lower-key, I appreciate doing short yoga and mobility exercises that still help me with my balance and posture.

More from Tom's Guide

• I've been boosting my lower-body mobility and speeding up exercise recovery -- here's how I do it in just 5 minutes.
• Ditch the gym – I've been using this 5-move dumbbell workout to build muscle in my legs and glutes
• No, it's not "pigeon pose" - loosen your glutes and hips with this 1-minute mobility exercise from a chiropractor