Training your core isn’t just about isolating your midsection with bodyweight planks, crunches and other abdominal moves. That’s all great, but bringing in some extra resistance helps step up the intensity a notch — and “mini” resistance bands in particular are one of the most effective tools for training the core.
That’s the basis of the following workout, designed by ISSA-certified trainer Aneshea Shali, owner of Core Camp Challenge, to target the core by bringing in foundational lower-body movements like squats and lunges. All four of the exercises in this routine use a mini band and are what you might call “combo” moves because they combine multiple movements into one. One of the exercises also incorporates a light dumbbell.
“You can absolutely train the core effectively with bodyweight only,” Aneshea says, “but sometimes it’s good to challenge those muscles with resistance, especially when we’re talking about full-body moves. Plus, mini bands are easy to use and inexpensive.”
By the time you finish your third round of the circuit, you’ll have essentially done eight different exercises in less than 30 minutes — and targeted the core in every one of them, albeit in different ways. As a bonus, you’ll get a nice workout for the glutes, quads and hamstrings through the lateral squats and reverse lunges. Legs and core make for a great summer combo!
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Mini-Band Complete Core Workout
Do each of the following exercises one after another as a circuit, 10 to 12 reps per move. After you’ve completed one round of the circuit, rest one to two minutes and repeat the circuit for two more rounds.
This routine requires a mini band and a light dumbbell. If you don’t have a dumbbell, any light, weighted object you can easily hold in both hands will work (weight plate, kettlebell, water jug, etc.)
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