The Best Dumbbell Exercises for Your Core

Gone are the days that core work meant just a bunch of crunches. And although bodyweight core work is awesome (I do love me some plank variations), you don’t have to get stuck in that rut either.

The important thing to remember about our bodies is that they adapt to what we repeatedly ask them to do, and then they click into cruise control. In order to elicit more strength gains, we have to up the challenge periodically so that our bodies will continue to adapt.

When it comes to core work, there simply is no better or more accessible way to add resistance than with dumbbells.

The Best Dumbbell Exercises for Your Core

Many people don’t think about adding dumbbells to their core work, but you totally can and you definitely should! Let me tell you why.

One of the best things about using dumbbells for core work is that you can offset the load. Training with an uneven load on your body is functional core training at its finest. Think about it — this is how we carry our groceries, our kids, or heavy gym bags. If this is your life, then it’s important that you train your core to handle it.

So pick up those dumbbells (here are our fave ones to use) and let’s get to work building a stronger, more capable core with these great exercises.

Here’s a great way to make an awesome core circuit out of these moves:

Check out this video or below to see a demo of each move featured in this post.

Try these out and then share which move is your favorite in the comments. And be sure to check out our other dumbbell posts here! —Alison