Best Standing Core Exercises for Strength and Stability

Committing to core exercises is important at any age. It becomes increasingly vital as we get older, especially when we reach the age of 50. At this point, we need to start thinking more carefully about balance, stability, strength, and flexibility issues that we will likely face in the next decade and forward.

Aging often comes with lower back pain (LBP) that you can help avoid by finding a solid standing core workout that you do consistently and mindfully. Fortunately, there are several standing core stabilization exercises you can do to improve everyday life and enjoy decades of good health and confidence. 

Our Favorite Standing Core Exercises

Here are some safe, effective standing ab exercises you can start doing today at home while wearing comfortable clothes with shoes optional. Remember to start each workout with a gentle warm-up that might include five minutes of marching in place or on your stationary bicycle.

1. Standing Abdominal Twists 

Standing abdominal twists continue the warm-up process while working your core, including your lower back muscles. Here is how to do this simple but effective exercise: 

• Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Place arms straight out to the side at shoulder height. 

• Keep your feet planted on the ground, and remember you should only move your core and not your hips.

• With arms extended, slowly begin twist your arms and waist to the left side and then twist to the opposite side, slowly and maintaining focus and control the whole time.

• Squeeze your core the further you twist each time. 

• Continue doing reps for 15-20 seconds when you first start doing this exercise. 

2. Standing Side Crunches 

If you're like most of us, you're probably thrilled to do crunch exercises that don't involve getting down on the ground. We understand how useful crunches are, but standing exercises help us engage the full core, including back and glutes. 

Let's learn how to do standing side crunches effectively: 

• Start with right side crunches, in which you will keep your left leg straight and stabilized. 

• Start with feet hip width apart.

• Place your left hand on your hip and your right hand gently at the back of your head. 

• Lift your right leg while bringing your right elbow down in the direction of your right knee. You don't need to force your elbow to reach your knee. Instead, ensure that you stand tall and hinge your hips slightly to work your right oblique muscle.

• Do a full set of 10-15, then switch sides and repeat with your left knee and left elbow. 

A great bonus to this exercise is that your stabilizing leg for each side does a lot of work to improve your balance. 

3. Standing Bicycle Crunches

You have probably done bicycle crunches at some point in your life. The great news is that you can do them standing. 

Here's how: 

• Stand with feet hip width apart.

• Place your hands behind your head as if doing bicycle crunches on your back. 

• Alternate bringing your opposite elbow to your opposite knee across your body. Your right elbow should crunch towards your left knee, and your left elbow towards your right knee. Again, you don't need to worry about reaching your knee. 

• Focus on feeling a slight twist in your oblique muscle on each side and a contraction in your rectus abdominous muscle. 

• Start by doing 20 reps total with 10 on each side.

Standing bicycle crunches are another exercise that allows you to work on balance, breathing, stability, and lower back while engaging your abdominal, oblique, and gluteal muscles. 

4. Standing Oblique Stretch

Stretching your oblique muscles can help you maintain correct spinal alignment and stand straighter. This exercise to help you support your lower back and prevent injury during all your other exercises and daily life. 

• Grab a throw pillow or something soft to place on the floor under your stabilizing foot if you need more of a challenge. However, feel free to start with your stabilizing foot on the ground at first.

• Get into starting position with feet should width.

• Stand on your stabilizing left leg, then bring your right knee up to waist-height. 

• Grab your right knee with your left hand.

• Take your right arm straight out to the side while you turn your waist to the right. Try to move as far to the right as possible without feeling strain or throwing off your balance. 

• Hold this position for 20 seconds.

• Switch sides. Stand on your right foot and bring your left knee up to your waist. Hold your left knee with your right hand and stretch out your left arm.

• Hold this position for 20 seconds on each side while ensuring your knee stays raised. Place your hand on your knee to keep it in place. 

This isometric exercise hits all your core muscles at once.

5. Right and Left Chops

Think about this exercise with the visual of chopping firewood, hence "chops." We love this one because it hits your entire core in one swooping chop. For this exercise, you might want to grab a five-pound dumbbell or a can of food from the pantry for a little extra resistance and effectiveness. Consider your balance when you start doing this one.

• Stand with a slight bend in the knees.

• Take your weighted object in both hands, and raise it above your head, slightly angling your arms to the right side of your head. Your left arm will slightly cover your left ear.

• Next, raise your left leg, and keep it raised and in place throughout the exercise if possible. However, if you need more balance support, you can raise your knee to meet your arms when you bring them down to your left oblique.

• When you move your left leg along with your arms, you get more of a core workout, while enjoying more stability.

• Complete 10-12 repetitions of this exercise on your right side, then repeat on the left. 

6. Toe Touches 

Finally, we love this classic exercise that will keep you on your toes and feet.

• Stand with your legs hip-width apart, then raise your leg, and bring your arm forward to try to touch your toes.

• Alternate your legs, similar to bicycle crunches.

• Complete 10-12 repetitions on each leg when first starting out.

7. Finish with Some Stretches 

It's always good to finish an exercise session with some gentle stretches.

Start your stretch session with some lower back stretches.

• You can pick up your weight again or do it without weights.

• Stand with your legs hip width apart, and hold your arms straight above your head.

• Simply bend your upper body to the right and to the left until you feel the stretch you need without overextending. 

Finally, finish up your workout with some hip circles

• Stand with feet hip width apart

• Gently rotating your hips in a circle from left to right 8-10 times.

• Switch sides and rotate your hips in a circle from right to left 8-10 times.

Start Your Standing Ab Exercises Routine with Support from the Mighty Health Team

If you are starting a new fitness regimen, you might enjoy working with a team that has your back, core, and more. Our Mighty Health Team of personal trainers and certified health coaches can help you learn more about these standing exercises and anything else you need to feel, look, and perform better while enjoying your 50s and far beyond.