Core vs. Abs Exercises: What's the Difference?

Ever see an exercise described as an “abs exercise” in one place only to find the same exact movement categorized as a “core exercise” elsewhere? The two terms are often used interchangeably by the fitness industry, and people have varying thoughts on what constitutes each. Plus, there’s plenty of overlap between the two.

However, there are some key differences between your abs and core. In simple terms, your core includes your abs, but your abs don’t encompass all of your core. And while strong abs are important, it’s not enough to just train your abs and neglect the rest of your core.

To better understand the nuances between core versus abs exercises and get step-by-step instructions on how to strengthen both, we chatted with two fitness pros.

What is your core?

Your core encompasses everything from your hips to the bottom of your chest, says certified personal trainer and functional strength coach Mathew Forzaglia, CPT, CFSC, founder of Forzag Fitness. “We’re talking about your pelvic floor, internal and external obliques, transverse abdominals, rectus abdominals, and spinal erectors,” he explains.

You can think of your core as a corset or weightlifting belt, and it also includes the quadratus lumborum muscle in your lower back, says physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist Grayson Wickham, PT, DPT, CSCS, founder of Movement Vault. “When we think about the core, we’re thinking about all the muscles that wrap around the midsection,” he explains.

The core is a source of support and stability. It protects your organs and spine and allows you to maintain an upright posture and manage pressure in your abdomen. Your core muscles are also involved in flexion, lateral flexion, extension, and rotation of the trunk. In other words, twisting, side-bending, arching, and rounding your back are all possible because of the core.

What are your abs?

Most people use the term “abs,” short for abdominal muscles, to refer to the rectus abdominis. “These are the ‘six-pack abs’ you see from the front of your body,” Forzaglia says. Your abs work to flex your spine and protect the internal organs behind them.

Technically speaking, your abs are more than just the rectus abdominis and also include your internal and external obliques, transverse abdominis, and pyramidalis, a small muscle that’s believed to tense the connective tissue that runs down the middle of your rectus abdominis.

Like your core, your abs provide support, stability, mobility, internal pressure regulation, and protection.

“We’ve got to remember that everyone’s an athlete. Everyone has to move throughout their day.” —Grayson Wickham, PT, DPT, CSCS

The difference between your core and your abs

While your abs are a section of your core, your core contains your abdominal muscles and all the other muscles that make up your midsection, including the muscles of your pelvic floor, spinal erectors, and quadratus lumborum. Essentially, “the core” is a broad, umbrella term that refers to the entire midsection, and “abs” denotes a specific muscle group within the core.

The benefits of a strong core

If you think about your body as a house, the core is its frame, Forzaglia says. “If you have a weak frame, then the rest of the house will be prone to breaking down,” he says, noting that an unstable core can lead to imbalances and movement compensations that may result in injuries.

A weak core may also generate feelings of tightness in other parts of the body, especially your hips, Wickham says. “Your body is always seeking stability. So if you don’t have stability in your core, it’s going to most likely steal it from the next available joint,” he says.

Strengthening your core will not only protect you against inefficient movement patterns, pain, and injuries, but it can also help improve your posture by counteracting the hours spent in a seated or slouched position. And research1 shows that a strong core can bolster performance by optimizing power and movement control in athletes.

“And we’ve got to remember that everyone’s an athlete,” Wickham says. “Everyone has to move throughout their day. Everyone has to do some type of athletic movement, whether that’s reaching down and twisting to pick up a 10-pound box or snatching a barbell off the ground.”

The best core exercises to add to your workouts

Fire up your entire midsection during your next strength workout with these core exercises, demonstrated by Forzaglia. Choose a couple to incorporate into your routine, or perform them back-to-back in a core-focused circuit. You’ll need a large exercise ball and at least one set of dumbbells or kettlebells.