Published December 4, 2025 07:07AM
There’s still a fairly common belief among a lot of gym goers that core strength equates to sit-ups and crunches. Whether you were taught that in phys ed class or you’ve seen countless influencers instructing “correct” alignment in these classic exercises, the myth continues. But sit-ups and crunches aren’t the most effective or even safest core-strengthening exercises for the abdominals and other supportive muscles.
The best core workouts aren’t limited to any single approach but rather incorporate both static holds and dynamic movement to build strength and stability in all the muscles that comprise and support your core. So it’s sorta essential to have a handful of core-strengthening exercises at the ready.
Why Sit-Ups Aren’t Great Core-Strengthening Exercises
During a sit-up, you start lying on your back and raise your entire upper body to a vertical position while keeping your back straight, your knees bent, and your feet flat on the floor.
There are several reasons sit-ups aren’t effective ab exercises. Perhaps the most defining one is they’re difficult to perform without relying on momentum to assist you on the way up and gravity to help you on the way down. Although this makes the exercise easier, it also cheats you out of muscle strengthening if you’re opting for these instead of other core-strengthening exercises.
Even if you do move slowly and engage your muscles rather than use momentum, studies have found that sit-ups activate the hip flexor muscles more than the abs in order to help lift and lower your upper body.
Need further convincing? Even the US Army abandoned this exercise in 2020 with an update to its Army Combat Fitness Test.
Are Crunches Any Better than Sit-Ups?
In contrast to sit-ups, which lift the entire upper body off the mat, crunches involve a partial curling upward of the spine to lift only the shoulder blades. The partial lift largely eliminates the engagement of the hip flexors, which isolates the work a little more in the core muscles. But crunches are only slightly more effective at targeting the abs than sit-ups.
Also, crunches involve spinal flexion, or a slight rounding of the back, which is contraindicated for anyone with various conditions including osteoporosis, diastasis recti, and pregnancy. Crunches can also place pressure on the neck and spine.
12 Best Core-Strengthening Exercises Instead of Sit-Ups
The following core-strengthening alternatives to sit-ups are more effective than the classic sit-up and are things you can easily incorporate into any yoga practice or a gym routine. There’s no prize for doing as many repetitions as you can, so take each of them slowly. The goal controlled movement with awareness so you optimally engage your abdominal muscles.
1. Plank
This intense but incredibly efficient pose targets your entire core and supporting muscles. Bored with plain old Plank? You’ll experience comprehensive core strengthening with any variation of the pose, including Forearm Plank, Side Plank, and movements such as forward reaches, leg lifts, and knee to nose. Don’t forget to breathe.
How to: Come to hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists and hips over knees. Tuck your toes and come into the top of a push-up position. Spread your fingers wide, look down, and reach through the top of your head at the same time that you push through your heels.
2. Bird Dog
This kneeling balancing pose targets the spinal stabilizing muscles and glutes. It’s actually more challenging than it seems. If it feels simple, try it from Plank.
How to: Start on hands and knees and extend one arm forward so it’s parallel to the mat. Keep your arm lifted as you lift your opposite leg parallel to the mat. Find your balance. Slowly lower your hand and knee and move past your starting position to touch your elbow and knee together in a crunch underneath your chest. Then lower your hand and knee to the mat. Repeat on the other side. Alternate sides for about 20 repetitions, moving slowly and with control.
3. Dead Bug
This is basically Bird Dog on your back. Because it takes balancing out of the equation, it can feel slightly less intense, although the challenge is to take it slowly to ensure that your muscles, not momentum, create the movement. This core exercise strengthens your lower abs and pelvic floor muscles.
How to: Start by lying on the mat and drawing your knees toward your chest. Bend your knees 90 degrees with your shins parallel to the mat and your arms reaching toward the ceiling. Inhale, engage your abs, then slowly lower one foot toward the mat until your toe nearly taps down. At the same time, extend your opposite arm straight behind you toward the mat but without touching it. Keep the other leg and arm steady in your starting position.
Return your leg and arm to the starting position and repeat with the opposite leg and arm. Alternate sides with each rep, moving slowly and with control. Try 15 reps per side.
4. Boat Pose or V Ups
Love it or loathe it, Boat Pose is a better alternative to sit-ups than crunches because you get core strengthening as well as hip flexor strengthening because you have to hold your trunk and legs up. Opt for the classic yoga pose (with legs straight or knees bent) or make it dynamic by including the V Ups movement option.
How to: Create the classic V shape of Boat Pose with your arms alongside your head. Stay here for several breaths or intensify the challenge by slowly lowering your entire body to the mat and then lifting into Boat Pose in what’s known as V Ups. Keep your back straight.
5. Hollow Holds or Low Boat Pose
This isometric exercise is essentially a version of Low Boat Pose.
How to: Start by lying on the mat and drawing your knees toward your chest. Straighten your legs and hover them low above the mat as you reach your arms alongside your head in a subtle V shape. Keep your lower back continually touching the mat.
6. Russian Twists
Think of this as Boat Pose with a twist. Literally.
How to: Come into Low Boat Pose with your back and legs about 45 degrees off the mat. Cross your ankles and twist from side to side. Keep your back straight and move only your upper body as you twist. As in classic Boat Pose, you can opt to rest your heels on the mat. Those who practice Russian Twists at the gym tend to hold a weight and tap it to the mat on either side, although the exercise still delivers benefits using only your body weight.
7. Reverse Crunches
These are ideal for including at the end of the standing portion of class just before the cool down.
How to: Come onto your back, bend your knees 90 degrees, and stack your knees over your hips so your shins are parallel to the mat. Slowly draw your knees toward the wall behind you as you lift your lower back off the mat in a slow, controlled Reverse Crunch. Take your time as you lower down. Repeat.
8. Lunges
Stepping forward into a High Lunge works your entire core and challenges your body differently than movements that ask both sides of your body to work in symmetry. You’ll practice this movement several times in a typical yoga class although you can repeat the movement for a workout unto itself. Same goes for stepping forward into any Warrior pose.
How to: Stand at the back of the mat or come into Downward-Facing Dog with your feet hip-distance apart. Step your right foot forward, lift your chest, and reach your arms alongside your ears. Let your back heel lift off the mat. Pause here and then step back to standing or Down Dog. Repeat several times and then switch to step your left foot forward.
9. Mountain Climbers
The exercise you love to hate. (If you know, you know.) Think Plank with repeated and sped-up knee to nose movements.
How to: Start in Plank. Press your hands into the mat and keep your upper body still as you bring your right knee toward your right elbow and then step back and switch sides. If your upper back starts to sag or your elbows splay outward, adjust your alignment to be more straight and strong—or take it as a cue that you’ve done enough and need to rest.
10. Seated Knee Tucks
If Crunches and Boat Pose had a love child, it would be this exercise.
How to: Sit on your mat with your hands behind you as support, bend your knees, and draw them toward your chest. Lean your upper body back slightly, keeping your back straight, as you straighten your legs and hover them above the mat in a Low Boat Pose. Then bend your knees and draw them toward your chest. It’s easy to let momentum do the work here. Resist.
11. Spider Man Push-Ups
Prep for the challenging arm balancing pose known as Koundinyasana! It focuses on core stability which you need in everyday life as well as the arm balance. You’re basically mimicking the exact same shape—minus the lift off.
How to: Start in Plank. Lower into Chaturanga, bend your right knee, and draw it forward toward your right elbow. Your entire body should be in a single line. Step back to Plank and repeat on the other side. Keep alternating sides.
12. Burpees
Think of this as a more dynamic transition from Plank to Chaturanga. (If you practice jump backs and jump throughs, you’ll appreciate this exercise.)
How to: Start standing with your feet hip-distance apart. Slowly lower into Chaturanga and them push yourself back up to Plank. Bend your knees and jump your feet forward with your hands still on the mat. Then jump upward with your arms alongside your head. Bring your hands back to the mat, step or jump back to Plank, and repeat. This full-body workout is typically practiced as quickly as possible although that can result in some sloppy alignment. Focus instead on taking whatever time you need to find the integrity of each pose. The core-strengthening will be the same.
