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This article was written by Anthony Huling, PT, DPT, Physical Therapist.
If you've spent any time in a gym, you've probably seen someone finish a workout with a few sets of crunches, sit-ups, or bicycle kicks. For many people, that’s what core training looks like.
There's nothing inherently wrong with those exercises. The problem is that many people believe they're training their core when they're really just training a small part of it.
As a physical therapist, I hear people use the terms "abs" and "core" interchangeably all the time. They're related, but they're not the same thing. In fact, one of the biggest misconceptions in fitness is that the core is simply the muscles that create a visible six-pack.
The reality is a little more complicated—and a lot more important if your goal is to lift safely and perform at your best.
Understanding your core muscles.
When most people think about the core, they picture the rectus abdominis, the muscle that runs down the front of the abdomen and creates the classic six-pack appearance. It's the most visible muscle in the area, and it's often the one that gets the most attention on social media and in fitness magazines.
But your core is really a team of muscles and tissues that work together to create stability around the spine. Some of the most important members of that team aren't visible from the outside at all. Deeper muscles, including the transverse abdominis, multifidi, and psoas major, play a critical role in helping stabilize the trunk and support the spine during movement. These muscles don't get nearly as much attention as the six-pack muscles, but they do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to keeping your body safe and efficient.
That's why someone can have impressive-looking abs and still have poor core stability.
What is the purpose of core training?
Most people assume the core's job is to bend, twist, and crunch. After all, that's what many traditional ab exercises involve. But during most daily activities and strength exercises, your core is doing the exact opposite.
When you're carrying groceries, picking up a child, moving furniture, or performing a heavy squat, your core isn't trying to create movement. It's trying to prevent unwanted movement.
Its primary job is to create stiffness and stability around the spine.
Think of your core as the body's natural brace. It helps resist excessive bending, twisting, arching, and side-to-side movement so you can transfer force efficiently and safely. That's a big reason why many of the strongest athletes in the world spend less time doing endless crunches and more time training stability.
Common core training mistakes.
One of the most common mistakes I see in the gym is people overemphasizing the muscles they can see. The rectus abdominis and obliques are important muscles that deserve to be trained. But because they're associated with appearance, it’s not uncommon for people to prioritize training them over the deeper stabilizing muscles that help protect the spine.
Many active adults can perform dozens of sit-ups without much difficulty, but they struggle to maintain good trunk control during heavier lifts. Once fatigue sets in, their posture changes, their spine loses stability, and their risk of injury increases. That's often a sign that they've spent years training the powerhouse muscles while overlooking the stabilizers.
The goal shouldn't be to eliminate traditional ab exercises. Instead, it should be to create a more balanced approach that trains the core to do what it's actually designed to do.
Best core exercises for stability.
If the core's primary role is stability, then it makes sense to include exercises that challenge your ability to resist movement, including the following:
- Plank: It looks simple, but when performed correctly, the plank teaches your body to resist spinal extension and maintain a strong, stable position. Start by supporting your body on your forearms and toes, keeping your head, shoulders, hips, and heels in a straight line. Instead of focusing on how long you can hold the position, focus on maintaining good form and keeping your core engaged throughout the exercise. Try holding a plank for 20 to 45 seconds and repeat for three sets.
- Side planks: These are another excellent option because they train the body to resist side bending while improving trunk and hip stability. To perform it, lie on your side and support your body on one forearm and the side of your foot, creating a straight line from your head to your heels. Hold the position while keeping your hips lifted and your torso steady. Aim for three sets of 20 to 30 seconds on each side.
- Dead bugs: This exercise challenges your ability to maintain a stable trunk while moving your arms and legs, which more closely resembles the demands of real-life movement. To perform it, lie on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling and your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees. Slowly lower the opposite arm and leg while keeping your lower back pressed into the floor. Perform two to three sets of eight to ten repetitions per side.
- Farmer’s carry: Sometimes the most practical core exercise is one of the simplest: carrying something heavy. Farmer's carries require your core to stay engaged while you walk, making them highly functional and surprisingly challenging. Three carries of 30 to 60 seconds is a great place to start.
Why it matters for squats, deadlifts, and other big lifts.
When people hear the word "core," they often think about appearance. As a physical therapist, I think about performance and protection.
A well-trained core helps resist extension, flexion, rotation, and side bending when the body is under load. That's especially important during compound lifts such as squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and loaded carries. As the weight gets heavier and fatigue increases, your body has to work harder to maintain good positioning. The more effectively your core can stabilize your spine, the better your body can transfer force and the lower your risk of unnecessary strain.
In simple terms, stability helps create strength.
Train for function first.
There's nothing wrong with wanting stronger abs or working toward a visible six-pack. But if that's the only way you're thinking about core training, you may be missing the bigger picture.
The most important part of your core isn't necessarily the part you can see. When you start
viewing your core as your body's stabilizing system rather than just a collection of abdominal muscles, your training changes. You focus less on chasing a burn and more on building the strength and control that support everything else you do.
If you're dealing with back pain, recovering from an injury, or simply looking to improve your movement and performance, a physical therapist can help identify areas of weakness and develop an exercise program tailored to your goals. At MedStar Health, our physical therapy team works with people of all activity levels—from recreational exercisers to competitive athletes—to improve strength, stability, and confidence in movement.
Whether you're lifting a barbell, carrying groceries, or simply moving through your day, that's the kind of strength that matters most.
