Core Stability Workout: A 25-Minute Routine You Can Do Anywhere

Your core doesn’t just provide strength—it also provides stability. And that’s the exact idea behind this week’s core stability workout from Sweat with SELF.

Led by athletic trainer Liz Letchford, Ph.D., A.T.C., and coach Paul Wright, this 25-minute core stability workout is the third in a six-part series dedicated to helping you build optimal core strength. Catch the first two videos in this series here and here.

One key component of core stability? A strong transverse abdominis. This deep core muscle, which wraps around your sides and spine is “an intrinsic core stabilizer,” Cori Lefkowith, Orange County, California-based personal trainer previously told SELF. That means it “helps stabilize your core and spine to help your body function correctly.”

Having a stabilized spine is important as it translates into injury prevention at the gym—particularly when you’re doing big, compound lifts like squats and deadlifts—and helps in everyday life—like when you’re hoisting a bag of groceries or picking up something off the floor, as SELF previously reported.

Moreover, core stability is the foundation for a lot of athletic movements, as NSCA-certified personal trainer Renee Peel previously told SELF. By improving your core stability, you can in turn improve your ability to move efficiently and effectively in a lot of scenarios.

In this workout, you’ll fire up your core stabilizers (and, as a bonus, work your shoulders and legs) with moves like bird dogs, bear holds, and downward dogs to planks.

When you’re ready, grab a mat and follow along with the video below. Or, if you’d rather work at your own pace, simply keep scrolling for detailed workout directions and GIFs of each move.