Sameera Reddy shares 5 foundational core exercises to build stability and protect your back: ‘💪🏼 ladies only’
Core exercises work to strengthen the abdomen, support digestion, and also help internal organs stay in their proper place.
Sameera Reddy's 5 go-to core exercises. (Source: Instagram/@reddysameera) Sameera Reddy believes a strong core does more than shape your body — it supports your posture, balance, lower back, and everyday movement. Taking to Instagram, she shared 5 foundational core exercises that help women build stability, improve strength, reduce injury risk, and improve control at every stage of fitness.
From easing back discomfort to improving mobility and confidence in movement, the basics matter more than you think. “Start with control. Build strength that lasts,” she advised in the caption of her Instagram post.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your fitness practitioner before starting any routine.
Are these exercises really helpful?
Anamika Lalwani, Founder of Lit Fit Dance & Fitness Studio, explains that the core is the body’s powerhouse, and maintaining its strength is crucial for overall health and functionality.
Calling it the foundation of all movement, she says that whether you are sitting or standing, or bending or lifting, a strong core supports your body in everything. “It’s not just about achieving defined abs; it’s about stability, balance, and spine protection. Core strength helps prevent injuries, improves posture, and enhances performance in workouts and everyday activities,” she elaborates.
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Indira C H, yoga expert at Cult helped decode Reddy’s exercises:
Glute Bridges
Glute bridge as a fundamental exercise that primarily targets the gluteal muscles, comprising the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. It involves lifting the hips off the ground while keeping the shoulders, hips, and knees in alignment, forming a straight line from the shoulders to the knees at the top of the movement.
Things to keep in mind:
- Bend knees and bring them inline with the ankles
- Tighten your glutes while lifting the hip
- Avoid overarching the lower back
Supine Heel Drops
Supine heel drops are performed lying on your back with knees bent at a 90 degree angle. By alternating lowering one heel to touch the floor while keeping the lower back pressed down, engage the deep abdominal muscles and improve lumbar stability without straining the back.
Things to keep in mind:
- Move slowly with control
- Exhale while lowering the heel
- Maintain the neutral neck and relaxed shoulders
Knee-Assisted Side Planks
Aimed at strengthening the oblique abdominal muscles, side planks help in stabilising core muscles, which include pelvic floor muscles, transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques.
Things to note
- Keep the body in one straight line from head to knees
- Lift hips actively away from the floor
- Avoid collapsing into the shoulders
Knee-Assisted Scapula Push-Ups
Push-ups are beneficial for building upper body strength including triceps, pectoral muscles, and shoulders, besides abs. Apart from these, a proper push-up involves the scapula and rhomboids in the back which are typically underworked, rather than the neck and shoulder muscles. This engagement of the back muscles helps improve the posture.
Bird Dogs
Another core strengthening exercise, bird dogs are done by raising the opposite arm and leg just parallel to the floor. Keep the core tight so as to not lose balance. Hold for a second, then change. Move your limbs up and down for 5 counts, and then switch. Do not tilt your pelvis to any one side.
All in all, core exercises work to strengthen the abdomen, support digestion, and help internal organs stay in their proper place.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your fitness practitioner before starting any routine.
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