While exercises like crunches and sit-ups can effectively target your core and abdominal muscles, they’re not exactly anyone’s favorite exercises. And they might not even be necessary if you’re already doing some other specific movements during your day. After all, many people tend to overlook the fact that there are everyday activities that you may already do (or can do if you’re not already) that can activate your midsection and maybe even give you six-pack abs.
Although many day-to-day activities target your core muscles, Parade tapped personal trainers to learn even more about the one they deem most effective, best practices to adhere to when performing this daily task to maximize your results, and how to know when (or if) you’re overexerting yourself.
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The Everyday Activity That’s Secretly Amazing for Your Core, According to Trainers
All of our experts agree that carrying (or lifting) a heavy load (especially on one side of your body) is secretly amazing for your core. Carrying groceries serves as an excellent example of this. “This mimics a farmer’s carry [exercise],” explainsKeri Harvey, NASM, CPT, and trainer at Form Fitness Brooklyn. “In this exercise, you hold heavy weights in your hands while standing tall and walking.”
“Your body is going to adapt and activate its deep core stabilizers to keep you staying upright, balanced, and moving [when carrying groceries],” says Alexis Iannucci, NASM, CPT, New York City-based certified personal trainer. “Without even thinking about it, your core is working overtime to resist rotation and maintain your posture.” She adds that you’re working several different core muscles when participating in this activity, including the transverse abdominis (or deep core muscles), obliques and rectus abdominis.
To put it simply, movements (or in this case, activities) that cause your core to work to resist force help its muscles grow stronger.
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While carrying groceries, a child or luggage (especially in one hand) can target your core, there are other everyday activities you shouldn’t count out.
Holly Roser, NASM, CPT, certified personal trainer and owner of Holly Roser Fitness Studios in New York City and San Francisco, adds that other activities, including walking uphill, can also successfully engage your core.
“Walking uphill requires stabilization of your trunk, causing your core to activate more than walking on flat ground,” she says.
How to Maximize This Everyday Activity
While you don’t have to put too much thought into carrying your groceries (if you don’t want to), doing so can help you maximize results when it comes to targeting your core.
Unless you’re seriously in a rush to get your groceries back home, you should focus on taking it slow. “Most people go through carries as fast as they can, but we end up losing form and not using the core when we speed through it,” explains Jane VanderVoot, NASM, CPT, CFSC, a certified personal trainer and founder of Movement & Mindset. “Imagine you’re walking on the moon and go slowly to get the most bang for your buck.”
Although you can hold your bags of groceries down at your sides and still see results, Stephen Holt, CSPS, personal trainer at and the owner of 29 Again Custom Fitness, says that you can make the time you spend carrying your groceries even more effective by holding the bags at shoulder level.
“The higher (in altitude the weight, the tougher the exercise is,” he explains.
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Your form matters (yes, even when carrying groceries). Harvey notes that you should always brace your core as you stand upright and be mindful of not having your feet cross over one another while walking.
Vandervoort and Harvey note that even intentionally carrying your groceries once or twice a week can lead to positive and consistent results over time. “Favoring one side isn’t ideal; trying to alternate sides or distributing weight evenly helps prevent asymmetry and imbalances,” adds Iannucci.
Related: Trainers Are Begging You to Stop Making This Super-Common Exercise Mistake
That said, Keith Hodges, NASM, CPT, a Los Angeles-based performance coach and certified personal trainer, notes that you want to ensure you’re taking diaphragmatic breaths and are sure not to push your body (especially if it hasn’t recovered or is in recovery mode).
Roser adds that the same diaphragmatic breaths should go for uphill or incline walking too.
Up Next:
Related: This One Change Will Make Your Walks More Effective, According to Personal Trainers
Sources:
- Keri Harvey, NASM CPT, a trainer at Form Fitness Brooklyn.
- Holly Roser, NASM CPT, a certified personal trainer and owner of Holly Roser Fitness Studios in New York City and San Francisco.
- Alexis Iannucci, NASM CPT, a New York City-based certified personal trainer.
- Stephen Holt, CSPS, personal trainer at and the owner of 29 Again Custom Fitness.
- Jane VanderVoort, NASM CPT, CFSC, a certified personal trainer and founder of Movement & Mindset.
- Keith Hodges, NASM CPT, a Los Angeles-based performance coach and certified personal trainer.
