An Effective Core Workout for Busy Women: Quick 20-Minute Routine

Welcome to your workout of the day with Nicki Fit A to Z coach. I’m Nicole, aka Nicki, and today I’ll be guiding you through a core-focused workout. This session includes warm-up exercises and a cool down, all within an efficient 20-minute timeframe. Our goal is to target our core muscles (our abs!), including the deep transverse abdominals, rectus abdominis, and obliques, along with incorporating our back and glutes.

Warm-Up: Preparing Your Body

We start with a gentle warm-up to get our blood pumping and loosen up our core and back muscles. Begin with some shoulder rolls and twists, taking deep breaths. Remember to take it at your own pace, especially if you’re just starting out.

  • Shoulder Rolls
  • Gentle Twists
  • Deep Breaths

Core Workout: Five Essential Movements

We’ll be doing five basic movements, each for 45 seconds followed by a 15-second recovery. We’ll go through these movements three times, with guidance and modifications in the first round, and then we’ll complete the next two rounds together.

1. Wood Chop

You’ll need a dumbbell or kettlebell for this exercise. Stagger your stance for stability, holding the weight in both hands. Start with the weight in front of the shoulder of your forward leg, then chop it down towards your opposite hip with control.

  • 45 seconds on each side
  • Focus on stability and control
  • Breathe through the movement

2. Around the World

This movement can be done with a dumbbell or kettlebell. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the weight in front of your belly. Pass the weight around your waistline, switching directions halfway through.

  • Focus on a stable body
  • Only the arms move
  • Brace through the core

3. Reverse Sit-Up

Start in a seated position with a weight at your chest (optional). Press down through year heels your heels and lean back, engaging your deep transverse abdominals. Focus on controlled movements keeping your eyes forward.

  • Optional weight at chest
  • Controlled lean back
  • Engage deep abdominals

4. Pull Over with Leg Drop

Lie on your back with a weight over your chest and legs up. Alternate dropping each leg while bringing the weight overhead. Keep a slight bend in your knees and elbows for better support.

  • Weight overhead
  • Alternate leg drops
  • Bend knees and elbows

5. Final Cool Down

Finish off with a cool down to relax your muscles. Try some gentle airplane twists and overhead stretches, focusing on deep, calming breaths.

  • Airplane twists
  • Overhead stretches
  • Deep, calming breaths

Great job on completing your core workout today! Keep practicing these movements to build strength and stability and feel more confident in every exercise you perform – our core is our foundation for movement. Remember, consistency is key, so try complete 3-4 workouts each week. Whether you practice a this workout, one just like it, or get out for a walk, I encourage you to keep moving.

If you would like more personalized workouts along with support and accountability, I’d love to help. I am a personal trainer in Scottsdale, Arizona and I offer my personal training and coaching services to women around the world through my online fitness coaching program. I specialize in helping women and seniors break through the limits of pain so they can enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle today, and for years to come.

 

About NickiFit

Since 2014, when NickiFit A to Z began, it has been my mission to make fitness accessible to all women. Many women feel uncomfortable in a standard gym setting. Many women have had horrible experiences with past trainers who did not provide the level of care they needed. I meet clients where they are at. I recognize that not everyone is comfortable in a gym or working out in groups so I coach clients in the comfort of their own home. I guide women through efficient, effective at home workouts and help them adjust their nutrition and their habits to support the life they want to live.