This workout serves as day 1 of the Core and Strength with Brian 5-day challenge but can be used as a standalone workout any time.
Hey, FB Family!
It is Day 1, and let's kick it off by focusing on our core. This workout is a steady, core-focused routine designed to strengthen and activate your core without rushing or overcomplicating things. It involves three structured supersets and a focused finisher.
Equipment Needed:
- Dumbbells (Light and Medium)
- Mat (Optional)
If you feel your core work has been an afterthought in other workouts, this workout gives it the attention it deserves. Every move in today’s workout is designed to reinforce strength, balance, and control in a way that carries over to your other training and everyday life.
This workout focuses on holding strong positions with proper bracing and alignment, which requires real effort. It’s a great way to build core strength, which supports better movement in everything else you do.
Each superset includes two exercises repeated for two rounds, with 45 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest. You’ll get quick transitions between sets, a water break after Superset 2, and a final core finisher to wrap it up before heading into the cooldown.
This workout is designed to be modifiable. You can perform all of these moves without added weight, reduce your range of motion, or swap positions to better support your body. As always, Team, I will give you modifications to keep you going.
Here are a few helpful things to keep in mind before you press play:
- Choose a weight that allows you to maintain control.
- If your hips or shoulders shift too much during planks or pull-throughs, reduce your range and slow down.
- During the kneeling windmills, think about keeping the movement slow and aligned, it’s not a race to the floor.
- In the bird dog hold, focus on stability rather than height. A strong pause at the top is more important than how far you can reach.
- When in doubt, go bodyweight.
This is a good one to return to regularly if you are looking to build core strength. It works well on its own or as a complement to your existing training, especially if you’ve been wanting to spend more time building core endurance and strength that helps our posture.
So, Team, let's grab those dumbbells and get to work!
Workout Structure
Warm-Up: 2 Rounds, 30 Seconds Each
- Alt. Standing Cross-body Stretch
- Glute Bridge + Reach
- Bird Dogs
- Alt. Runners Lunge to Rotation
- High Plank to Down Dog
Core Strength Supersets (2x rounds per superset): 45 Seconds On / 15 Seconds Off
Superset 1:
- DB Dead Bug
- Plank Reaches
*20 Seconds Transition after two sets
Superset 2:
- 1/2 Kneeling DB Windmill (L)
- 1/2 Kneeling DB Windmill (R)
Water Break
Superset 3:
- Bird Dog / Hold 3 Seconds per side (DB)
- Plank Pull-Through (DB)
20 Seconds Transition
Finisher: 2 Rounds, 30 Seconds On / 10 Seconds Off
- Bear Position Hold
- DB Side Plank Reach Through
- DB Side Plank Reach Through
- Plank
Water Break
Cooldown: 1 Round, 45 Seconds Each
- Supine Twist (Left/Right)
- Child’s Pose w/ Side Reach (Left/Right)
- Thread the Needle (Left/Right)
- Cobra Stretch