Skip the Crunches!

Hi Beauties,

A strong core is so important for every day life! From your posture to how you move, it can affect your daily activities. However, traditional crunches and planks can feel monotonous and boring. We've gathered our top 3 core workouts so you can skip the mat and weave them into your standing workout routine!

3 Ballerina Standing Ab Exercises

  1. Side Bends

These side bends build strength in the core and legs, while sculpting the waist! Stand up straight, forward facing with your legs slightly apart. Lift your right foot to demi-pointe (on the balls of your toes) and slide your right arm down the side of your leg until you feel your oblique’s grip, while your left arm floats up towards the sky. 

Bend your knees slightly as you come back to center and repeat on the other side. 

Switch back and forth until you’ve completed 8 reps on each side. 

Remember! Pull the stomach as you bend from side to side. Repeat this set twice! 

  1. Standing Ballet Crunches

Start facing forward with your arms stretched long to the side. Bend your left leg slightly and lean a bit forward as you put your weight in your standing left and lift your knee up towards your waist - bring your arms out in front to your right leg.

Scoop in with the abs and use your core to pull your leg up and in. 

Repeat 8 times and switch to the other side. Complete a full set 2-3 times. 

  1. Arabesque Twists

Start with your right leg behind you, take a slight bend in your left leg, pointing your toes- Plié (bend both knees). As you come up, lift your right knee and bring it across your body towards the left side of your waist. 

Return the right leg back to its starting position and repeat 8 times. Switch to the left and complete the set. 

Repeat for 2 sets of 8 on each side.

Tone and strengthen your core with our favorite standing core workouts! Subscribe to our Custom Workout to get started today!

+ check out these full-length standing abs workouts in the Custom Workout Streaming Library:

Attitude Booty & Waist Blast

Standing Abs with Band

Barre Bends: Waist

Skyline Abs

+ so much more in the Custom Workout Streaming Library!

P.S. not quite ready for challenging core work? Our Restorative Series is perfect for building foundational core strength!

What's your favorite BB core strengthening workout? Do you prefer the mat or standing work?

Have a beautiful workout!

-The Ballet Beautiful Team