How to Build Core Strength in a Chair: Seated Ab Workout You Can Do Anywhere
When our core muscles are strong, we feel more stable, more supported, and balanced on our feet. A strong core isn’t about having six-pack abs – it’s about feeling confident in your body’s ability to move with ease, tackle everyday tasks, and manage life without strain or pain.
You don’t have to do difficult exercises, like hanging leg raises, and it doesn’t have to be complicated.
When you understand how to use your breath to engage with your core muscles, you can literally get an ab workout anywhere. And today, I’m excited to share a simple, yet effective seated workout you can do in a chair to strengthen your core and feel more supported in your body.
Why Core Strength Matters
A stable core gives us more than physical strength; it supports our spine, keeps us balanced in our body, and helps prevent injury. Strengthening your core means cultivating natural energy and feeling more confident in your body’s capacity to handle everything from walking around to sitting at your desk.
The exercises in this routine focus on engaging the deep core muscles through intentional breathwork and movement. And the best part? You can do it seated in a chair, making it accessible for anyone with any level of fitness.
What You Need for the Workout
- A sturdy chair
- A yoga block or small pillow
Take a moment to arrange your space, grab your equipment, and let’s dive in!
Read on to learn more OR watch the workout on YouTube!
Warm-Up: Connecting Breath to Movement
Before we jump into any workout, we need to get our brain to communicate with our body. This why a warm-up is essential!
I focus on a simple warm-up to get in touch with our breath and movement.
Cat-Cow Seated Stretch
- Sit at the edge of your chair with feet flat on the floor.
- Place your hands on your thighs.
- Inhale: Lift your chest towards the ceiling, pulling your shoulders back. Create a slight arch in your back.
- Exhale: Round your spine, tucking your chin and pulling your belly button in.
- Repeat this flow a few times, using your hands to gently press against your thighs, deepening the stretch. Let your breath guide your movement.
Tip: Try making a soft exhale sound to connect with your breath, like you’re fogging up a mirror. This helps release tension and brings awareness to your body.
Exercise 1: Pelvic Tilts for Deep Core Engagement
Our first exercise will help activate the deep core muscles, particularly the pelvic floor and lower abdomen.
- Place your yoga block or pillow between your thighs and squeeze gently.
- Inhale: Sit tall on your sit bones.
- Exhale: Snap your belly button towards your spine, engaging your core. Tuck your tailbone slightly and rock back just a little.
- Inhale: Breathe into the sides of your ribs.
- Exhale: Tighten your core as you sit back up.
Repeat this movement 5 times, focusing on the sensation of “zipping” up from your pelvic floor to your belly button.
Why it works: These small movements activate your deep core muscles, training them to stabilize your body from within. When you understand how to lift your deep core muscles from the pelvic floor upward, you create the internal support your spine needs to function safely and without strain.
Exercise 2: Side Bends for Oblique Strength
Next, we’ll work on the obliques, the muscles that support rotation and side movements.
- Sit tall with your feet flat on the floor and thighs squeezed together.
- Place your right hand down by your side (you can hold the chair for stability) and bring your left hand to your forehead.
- Exhale: Side bend to the right, keeping your left hip grounded.
- Add five small pulses, feeling the stretch along your left side.
Switch sides and repeat on the left. Remember to keep your lower body stable and focus on engaging the side muscles.
Tip: Keep your breaths shallow here, focusing on engaging your core as you move.
Exercise 3: Seated Twists for Spinal Support
Twisting helps train your core to protect your spine—a critical function for preventing injury and maintaining a healthy posture.
- Hug your yoga block or pillow between your thighs, feet flat on the floor.
- Place your right hand on the back of the chair and your left hand on your outer right thigh.
- Inhale: Sit tall.
- Exhale: Twist gently to the right, engaging your obliques and keeping your hips stable.
- Add five small pulses, pulling your belly in with each pulse.
Switch sides and repeat the twist on your left. The goal is to feel your core supporting the movement, not straining your back.
Tip: Keep your hips square and focus on turning from your ribs and upper back.
The Importance of Your Breath for Core Strength
After each round of core exercises, it’s important to practice belly breaths to release tension and promote muscle recovery.
- Sit up tall, hands resting on your belly or lap.
- Inhale: Let your belly expand like a balloon.
- Exhale: Let the belly naturally draw in.
- Repeat for a few breaths, allowing your core muscles to relax.
This helps your core stay strong and functional, not tight and overworked.
Integrate Core Strength into Your Daily Life
Core strength is about more than looking fit—it’s about feeling supported and confident in your body’s ability to handle the demands of daily life. Incorporating simple seated exercises like these can make a big difference in your overall stability and energy levels.
For a deeper dive into using breath to build core strength, check out my BreathCore program, click here to learn more.
Cheers to inner strength and support ✌🏻
-Jessi Rose