Dual Muscle Exercises For Core Training & Strength

Dual muscle exercises, or compound exercises, utilize more than one group of muscles. Your core region refers to your pelvis, lower back, abdominal muscles and hips. A strong core provides you with a foundation for movement and physical activity. Combining exercises that challenge your core and additional muscles in your body builds overall body strength, burns calories and helps you meet your fitness and weight management goals.

Stability Ball Overhead Extensions

Doing overhead extensions on a stability ball challenges your glutes, core muscles and your triceps. The exercise requires multiple muscles and burns more calories than exercising each muscle individually. Sit on the middle of a stability ball and check that your legs form a 90-degree angle. If they don't, get another size ball that accommodates your height.

Holding a weight in each hand, walk your feet out in front of you while simultaneously lowering your head and back onto the ball. Once only your head, shoulders and back remain on the ball, position you feet hip-width apart and lift your hips into a straight line with your knees and lower back. Contract your abdominal muscles and lift your arms directly over your head. This marks your starting position. Point your elbows forward and maintain this position throughout the exercise. Lower the weights behind your head, stopping when they can't go any further or when you feel a stretch in the back of your arms. Push the weight up, straighten your arms and repeat until you complete 15 repetitions.

Stability Ball Chest Press

Combining a chest press and a bridge on the stability ball strengthens and tones your core muscles, your glutes and your chest muscles. Holding a weight in each hand, assume the same starting position that you did during the overhead extensions.

Lift your arms over your chest and turn your palms away from you. Maintaining straight wrists during this exercise prevents injury. Slowly, bend your elbows and lower your hands next to their respective shoulders. As you lower the weights, lower your glutes toward the ground. Simultaneously, push the weights over your chest and push up through your heels, returning your glutes to the start position. Complete 15 repetitions.

BOSU Squats

BOSU squats challenge your lower body and build strength in your core region. Stand on the middle of a BOSU ball and position your feet shoulder-width apart. Moving your feet closer together challenges your balance even more during the squats.

To stand on the BOSU ball, place the black part on the ground with the blue dome facing up. Position the ball next to a wall to help you balance while getting on it. Standing with your right shoulder next to the wall, place your right hand on the wall and step your left foot onto the ball, directly under your left shoulder. Once your foot feels steady, place your right foot on the ball, directly under your right shoulder. Remove your hand from the wall to start the squats, but place it back on the wall if you lose your balance during the squats.

Straighten your back and lift your arms in front of your body, parallel to the floor. Contract your abdominal muscles and stick your glutes out behind you. Stacking your knees above your ankles helps prevent knee strain during this exercise. Lower your hips toward the ground, stopping when they are parallel to the floor. Push up through your heels, return to standing and complete a total of 15 repetitions.