You have probably heard a lot about core strength over the years. But most exercise talk focuses on the surface muscles, the ones that make up a six-pack. The muscles that really matter for daily life sit deeper than that.
The deep core is a group of muscles located beneath the surface of the abs. It includes your abdominals, back muscles, glutes, and pelvic floor. When this group is strong, it keeps your spine stable and your body moving with control.
If you find it hard to stand or sit up straight for long periods, that is a sign that your deep core could use some attention. A stronger deep core makes it easier to maintain good posture, and it can help prevent or reduce lower back pain.
Why Pilates Works So Well for This
Erica Walters, a level-three certified Pilates instructor and owner of Pilates Fit Studio in Kentucky, calls the deep core muscles the powerhouse. In Pilates, that term means more than just your abs. It is the whole coordinated system, abdominals, back, glutes, and pelvic floor working together.
Walters explains that when your center is connected, every movement of your arms and legs becomes more powerful and efficient. Without that connected center, your limbs work in isolation.
Lauren King, a Pilates instructor at Strong Pilates Commack in New York, adds that a well-functioning deep core supports posture, helps distribute load through the spine, and allows the body to move with better control. She says its main role is stabilization, control, and support of movement, as the core does in everyday activities.
Pilates was literally designed with this in mind. It uses your own bodyweight to build deep, connected strength. And the research backs it up. A 2025 study published in the journal Medicina had one group of adults do Pilates three times a week for six weeks. Another group did aerobic exercise on the same schedule. At the end, the Pilates group showed significant improvement in core strength, measured through muscle thickness, contraction timing, and contraction ratios.
A 2023 review published in the journal Healthcare also found that regular Pilates can strengthen the deep core and help improve lower back pain.
The Three Moves to Try
All three of these exercises can be done on a mat at home. No special equipment needed.
The Hundred
Walters calls this her favorite deep core move. She says it demands that the powerhouse hold your entire body in position while your arms move independently. Here is how to do it:
- Lie on your back and hug your knees to your chest.
- Lift your head and shoulders, focusing only on moving the thoracic spine, the section of your spine from the base of your neck to the bottom of your rib cage. This protects your neck from strain.
- Extend your arms long by your sides, hovering just above the mat. Then extend your legs to a 45-degree angle.
- Pump your arms vigorously up and down. Inhale for five counts, exhale for five counts. That is one set of 10. Repeat 10 times to reach 100.
The Teaser
Walters also recommends this move. She says it asks the powerhouse to control the entire body, folding and unfolding from the center. Here is how to do it:
- Start lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Work the upper body first: Roll up and down three times, moving carefully through the spine.
- Add the lower body by lifting one leg at a time, pressing into the standing leg for stability. Roll up and down three times on each side.
- To make it more challenging: Lie on your back with legs extended at a 45-degree angle. Roll your upper body up to meet your legs in a V shape, then roll only your upper body back down while your legs stay in place. Repeat three times.
The Dead Bug
King’s favorite deep core move is called the dead bug. It strengthens the deep core without putting pressure on the spine or neck, a real plus for anyone who has dealt with neck or back discomfort.
King says the goal is to keep your spine stable throughout. This trains the core to resist movement while the limbs move, building stability and control. Here is how to do it:
- Lie on your back with your arms reaching toward the ceiling and your knees in a tabletop position.
- Slowly extend one arm and the opposite leg away from the body, then return to the center and alternate sides. Do 10 reps per side.
How Often Should You Do These?
King recommends doing these deep core exercises three to four times a week. She says that within a few weeks, you will notice a difference in how you feel. Holding good posture will start to feel less like work.
A strong, deep core is not about looking a certain way. It is about moving through your day with ease, and keeping the aches and stiffness that come with age from slowing you down. That is worth a few minutes on the mat.