Forget sit-ups – a trainer says these kneeling abs exercises strengthen your core and protect your lower back

Man doing a kneeling overhead press.

Let’s be honest: sit-ups aren’t the most exciting exercise. But ask most people for their favourite move for six-pack abs, and they’ll still choose them, a long-time favourite among beginner gym-goers.

Even though they are great to get the job done, sit-ups aren't ideal if you struggle with lower back pain or mobility issues. Another slight problem with sit-ups is that they primarily target the rectus abdominis (the ‘six-pack’ muscles), leaving the rest of the core relatively untouched. The core is so much more.