The four exercises a physical therapist recommends to help you build deep core strength and relieve back pain

A woman stands in a gym holding a kettlebell at shoulder height in her right hand; her other hand hangs at her side. Behind her we see a row of exercise bikes and large windows.

If you’re a slave to sit-ups and crunches but don’t feel like your core strength is improving, that's because you're not targeting the deep core muscles.

The core consists of several layers of muscles. Sit-ups and crunches are great for targeting the rectus abdominis on the front of the stomach but they don’t recruit the deeper muscles within the core, like the transverse abdominis which wraps around your trunk.