This is the best abs exercise you're not doing and all you need is a pair of dumbbells

Woman walks holding two kettlebells. She is outside, next to a building with an outdoor swimming pool behind her. She is wearing sports leggings and a pink tank top.

Chances are that loaded carries do not form the backbone of your core-strengthening workouts, but do form a part of your every day, whether that's carrying the shopping home from the supermarket, lifting a suitcase down a flight of stairs, or wearing a heavy rucksack.

These are all real-world examples of loaded carries, and this type of movement works wonders for strengthening the postural, abdominal and lower-back muscles that support your spine, hips and ribcage. Replicating real-life scenarios in your workouts is a smart move to make these tasks more manageable, and perfecting these techniques can also help reduce injury risk.