This simple core move builds strong abs and supports a healthy spine, according to a fitness expert

Women laying on the floor with her abs out.

While everyone likes the look of a sculpted midriff, strong abs are also about supporting your spine, improving posture, and protecting your lower back. The key isn’t endless crunches, but strengthening the deep stabilising muscles that support movement.

Research published in BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation shows that targeted core training can improve stability, reduce lower back pain and enhance overall function. So when Sophie Deakin, Pilates teacher and co-founder of Radiant Waves Retreats, showed me a deceptively simple core exercise I hadn’t tried before, I was all in.