Sports Performance Coach Shares a 20-Minute Workout to Boost Longevity and Build a Stronger, More Functional Core

Let’s be honest: who doesn’t dream of having six-pack abs? A shredded midsection might help you look the part, but there’s a difference between building abs for show and training your core to actually perform like an athlete. Focusing solely on building the abs overlooks the obliques, deep stabilizers, diaphragm, and pelvic floor that truly drive movement. The core is a force transfer system responsible for how you absorb, redirect, and produce force through the trunk while your limbs do the work. Meaning, they're meant for far more than just flexing.

"If you train for aesthetics, you get good at isolated flexion," says Carmen Del Mastro, CSCS, sports performance coach for Unrivaled, the United States’ flagship 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league featuring top WNBA players. "If you train for function, you build bracing, rotation control, and positional ownership under speed and load. That’s the difference between looking athletic and actually expressing force."

It might look good, but a six-pack isn’t a reliable indicator of strength or performance. Adding functional core exercises into your training, whether sprinkled into your workouts or saved for a focused finisher, builds athleticism in a way that translates outside of the gym. Not only will you feel more like an athlete, but functional core training also supports longevity, delivering physical benefits that help maintain independence as you age.

Below, Del Mastro shares a functional core workout designed to make you move better, feel stronger, and actually use that strength where it counts.

Related: This 9-Minute Ab Workout Uses One Piece of Equipment to Build a Stronger, More Functional Core

Functional Core Workout

How to Do Zercher March

1. Hold a barbell in the crook of your elbows with elbows tucked close to your torso.
2. Lift one knee at a time, marching in place and driving knees up, while keeping your torso upright and core tight.
3. Perform 4 sets, marching for 20 to 30 seconds.

How to Do Stability Ball Plate Rotations

"Most athletes confuse rotation with just twisting harder, when in reality, if you can’t control rotation, you can’t safely produce it," Del Mastro says.

1. Set up with your back on a stability ball and feet flat on the floor with knees bent, holding a weight plate in front of your chest.
2. Rotate your torso to one side, keeping your hips square and controlled.
3. Return to center and rotate to the other side.
4. Perform 4 sets of 10 reps in each direction.

How to Do Bird Dog Drop Catch Row

1. Start in a tabletop position on a bench or other elevated surface. Extend one leg behind and the opposite arm down towards the ground.
2. Hold a dumbbell in your extended hand.
3. Row it back toward your torso. Drop it and extend your arm down again to catch it.
4. Perform 4 sets of 6 reps on each side.

How to Do Suitcase Carry

1. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand at your side, standing tall with shoulders back.
2. Walk forward, keeping your torso upright and resisting leaning toward the side the weight is on.
3. Switch hands and repeat.
4. Perform 4 sets, walking for 20 yards each time.

Related: This 15-Minute Ab Workout Uses an Ignored Piece of Equipment to Build a Shredded, More Functional Core