No, not sit-ups or crunches — this is the one low-impact exercise you should try to strengthen your core instead

No, you don’t need to do endless sit-ups or crunches to strengthen your core or build ab muscle — I’ve got an exercise for you that’s low impact, can be done anywhere using your bodyweight or a set of the best kettlebells, and slots easily into any core workout, functional routine, warm-up or strength session.

Sure, there’s a place for sit-ups and crunches in workouts. But my favorite way to train the various core muscles is by doing two things: using functional movement (movement patterns that closely mimic daily activities, like pushing, pulling and climbing) and compound exercises — ones that hit multiple muscle groups at once and rely on your core for stability and power.