6 Core Stability Exercises From Lia Bartha's "B The Method"

A strong core and pelvic floor is the answer to having a healthy, supported, and mobile body and spine—now and in the future. That's why I regularly incorporate core-focused movements in B The Method, a fitness method I founded that focuses on low-impact, deep, energizing, and restorative exercises.

Below, I've shared six of my favorite core stability exercises that I regularly recommend to clients (including mbg co-founder and co-CEO Colleen Wachob).You can easily do all of these beneficial moves at home—all you need is a yoga mat and a phthalate-free stability ball. 

These are also some of the many exercises you'll find on my new B The Method fitness app and online platform, where users can gain access to hours of unique restorative yet challenging classes as well as livestreaming. Both platforms offer thoughtful, purposeful full-body workouts in 15-, 30-, and 60-minute sessions and are now available (as of today!) to everyone, everywhere for a monthly or yearly subscription.

To get a sneak peek at some of the movements you'll experience through B The Method, try these core exercises individually, or together for a full sequence:

How to: Lie on the ground with knees bent at 90 degrees, feet flat on the floor. Place the ball between your shoulder blades, keep your chest lifted, and place your arms behind your head. Keep your neck relaxed and spine neutral. With your legs still bent at 90 degrees, lift one foot off the ground until your shin is parallel to the floor. Lower it with control to start. That's one rep. Complete 3 sets of 5 reps per leg.

How to: Lie on the ground and place the ball under the nape of your neck like a pillow. Bend your elbows and place hands around either side of the ball. Bring your legs to a tabletop position. Then, keeping both knees bent at 90 degrees, dip one leg toward the floor. Then return to start. Keep your spine and pelvis neutral, and allow the abdominals to control the movement. Don't lower your leg so far that your back arches. That's one rep. Complete 3 sets of 5 reps per leg.

How to: Begin seated on the ground with knees bent at 90 degrees, feet flat on the floor, and a slight hinge in your hips. Place the ball under your lower back. Raise your arms in the air and hold. Without tucking or arching your spine, lightly press up on the ball using your abdominals for support. Keeping your heels energetically pulling back toward your glutes, and legs bent at 90 degrees, lift one foot off the ground until your shin is parallel to the floor. Try to "turn off" the hip flexors and quads as you lift your leg, allowing the abdominals to control the movement. Return to start. That's one rep. Complete 3 sets of 5 reps per leg.

How to: Start in a high plank position, with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, and a ball in between your heels. Press through your arms, pulling your body backward until your seat is over your heels, with knees bent and open wide. Then press back into a plank. That's one rep. Complete 3 sets of 5 reps.

How to: Start in a high plank position, with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and a ball between your knees. Press through your arms, pulling your body backward until your seat is over your heels, with knees bent. Keep your legs parallel the entire time, squeezing the ball between your knees. Then press back into a plank. That's one rep. Complete 3 sets of 5 reps.