The bridge variation women over 40 need to build deep core strength – without a single crunch

Building a stronger core is important at any age, but particularly once you wave goodbye to your 30s. Research shows muscle mass decreases approximately 3-8% per decade after this age, with the rate of loss increasing further after 60, and because having a strong core is so important to overall mobility, it’s an area of the body you don’t want to neglect.

Luckily, strength and fat loss coach Silvana Catalano has shared the ab exercise she credits with helping her build a stronger core after 40.

‘I stopped doing crunches and started doing this foam roller bridge variation instead,’ she said. ‘[It works] better than any crunch.’

Explaining why she moved away from the traditional ab exercise, Catalano said that ‘crunches flex [bend] your spine repeatedly under load’.

‘After 40, this can cause neck strain, back pain and only targets your surface muscles — not your deep core muscles,’ she added.

• Lie on your back with both heels on a foam roller, knees bent, and arms by your sides.
• Press through your heels to lift your hips into a bridge, creating a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Keeping your hips elevated and level, extend one leg straight up toward the ceiling.
• Hold briefly, maintaining control and avoiding any hip drop or rotation.
• Lower the extended leg back to the starting position with control.
• Repeat on the opposite side while keeping your hips elevated throughout.

Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps each side.

You can progressively overload the exercise every week, or increase the difficulty, in a few ways, including:

• Adding extra sets or reps
• Holding the bridge position for longer
• Adding weight by placing a dumbbell or weight plate across your hips or a resistance band around your thighs

‘The foam roller is the game changer,’ says Catalano. ‘It creates instability that forces your deep core to work overtime to stabilise your entire body.’

Your transverse abdominis — the deep core muscle that wraps around your waist like a corset — fires throughout the entire movement.

She added that this is the muscle which can help to make your stomach appear flatter.

‘Not your surface abs or your rectus abdominis [your ‘six pack’ muscles] but the deep muscles underneath’,’ she concluded.

Combining the foam roller bridge with the single leg extension engages your glutes, hamstrings, core and hip flexors simultaneously, improving lower-body strength and control.

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