Short on Time? These 3 Quick Core Moves Target the Stability Runners Need Most

Busy runners often shove strength training—and core work, specifically—to the bottom of their priority list. Between mileage, work, family time, social outings, and recovery, core exercises can feel like one more task competing for a place on the schedule.Core work often ranks among the most overlooked parts of a training week, even though it only takes a few minutes per day to achieve big performance benefits. A simple core routine can train your body to transfer force more efficiently, hold your posture later into a run, and keep fatigue from fraying your form.With so many core exercises vying for your attention, figuring out which moves earn five minutes of your time can feel tricky. We narrowed the list to three runner-focused moves that target trunk and pelvic stability and fit into a five-minute bout after your next run. Read on to see exactly what your core does as the miles go by—and the three moves worth prioritizing when time feels tight.What Your Core Does When You RunCore training reaches far beyond the six-pack, personal trainer and strength coach Lauren Pak, cofounder of Theory of Motion, previously told Runner’s World. Besides the abdomen, it’s important to remember all the other parts of your core, like the obliques, spinal erectors, transverse abdominis, diaphragm, pelvic floor, glutes, hip flexors, and rectus abdominis. Functional core work trains all of those muscles to support breathing, posture, and running form instead of merely firing up surface-level muscles like your abs, Holly Dickinson, UESCA-certified run coach, NSCA-certified strength and conditioning coach, and owner of StrideHer run coaching, previously told Runner’s World.Because of this, Pak organizes core training around four movement patterns: rotation, flexion, extension, and lateral flexion (or side bending). Each of these movements covers all those different muscles in your core, which is important because running asks for strength in every single one.Your arms naturally swing with your gait, and your core must curb excess side-to-side twist to keep your momentum traveling forward. Your core also manages forward hunching and backward arching so you can stay tall rather than collapse or flare through the ribs. A strong core also helps you resist side-bending, which keeps the trunk from folding as each leg takes its turn under load.However, the goal is not to stay completely still like a statue. Running demands a trunk that can move with your stride and limit sloppy form that drains efficiency.How to Fit Core Work in Your ScheduleCore work earns its place in a packed training week when you stop treating it like its own lengthy workout. Pak says runners can slot a few stability drills into a prerun warmup, while Dickinson recommends using functional core exercises in a quick circuit or as part of a full-body strength session. Those options let you build core strength into time you already set aside for training.Keep in mind that a full week’s worth of strength work should still include compound lifts that work the four key movement patterns (mentioned above), Pak says. But when your schedule leaves little room for extras, the three moves below are exactly what you need to sprinkle in more core to your strength routine without piling more workouts onto your schedule.The 3 Core Moves Worth Your TimeDead BugTrevor RaabWhy it works: Both Pak and Dickinson recommended the dead bug. The cross-body pattern challenges you to resist a lower-back arch as your arms and legs move, building deep core control while your hip flexors work in a controlled position. For runners, this helps improve form and counters the effects of sitting too much.How to do it:Lie faceup, both legs lifted, knees bent 90 degrees and placed directly over hips.Extend both arms straight up, hands in line with shoulders. This is the starting position.Extend left leg straight out, lowering it toward the floor. Simultaneously extend right arm overhead, also lowering it toward the floor.Pause, then return to starting position.Repeat on opposite side.Continue alternating. Repeat for 16 reps (eight per side).Side Plank HoldJulia Hembree SmithWhy it works: The equipment-free hold trains anti-lateral flexion, or your ability to resist bending sideways at the waist. This is a simple way to challenge the side-bending control that Pak flags as essential for staying tall on the run and not collapsing to one side or the other.How to do it:Lie on left side with knees straight. Stack legs or stagger one foot in front of the other.Place left forearm on the ground parallel to body and lift up into a side plank. Make sure shoulder is stable (don’t allow upper body to sink into arm). Body should form a straight line from head to heels.Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.Then switch sides.Copenhagen Side PlankTrevor RaabWhy it works: This progression recruits the obliques and adductors, or inner-thigh muscles. Dickinson says these muscles help keep your pelvis stable on runs and promote glute activation to bring more power into your stride.How to do it:Lie on left side near a bench or chair, left forearm on the floor with elbow directly under shoulder. Stack shoulders and hips.Place right foot on top of bench, legs straight.Drive left forearm into floor and lift hips up.Lift left leg up to bottom of bench, engaging inner thighs. Hold for 30 seconds.Then switch sides.Matt Rudisill is an Associate Service Editor who has been with Runner's World since 2025. A Nittany Lion through-and-through, Matt graduated from Penn State in 2022 with a degree in journalism and worked in communications for the university's athletic department for three years as the main contact and photographer for its nationally-ranked cross country and track & field teams. Matt was also heavily involved in communications efforts for Penn State football, men's basketball, and women's gymnastics. In his role with Runner's World, Matt has interviewed Olympians, world champions, and countless experts in the field to create service content that helps runners of all ages and experience levels train smarter and race faster. When he’s not out jogging, Matt can be found tweeting bad takes about the Phillies or watching movies.