RIRLift app icon RIRLift

Exercises

Exercises for stability: core, carries, one-leg balance and shoulders

Published October 29, 2026

Stability is holding your body steady while something tries to move it. The best exercises for stability are the plank, side plank, dead bug, Pallof press and plank shoulder tap for the core; suitcase and overhead carries for walking under load; single-leg RDLs, step-ups and balance board squats for one-leg balance; and Turkish get-ups and bottoms-up presses for steady shoulders. Do two or three of them two or three times a week, and progress by adding load, time or less support every few weeks.

  1. Plank Abs
  2. Side Plank Abs
  3. Dead Bug Abs
  4. Pallof Press Abs
  5. Dumbbell Suitcase Carry Abs, Quads
  6. Single-Leg RDL Hamstrings, Glutes
  7. Step-Up Quads, Glutes
  8. Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up Shoulders, Abs

Core stability

A stable core resists movement more than it creates it. These hold the spine still against gravity, against a reaching arm and leg, or against a cable pulling you sideways.

Core, front hold

Plank

Abs

The plank teaches the abs and glutes to hold a straight line from head to heels without the hips sagging. It is the first stability exercise to learn, and lifting one arm makes it much harder.

How to do it

  1. Set your forearms under your shoulders and your feet behind you, body in a straight line.
  2. Squeeze your glutes and pull your ribs down toward your hips.
  3. Hold, breathing normally, without letting your hips sag or rise.
  4. For the harder version, reach one arm forward and lift the opposite foot, hold, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Ribs down
  • Glutes tight
  • Straight line

Common mistakes

  • Hips sagging toward the floor: that hangs on your lower back.
  • Holding for minutes at an easy level: make it harder instead.

Swap for: Long Lever Plank, Plank Shoulder Tap

Build a session with Plank
Log it in RIRLift

Core, side hold

Side Plank

Abs

Holding your hips up on one side trains the obliques and the side of the hip to keep you from bending sideways, the same muscles that keep you upright when you stand on one leg.

How to do it

  1. Lie on one side with your elbow under your shoulder and your legs stacked.
  2. Lift your hips until your body is straight from head to feet.
  3. Hold, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Hips high
  • Stacked feet
  • Elbow under shoulder

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop toward the floor as the hold goes on.
  • Rolling the chest forward or back.

Swap for: Dumbbell Side Plank, Copenhagen Plank

Build a session with Side Plank
Log it in RIRLift

Core, moving limbs

Dead Bug

Abs

Your lower back stays pressed to the floor while one arm and the opposite leg reach away, so the core learns to stay still while the limbs move. Lying on your back makes it the easiest of these for a beginner to start with.

How to do it

  1. Lie face up, arms pointing up and knees bent at right angles over your hips.
  2. Press your lower back into the floor.
  3. Reach one arm overhead and the opposite leg out long, both hovering above the floor.
  4. Bring them back and repeat with the other pair.

Cues

  • Back glued down
  • Breathe out as you reach
  • Opposite arm and leg

Common mistakes

  • Letting the back arch when the leg goes long: reach less far.
  • Going fast: each rep should take about three seconds.

Swap for: Plank, Alternating Leg Raise

Build a session with Dead Bug
Log it in RIRLift

Core, anti-rotation

Pallof Press

Abs

A cable pulls you sideways while you press it out in front and hold. The trunk has to resist twisting, which is how stability is tested when you are bumped, carry something on one side or swing a club.

How to do it

  1. Set a cable at chest height, stand side-on to it and grip the handle two-handed at your chest.
  2. Step away until the cable pulls, feet hip-width.
  3. Press the handle straight out, hold for two seconds without turning, then bring it back.

Cues

  • Hands on the midline
  • Don't turn
  • Hold it out

Common mistakes

  • Standing too close, so the cable barely pulls.
  • Letting the arms drift toward the stack.

Swap for: Cable Woodchop, Landmine Twist

Build a session with Pallof Press
Log it in RIRLift

Core and shoulders, alternating support

Plank Shoulder Tap

Abs

Lifting one hand at a time from a plank turns a four-point hold into a three-point one, and the hips have to stay still while you shift your weight. Widen the feet to make it easier.

How to do it

  1. Hold a straight-arm plank with feet a little wider than hips.
  2. Lift one hand and tap the opposite shoulder.
  3. Replace it and tap with the other hand, keeping your hips from rocking.

Cues

  • Hips stay still
  • Feet wide for balance
  • Slow taps

Common mistakes

  • Rocking side to side: widen the feet and slow down.

Swap for: Plank, Push-Up Plus, Bear Crawl

Build a session with Plank Shoulder Tap
Log it in RIRLift

Loaded carries

Carrying a weight on one side or overhead makes the trunk and hips hold you level while you walk. They train stability in the position you actually use it: upright and moving.

Trunk and hips, one-sided carry

Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

Abs, Quads

A heavy dumbbell in one hand tries to pull you sideways with every step, and the trunk and hip on the other side work to keep you level. It trains stability exactly as you use it: carrying a bag.

How to do it

  1. Pick up one heavy dumbbell and stand tall with it at your side.
  2. Walk with short, steady steps without leaning toward or away from it.
  3. Set it down, switch hands and walk back.

Cues

  • Shoulders level
  • Tall walk
  • Grip hard

Common mistakes

  • Leaning away from the weight to balance it.
  • Picking a dumbbell so light that nothing has to work.

Swap for: Farmer's Walk, Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

Build a session with Dumbbell Suitcase Carry
Log it in RIRLift

Shoulder and trunk, overhead carry

Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

Shoulders, Abs

Walking with a dumbbell locked overhead makes the shoulder hold a stacked arm while the trunk keeps the ribs down. Start light; the weight you can carry overhead is far less than at your side.

How to do it

  1. Press one dumbbell overhead and lock your elbow with the biceps near your ear.
  2. Walk forward slowly, keeping the weight stacked over your shoulder.
  3. Lower it to your shoulder, switch hands and walk back.

Cues

  • Arm locked
  • Ribs down
  • Weight over the shoulder

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to hold the weight up.
  • Letting the dumbbell drift in front of your head.

Swap for: Plate Overhead Carry, Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

Build a session with Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry
Log it in RIRLift

One-leg balance and control

Walking, stairs and sport all happen on one leg at a time. These build the strength to stay balanced over one foot, from a step-up anyone can do to a squat on a tipping board.

One-leg balance, hinge

Single-Leg RDL

Hamstrings, Glutes

Hinging forward on one leg forces the ankle, knee and hip of the standing leg to keep you balanced while the body tips. Hold a wall or chair at first, then let go.

How to do it

  1. Stand on your left leg with a dumbbell in your left hand and the standing knee softly bent.
  2. Hinge forward at the left hip while your right leg extends straight behind you, keeping your hips level.
  3. Lower until your torso and back leg are close to parallel to the floor or the standing hamstring stops you.
  4. Drive the left hip forward to come back up, then finish the set before switching sides.

Cues

  • Back leg and torso move as one
  • Hips level, back toes down
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Opening the hip so the back leg rotates out: point the back toes at the floor the whole time.
  • Touching the free foot down between reps to rebalance: slow down and hold a wall with your free hand if needed.

Swap for: Dumbbell B-Stance RDL, Step-Up, Kettlebell Deadlift

Build a session with Single-Leg RDL
Log it in RIRLift

One-leg strength, step

Step-Up

Quads, Glutes

Stepping up onto a bench copies stairs and curbs, and the top leg has to lift and balance you on its own. Use a lower step and no weight to start, then build both.

How to do it

  1. Stand facing the bench with two dumbbells.
  2. Place one whole foot on the bench.
  3. Lean forward a little and push through the top foot to stand up on the bench.
  4. Bring the other foot up only to touch, then lower it back to the floor.
  5. Finish all reps on one leg before switching.

Cues

  • Whole foot on the bench
  • Push through the top heel
  • Lower slowly, do not drop

Common mistakes

  • Pushing off the floor with the back foot: that halves the work. Keep the trailing foot light.
  • Using a bench so high that your knee is far above your hip: you will rock instead of step.

Swap for: Barbell Step-Up

Build a session with Step-Up
Log it in RIRLift

Balance under load shift

Balance Board Lateral Squat

Quads, Glutes

Squatting side to side on a board that tips makes the legs and trunk control a surface that moves under you. It is an advanced balance exercise for people who find the other one-leg work easy.

How to do it

  1. Step onto a balance board, feet wide and near the ends of the board.
  2. Bend your knees and hips into a shallow squat and keep your trunk braced.
  3. Shift your weight toward one side, sinking deeper into that hip while the board tips under control.
  4. Push back to the middle, level the board, and sink toward the other side.

Cues

  • Control the tilt
  • Knees over the toes
  • Smooth and slow

Common mistakes

  • Letting the board slap the floor on each side: move only as far as you can stop it.
  • Standing too upright to keep balance: stay in the squat so the hips do the work.

Swap for: Cossack Squat, Dumbbell Lateral Lunge, Copenhagen Plank

Build a session with Balance Board Lateral Squat
Log it in RIRLift

Shoulder stability

A stable shoulder holds a weight overhead without wobbling. Both of these use a kettlebell held in a way that punishes any drift, so the small shoulder muscles work hard with light loads.

Shoulder and whole-body control

Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up

Shoulders, Abs

Getting up from the floor to standing with a kettlebell held overhead trains the shoulder to stay locked while the body passes through every position from lying to kneeling to standing.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your back with a kettlebell pressed up in one hand, the same-side knee bent.
  2. Roll onto the opposite elbow, then the hand, keeping the bell locked out above you.
  3. Lift your hips, sweep the straight leg back to a kneel, and stand up.
  4. Reverse each step back down to the floor.

Cues

  • Eyes on the bell
  • Arm locked
  • One step at a time

Common mistakes

  • Rushing the steps and losing the vertical arm.
  • Using a heavy bell before the sequence is smooth.

Swap for: Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry, Kettlebell Windmill

Build a session with Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up
Log it in RIRLift

Shoulder and grip stability

Kettlebell Bottoms-Up Press

Shoulders

Pressing a kettlebell upside down means any wobble tips it over, so the grip and the small shoulder muscles have to keep it perfectly steady. A light bell is plenty.

How to do it

  1. Hold a light kettlebell upside down by the handle at your shoulder, bell pointing up.
  2. Squeeze the handle hard and brace your trunk.
  3. Press the bell straight overhead, keeping it balanced above your fist.
  4. Bring it back to your shoulder slowly and repeat. Switch hands after the set.

Cues

  • Crush the handle
  • Wrist stacked under the bell
  • Slow and balanced

Common mistakes

  • Gripping loosely so the bell tips over: squeeze harder before the press begins.
  • Pressing too fast: a quick rep loses the balance. Move steadily.

Swap for: Kettlebell Overhead Press, Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Farmer's Walk

Build a session with Kettlebell Bottoms-Up Press
Log it in RIRLift

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Lifters adding stability work

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets30 a week
  • Per workout~40 min
  • EquipmentAdjustable Cable, Dumbbells, Kettlebells

You already lift in a gym, and your balance on one-leg exercises, your trunk on heavy lifts or your shoulder overhead feels like the weak link.

One short block of 15 sets, about 25 minutes, covers anti-rotation, a one-sided carry, one-leg balance, a shoulder stability exercise and a side hold. Twice a week adds stability without taking recovery from your main lifts.

Stability block
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Pallof PressPer side. Two-second hold at full reach. 3 × 8–12 2 1 min
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySeconds per side. 3 × 30–45 2 1 min
Single-Leg RDLPer leg. 3 × 8–10 2 75 s
Kettlebell Turkish Get-UpPer side. Slow. 3 × 1–2 3 75 s
Side PlankSeconds per side. 3 × 20–45 2 45 s
How to run it
Add it at the end of two of your regular sessions, or do it on its own on lighter days. Keep a day between the two sessions.
How to progress
Add weight to the carry and RDL when every set feels steady at the top of the range. For the get-up, slow down before going heavier. Add 5 seconds to the side plank each week up to 45 seconds, then raise the top leg.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Beginner at home, no equipment

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets39 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Flat Bench

You are new to exercise or coming back to it, you train at home, and you want a stronger core and steadier legs.

Five bodyweight exercises, 13 sets and about 20 minutes cover the core from three directions and both legs on their own. Three short sessions a week let you practice the positions often.

Home stability
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dead BugPer side. 3 × 6–10 3 45 s
PlankSeconds per hold. 3 × 20–45 2 45 s
Step-UpPer leg. Body weight on a stair. 3 × 8–12 3 1 min
Single-Leg RDLPer leg. Fingertips on a wall. 2 × 6–10 3 1 min
Side PlankSeconds per side. Knees down to start. 2 × 15–30 2 45 s
How to run it
Train on three days with a rest day after each, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Use a stair at home for the step-ups and a wall nearby for the single-leg RDL.
How to progress
Every two weeks, make one exercise a little harder: longer holds, more reps, a higher step, or less support on the RDL. Once the plank reaches 60 seconds, switch to shoulder taps instead of holding longer.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Over 60 and want to feel steadier

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets24 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Flat Bench

You are 60 or older, you want to feel steady on stairs, uneven ground and when carrying shopping, and you can get down to and up from the floor.

Every exercise here is something daily life asks of you: stepping up, carrying on one side, balancing on one leg, and keeping the trunk steady. Twelve sets, about 25 minutes, done twice a week, builds the strength behind each one.

Steady and strong
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Step-UpPer leg. Low step, hand on a rail. 3 × 6–10 3 75 s
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySeconds per side. 3 × 20–40 3 75 s
Single-Leg RDLPer leg. Hold a counter. 3 × 5–8 3 1 min
Dead BugPer side. 3 × 5–8 3 45 s
How to run it
Two sessions a week with a rest day between them. Do the step-ups and single-leg RDL next to a counter or rail you can hold, and use a light dumbbell or a full shopping bag for the carry.
How to progress
Add one rep per set each week until you reach the top of the range. Then raise the step an inch, carry a little more weight, or use one fingertip instead of a full hand for balance.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What are the big 3 core stability exercises?

The big 3 usually means the curl-up, the side plank and the bird dog. On this page the side plank, dead bug and Pallof press fill the same three roles: resisting bending sideways, holding the spine still while the limbs move, and resisting twisting.

What are good stability exercises for seniors?

Step-ups to a low step, single-leg RDLs holding a counter, suitcase carries with a light weight and dead bugs. They train the strength for stairs, standing on one leg and carrying, and each can be made easier or harder with support.

How can I be more stable while walking?

Train the leg and hip strength you use in every step: step-ups and single-leg RDLs for one-leg balance, and suitcase carries for walking level under load. Walk often, including on grass, gravel and slopes.

What is the difference between balance and stability exercises?

Balance exercises train you to keep your center over your feet, often on one leg. Stability exercises train you to resist movement, such as a twist, a push or a weight pulling you sideways. Most good programs mix both.

How often should you do stability exercises?

Two or three times a week. The sessions are short, so they can go at the end of a workout or stand on their own. Progress every few weeks by adding time, load or less support.