5 Standing Exercises That Rebuild Core Strength Faster Than Planks After 65

By Alexa Mellardo

August 5, 2026

By simply standing—without doing anything else—you can burn even more calories than sitting. In fact, according to Harvard Health Publishing, while standing, you’ll torch around 88 calories per hour. So if you choose to do standing exercises, you’re already moving in a positive direction.

Standing exercises are also an excellent method to build core strength. These movements work your back, hips, and abdominal muscles collectively—engaging more muscles simultaneously than other movements.

We spoke with Jacob Siwicki, founder and head coach of Siwicki Fitness, NCSF and AFAA certified, former top 1% globally ranked Equinox group fitness instructor (2019), Dartmouth economics graduate and former Dartmouth football player, fitness expert on FOX 5 DC, ranked #1 personal trainer in D.C. in 2021, who shares five standing exercises that can help rebuild core strength faster than planks after 65.

“These [exercises] work because your core’s real job is to stop you from tipping, twisting, or collapsing while the rest of your body moves,” Siwicki tells us. “Planks are good, but you’re holding one position and nothing else is moving. Standing exercises make the abs, back, glutes, and hips keep adjusting as your arms and legs move and your balance shifts. That’s a lot closer to real life. Carrying a bag, reaching into a cabinet, climbing stairs, or catching yourself when you stumble doesn’t happen in a perfect plank position.”

Suitcase Carry

1. Begin standing tall, holding one dumbbell at your side.
2. Walk straight for 30 seconds without allowing your loaded shoulder to dip down.
3. Repeat on the other side.

RELATED: This 8-Minute Standing Routine Builds More Core Strength Than 30 Minutes of Crunches After 506254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Standing Cross-Body Knee Drives

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and hands behind your head.
2. Activate your core as you drive your left knee toward your right elbow.
3. Return to the start.
4. Repeat on the other side.

Single-Arm Overhead March

1. Begin by standing tall, holding a light dumbbell in one hand overhead.
2. Lift one knee up to hip level, and hold.
3. Maintain a neutral spine and tight abs.
4. Lower.
5. Lift the other knee up to hip height, and hold.
6. Continue to alternate legs, marching in place.
7. Repeat on the other side.

Dumbbell Woodchops

1. Hold a dumbbell with both hands and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lift the dumbbell toward your right side, keeping your arms straight.
3. Twist your torso, and carefully rotate your legs to bring the dumbbell down to your left.
4. Bend at the knees while dropping your hips to bring the dumbbell toward the ground.
5. Repeat by lifting the dumbbell back to the right and overhead.

Single-Leg Balance Reaches

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart.
2. Shift your body weight onto one leg.
3. Lift the opposite foot slightly off the ground, balancing on your standing leg.
4. Keeping a tall torso, reach your lifted leg forward, lightly tapping the ground.
5. Return to the center, then reach the same leg out to the side, followed by behind you.
6. Continue to reach in different directions while keeping balance on the standing leg.
7. Repeat on the other side.