“Think of your core as a tube of Pringles – it wraps all the way around and there’s a top and bottom to it,” says Hollie.

The abdominal rectus

These muscles are what you think about when you think of your abs – running down the front of the stomach. “These are the most superficial muscles as they are closest to the front, meaning they can be visible if you have low enough body fat,” says Hollie. “The purpose of these muscles is to contract and flex the spine by pulling the ribcage closer to the pelvis.”

The obliques

These are divided into external and internal obliques, “which work at diagonals, with the external obliques running from the outer edge of the rib to your pubic bone, where your hands would be if you were putting them in your pocket. The internal obliques run diagonally opposite,” says Hollie. The obliques are involved in rotation of the spine, turning from side to side, and lateral flexion (bending side to side).

Core workouts: what are your ‘core’ muscles and how do you work them?