I'll start transverse planks! now you guys add on to it!

You should probably get McGill's book:

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/core-myths/

..its much cheaper from his website than via Amazon. For now I'll add McGill's version of a crunch:

https://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/news/crunch.htm

What back issues?

I can suggest exercises, but I don't want you making your problem worse.

I think straight leg deadlifts are a big help. They have to be done perfectly, or
you can hurt yourself. But once you have the technique, they are one of the best exercises.





You can google the usual core exercises in seconds.
I do some of them.

But I find the butt/low back exercises seem to help me the most.

One 'core' exercise I like is plain old rowing on a Concept 2 rower.
Very good for the upper back.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Performa...98/OaT-h29i7FA

https://www.youtube.com/user/PerformanceU?blend=2&ob=1

https://www.youtube.com/user/Performa...02/E_coZsl0OLE

You didn't say but don't confuse ab exercises with core and back problems. Both your abs and your back are your core, many think only abs are. Then you have your side muscles, latissimus dorsi.

And if you are carrying belly fat, that needs to be gotten rid of because it causes back problems.

Some twisting stretching exercises lying on the floor are a help.

My favorite back exercise is lie face down on a picnic table or a bench with your waist at the edge of the table and feet on the table and your upper body hanging over. Lower yourself and bring yourself back level to the tube. This is a great back stretching exercise.

+1 for rowing, it's great for the lower back which is where i beleive many people have problems related to deconditioning.

not to mention the benefits to your cycling that come from 1) combining an aerobic exercise with core conditiong and 2) that it does great things for your flexibility and position on the bike. just look at the position of a rower at the top part of the catch, rotate it, and you have the aerodynamic tuck of a good cyclist.

I've incorporated P90X into my training routine. Core strength and health have increased and maintained. The bonus is a six pack. Yeah, baby!

You're right on! People forget the back when doing core workouts and they wonder why their back hurts! You should be doing at least 50% back exercises and even more to make up for all the years beforehand where you forgot about the back. Not to mention that the back muscles are strained much more in cycling than the stomach. When you pull on the bars, the back muscles have to balance the force of your legs, that's a lot of force.

I like the roman-chair back-lift. Typically in the 8-weeks I'm in the gym over the winter, I'll start out that way and get up to 25-reps with holding a 25-lb weight behind my neck.

squats and deadlift.

Bench press, bicep curl, wiener curl.

stand back against the wall. raise one leg 90 degrees if you can, while keeping your back straight against the wall.

Between those two, IMO squats are a much better exercise for all-around fitness.

Just keep it light, especially when starting. Don't go too deep - "too deep" defined as your butt hitting your ankles or your hamstrings pushing against your calves, deeply below parallel is fine as long as you don't "bounce" off the bottom.

Do NOT put a bench under your butt.

And DON'T use a puddin' pad on the bar. Sheesh.

Squats are also my favorite back exercise. I don't use any more weight than I can do 30 reps with, though. No sense in crushing those discs while trying to make the back muscles stronger. Youngers might disagree with me, but they'll change by the time they're my age (65). Thin discs are no fun. We aren't built to carry rhinos home on our shoulders.

You forgot overhead presses and to keep things in balance, bench presses.