You definitely should not be doing deadlifts if you are a beginner. Very unsafe and high potential for injury if you aren't doing them properly. If you're going to do them, ask someone to show you how to do them properly.
In terms of working your core muscles. Sit on the floor on your tailbone (so slightly leaning back) with your legs in the air, knees bent at 90 degrees. So you look like this: v- (where the v is your body and the dash is your legs below the knees). Then take a medicine ball and twist back and forth, bringing the ball side to side and lowering it on each side to just above the ground. Do 3X20. Increase the weight of the medicine ball if it gets to easy.
Another good core is to get a balance ball (pilates ball) and lay on your back with your legs and arms straight up in the air holding the ball balanced between all four. Then lower the opposite arm and leg (so left leg, right arm) to hover above the floor and return to holding the ball, then switch (right leg, left arm). Do 10 each side, 3 times.
To develop your obliques, get some fairly tight tubing and find a pole. Wrap the tubing around the pole and stand facing perpendicular to it. Grab the end of the tubing with both arms centered in front of your body and twist at the waist (not twisting the back). Do liek 15-20 each side. You can do these with straight arms or bent arms. Straight arms are harder becuase you tend to twist your back instead of at your waist and then you're not really doing anything.
Another medicine ball one needs a little more room. Sit with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent about 3 feet from the wall (you may need to adjust the distance depending on your upper body strength). Hold the medicine ball above your head and do a sit-up holding the medicine ball above your head the whole time, not letting it touch the ground. After you sit back up, throw the ball against the wall hard enough to let it bounce back to you so you can pick it up and do another sit up. (If you have good upper body strength you will want to sit father from the wall).
To work your lower abs lay flat on your back with your arms and legs straight up in the air. Do a slight head nod (to protect the neck - should be enough room for a grapefruit between your chin and chest) and raise your upper body to touch your toes. 20x3 would be good. If you aren't feeling it in your lower abs its because you are using your arms for momentum. Try to resist that and use your abs only - its a fairly slow exercise.
Finally, you can get an exercise ball and lay flat on your back and hold the ball between your feet with your legs straight up in the air. Lower your legs as low as you can without your lower back coming off the mat then raise your legs again. If you go too low (and your back arches off the mat) it can be very bad for your back.
I can come up with more if you would like.
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