Core

Today we are going to talk about strengthening our core. When most people hear the word core, they automatically think about the abdominals. Core muscles involve so much more than that. Core muscles are some of the major muscles that stabilizes and controls the pressure inside the trunk; these are the pelvic floor, abdominal wall, back, and diaphragm muscles.2 Here are a few reasons why it is important to strengthen core muscles:

• Strong core muscles improve sports performance3

Core muscles are what help you to generate power. Any dynamic movement that comes from the upper or lower body originates from thecore. You can have good upper body and lower body strength, but with a weak core you will still not be as powerful. A strong core also helps you to change directions quickly, which is important with sports.

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  A strong core reduces the risk of injury3

Back pains and strains are common due to improper bending, lifting and sitting in a chair for too long. Strengthening the core is one of the best ways to prevent lower back pain. It also improves balance and gives the body greater stability in the midsection, which lowers the risk of injury when changing positions quickly.

• Better posture3

Problems with posture are often due to muscle imbalances, weak back muscles, relative to abdominal muscles. Strengthening the core helps correct this imbalance and improve posture.

• It improves your ability to do everyday activities3

Everyday activities such as: bending over to pick something up, moving furniture, climbing the stairs, etc. all involves core muscles. Even outside of sports, a strong core is vital for everyday activities.

• A strong core is the key to flat abs3

To obtain those abdominal muscles, balance is key. By focusing on just abdominals and excluding other core muscles will make it difficult to get that abdominal definition. To avoid this, balance exercises. Make sure workouts work your abdominal muscles along with exercises that strengthen back, hips and pelvis muscles.

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In my previous blogs, I gave you workouts that worked two muscle groups at a time. In the first two, I mentioned how important it was to get that rest in between exercises. This rest time for the muscle groups that are working that day is a perfect way to incorporate core exercises.

Here are a few core exercises to keep in mind for the workouts1:

• Crunches/ Side crunches
• Plank/Side plank
• Superman
• V-ups
• Russian twists
• Flutter kicks
• Bicycle crunch

References

1Core Exercises: The 21 Best Bodyweight Moves | Greatist. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from http://greatist.com/move/best-bodyweight-exercises-abs

2Core muscle | definition of core muscle by Medical dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/core muscle

3Five Reasons Why It's Important to Strengthen Your Core. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from http://cathe.com/five-reasons-why-its-important-to-strengthen-your-core