When the word core comes to mind, the first thought is a six-pack of abs. The truth is, the core is more than just a six-pack; it is the foundation of your body and anyone can have strength in their core regardless of their fitness level. When exercising, the core is often overlooked. Many believe that the core is not important, or have other goals such as building cardiovascular endurance or lifting weights to target a specific part of the body. However, the core is the most important part of every workout because of the many benefits that training can have.
Your core includes the muscles in your abdominal region, back and glutes (butt). By training this region, you can improve many aspects of your fitness.
Above are the muscles of the core, which are all important to train.
Training your core is the easiest way to improve your fitness, especially if you are a beginner when it comes to exercising, or are older and are limited to how you can exercise. Core exercises are also a basic way to improve posture and balance. With improved posture and balance, you can align your spine correctly and help to prevent back pain. If you train your core just 10-15 minutes per day for a month, you will be able to see results within a month in your strength and your ability to balance.
Proper core strength will also help you to perform other exercises. Without strength in your core, you could risk injury because of the improper form that you are using when performing each exercise. When you do not use your core, you can injure yourself when performing simple exercises like squats. This can have serious consequences on your back, and you will also not see the results that you want. Instead, it is important to make sure that you learn to perform your core exercises correctly so that you can get the full benefits from them.
Strength in your core will allow you to have more power with moves in the extremities. Moves like boxing, or kicking require the core muscles to gain more power. Simply relying on arm or leg strength will not help you become as powerful as you want. Training your core also allows you to focus on training your leg muscles, which are the largest muscles in your body. The quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip flexors are all major muscles in maintaining your core and are part of simple movements that you perform each day using your legs. Core training is also important for those who are growing. When growing, your body is often disproportioned, so it makes it hard to have strength in your arms or legs when your body is off balance. Instead, training the core can help to increase balance, especially when your body is off balance. This training can also help you to have more power in your extremities when you are using your arms or legs.
Strength in your legs will also help with your core strength. Above is a diagram of a squat, and the muscles of the legs that are involved. Notice how the back and glute muscles are involved, making this a core exercise.
Here are five basic core exercises that can be performed daily for increased core strength that can have lasting benefits:
1. Bird- Dogs
Start on all fours. Extend the opposite leg and arm while keeping a straight back. Return to all fours and switch sides. Repeat 30 times.
2. Glue Bridge
Start on your back with your knees bent. Slowly lift your back and glutes up until your back is completely straight Return to the ground. Repeat 30 times.
3. Cat-Cow
Start on all fours. Extend your back up and back until you feel a stretch. Then round your back. Return to neutral position and repeat 30 times.
4. Planks
If you are a beginner, perform the plank on your hands, and if your are more advanced, perform the plank on your forearms. Hold yourself up using your hands/ forearms and feet, keeping a straight line throughout your body. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.
5. Bicycle Crunches
Start on your back. Cup your ears with your hands to avoid injury to your head and neck. Slowly alternate crossing your opposite arm to your opposite leg. Do 20 crunches, and repeat 2 times.
Forgetting to train your core is a common fitness problem, but it is something that can be easily corrected. By training your core each day, you can increase your strength and fitness level, which can contribute to your improving your overall health.
