Strength Begins at the Core

Just as the trunk of a tree supports its branches, your core is the base and support for most of your movement. It includes your abdominal muscles, mid- and lower back, and hips/pelvis. Why is the core strength of such great importance? Let’s look at what a strong core can do for us.

1. Back pain: With back pain affecting 80% of adults at some point in their lives, we can consider strengthening the core. It’s one way to improve or even eliminate back pain. Strong abdominals and lower back muscles provide a solid support system for the spine. This support helps in keeping stress off the discs and the joints. Core exercises can treat back pain, but even better, incorporating these same exercises can prevent back pain. If we are diligent in keeping our core sections strong, we have an increased possibility of never experiencing debilitating or disruptive back pain.
2. Everyday tasks: Balance and stability are essential as we look to live out normal lives and be productive. A strong core enables us to perform basic moves we engage in daily, such as stooping over or turning to look behind us. It also supports more active movements like carrying groceries, cleaning the house, and doing yard work. By providing this stability, our core helps us stay fully functional and complete the tasks necessary for our daily lives.
3. Leisure activities and hobbies: We all have hobbies that we enjoy doing. When we are limited by back pain, it affects these activities. Whether it’s an athletic activity, cooking, woodworking, gardening, or the like, back issues can inhibit our ability to enjoy what we love. And when we don’t have that creative outlet, it affects our spirit as well. We need these channels to keep our stress levels down and our hearts happy.
4. Good posture: When we have a healthy core, we are able to have proper posture. With that proper posture, we carry ourselves in a confident way and are more self-assured. Maintaining good posture allows us to breathe deeply and properly, promoting optimal lung function. Additionally, it alleviates unwanted pressure on joints that were not designed to bear excessive stress.

Incorporating core exercises such as standard crunches, planks, and bicycle crunches will allow you to obtain these benefits. Don’t neglect the other vital parts of fitness such as cardiovascular activity, strengthening and stretching. All of these work in tandem to ensure a healthy and happy body. If you’re looking for exercises to strengthen the core, click here to order and enjoy the Visibly Fit Firm and Fabulous series. Great for core strength and the entire body.