What are Core Exercises Good for?

When it comes to strengthening your body, it is important to work your entire core rather than just your abdominal muscles.

A lot of people make the common mistake of focusing their energy on strengthening their abdominal muscles rather than their entire core because they want their abs to look great.

In the end, this strategy often fails because abdominals that are not properly supported by strong back muscles and other core muscles simply cannot get strong enough for that six-pack abs look.

Before we discuss why it is important to strengthen the core, let’s look at what the CORE is. Your CORE is essentially all the muscles in the trunk of your body.

What is CORE and what includes

In simplest terms, your core includes almost everything outside of your arms and legs. When standing, the centre of gravity is located in the core and all movements are initiated in it. The muscles that fall within the core have a variety of practical functions, such as:

• individual’s ability to stand upright and walk
• control of movements (ability to move in desired direction)
• energy transmission (impact on the power output)
• moving your body weight
• distribution of the pressure generated when absorbing landings, rebounds, etc.
• protection of the spine and internal organs
• enhancing LPHC muscles integrity
• enhancing dynamic control of movements and postures
• improving of core stability
• achieving higher degree of neuromuscular and biomechanical effectiveness (improves transmission of power between lower and upper extremities)
• rebuilding muscle core structure
• power stabilization

A very frequent mistake made by both trainers and athletes is strengthening abdominal muscles while neglecting other areas of the core.

Not only can one-sided preference for abdominal muscles (lack of exercise focused on other core muscles) result in creating muscle imbalances, but the effectiveness of exercise is also far from what could be achieved with a balanced workout planning.

Core training frequently utilizes balance exercises. These are characterized by unstable position that requires involvement of a wide range of muscles which help balance oscillation of the centre of gravity.

We can balance both in static positions and while performing dynamic movements.

What are Core exercises good for?

Reasons Why It’s Important To Work Your Entire Core:

CORE training strengthens and stabilizes trunk, pelvis and the area of spine. The “Core” refers to the region of your trunk including your internal organs.

Technically, it is defined as the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (LPHC), thoracic spine and cervical spine. The LPHC has approximately 30 muscles (the number of muscles varies).

1. Helps To Prevent Injuries

One of the main reasons it is so important to focus on your entire core area is because it can help you prevent future injuries. Building a strong core involves more than doing simple abdominal exercises such as sit ups or crunches.

It is about building core stability and strength. Once you have achieved a strong core, building up your abdominal muscles is easier. Without the rest of your core being strong, your muscles are going to be severely imbalanced.

This will likely result in injuries because your body is going to be compensating in one way or another which can result in poor form and function.

2. Get Rid Of Back Pain

Another reason to focus on building a solid core rather than just your abdominal area is because it will help you to most effectively rid yourself of back pain. Back pain is typically a side effect of having a weak core.

Building a good amount of core strength can help to balance out the muscles in both the front and back of your body which can help you to more comfortably hold yourself upright and enjoy better posture.

3. Protect Your Inner Organs

Your core surrounds some of the most vital organs in your body. It also happens to be where some of the most important arteries and veins are located. By keeping a relatively strong core, you will have muscles in place to protect yourself during day to day activities.

For instance, your spinal cord is something that your core protects. If your spinal cord is not adequately protected, it is going to significantly impact your movements which can eventually lead to pain, and in turn, lead to a decrease in quality of life.

4. Improves Your Ability To Do Day To Day Activities

The strength of your core impacts many day to day activities that we all must perform but often take for granted.

These include picking up something off of the floor, reaching to grab an item out of the cabinet, climbing stairs or even stepping into the tub or transferring out of a chair or bed.

Without having a solid core, these activities become difficult or possibly even impossible, increasing the need for assistance and reducing options for continuing to enjoy the comforts of home as you age.

There are many reasons to work out the entirety of your core rather than just your abdominal muscles. It is important to gain some kind of balance in your core area if you want to maintain proper posture and well being.

Not only will it help you reduce the amount of back pain you experience, but it will also ensure that you stay as healthy as possible, protecting your essential organs and spine in the process.

What are the best Core workouts?

The goal of core training is definitely not to develop muscle hypertrophy but to improve functional predispositions of physical activity. This particularly involves improving intra- and intermuscular coordination or synchronization of participating muscles.

One of the best fitness gear to develop a rock-solid CORE is TRX Suspension Training.

TRX includes numerous fitness techniques and stretches that focus on the muscles of the core. A strong core is the basis for all effective and efficient movements.

Involvement of the core means more than just compressing abdominal muscles when in crouching or seated position. The role of the core muscles is to stabilize the spine. Resisting expansion or rotation is as important as the ability to execute movement.

What is TRX?

TRX VIDEO: Ultimate TRX Total CORE Destruction

Routine Sets & Reps

1. (3:00)- Suspended Crunch (Knees To Chest)
2. (3:36)- Suspended Crunch 2 (Pike)
3. (4:17)- Pendulum
4. (5:21)- Pendulum 2 (Knees To Elbows)
5. (6:17)- Standing Body Crunch
6. (7:24)- Standing Oblique Twist
7. (8:38)- Suspended Oblique Crunch
8. (10:18)- Suspended Alternating Crunch
9. (11:25)- Suspended Plank

The core functions as a stabilizer, power activator or as the main driving force during each exercise on TRX.

The ability to choose exercises that are best suited for each specific objective will teach you how to maximize the full available potential of the core functions from the sternum to the knees.

About the Author
Dan Carver is the creator of WorkoutsSupplementReviews.com, a site devoted to providing up to date, unbiased reviews of everything you need to enhance your workout routines and reach your fitness goals fast.