Core Strength Training For A Stronger Back And Slimmer Waist
Friday, November 7th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
When you think of core strength training, you most likely think of traditional crunches and sit ups that work only your abdominals. But the core is much more than that, it consists of all the muscles that stabilize the pelvis. The core is the center of gravity and where all our movements begin and end. The muscles that make up the core are responsible for controlling all your movements in all directions. Core strength training can relieve low back pain, prevent injury, and improve your overall muscular balance.
The core consists of stabilization and movement muscles, which together initiate and maintain proper muscular balance while you move. We use our core muscles during all movements, including common daily movements and physical activity. Whether you are climbing stairs, picking up objects, running, walking, or weight training, developing core strength is crucial to your physical well being.
If your stabilizer muscles are week, secondary muscles take over the job of a primary muscle which leads to muscular imbalance, pain and eventually injury. To develop a truly strong core you should target both your movement and stabilization muscles in your core strength training routine.
Stabilization includes the transversus abdominis, internal obliques, Lumbar multifidus, pelvic floor, diaphragm, transversospinalis. The movement system includes the latissimus dorsi, erector spinae, iliopsoas, hamstrings, hip adductors, hip abductors, rectus abdominis and external obliques. That’s much more than the abdominals that traditional crunches and sit ups target.
Most core strength training programs leave out the stabilization muscles which is why many people experience low back pain among other types of pain. You can greatly improve your overall fitness, relieve low back pain and prevent injury by performing core exercises that target the stabilization muscles.
Crunches and sit ups are examples of core strength exercises that target the movement muscles. Performing these types of exercises with week stabilizing muscles can lead to pain and eventually injury because they place too much stress on the discs of the spine. But perform them with strong stabilizers and you will not only take inches of you waist but protect your spine.
Having strong abs doesn’t mean you have a strong core. Even some who have six packs may experience low back pain and injury due to week stabilizers. Very few people actually have strong cores. A strong core requires a program that strengthens both the stabilization and movement systems.
Example stabilization exercises include marching, plank, bridge and cobra. Example movement exercises include sit ups, crunches, leg raises, and back extensions. There are many variations to these exercises. Include at least one stabilization and one movement type exercise in your core strength training program for optimum results.
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