It’s very common for people to talk about core strength in the same breath as having six-pack abs or a flat-board belly. And while these can definitely be the goals that motivate you to build core strength there are a large number of more tangible benefits that come from improving your core strength.
Your core – Where is it?
Your core is somewhere the navel area but it doesn’t just consist of your abdominals. In fact, it also includes your hip muscles, the lower and mid-back muscles and your pelvic muscles and all of these work in tandem to provide good and consistent support to your spinal cord and skull.
The benefits of building core strength
Your core helps support and stabilise your entire body which helps provide the proper centre of gravity when you are at rest or in motion. Your body automatically draws at your core strength when you perform any activity such as exercising, walking sitting etc. And because a number of these body movements have their origin in your core, making an effort to strengthen it also helps enhance your stability, spinal alignment, and posture. Take a look at how you benefit from core building exercises and strengthening your core:
#1 Improved posture
A core-strengthening workout exercises all the muscle groups in your body. When you maintain a better posture it helps keep vertebrae degeneration and disc herniation a bay. In fact, a better posture also helps open up your airway, making both exhalation and inhalation easier.
#2 Reduces back pain
Research indicates that individuals with weakened core musculature are more at risk of injury and backache as their spine doesn’t have adequate support. When you do yoga or Pilates-based core-strengthening exercises it improves spinal support and mobility and reduces discomfort in people suffering from chronic or acute back pain.
#3 Improvement in balance
Poor body balance isn’t a simple condition and the different contributing factors include vestibular dysfunction, neurological deficits, and lower body weakness. Studies have consistently shown that improvement in core strength improves dynamic balance.
#4 Safer day-to-day movements
When you have better core strength, it makes daily tasks such as walking up a flight of stairs, carrying groceries, maintaining balance on a slippery surface and hoisting children etc. far easier and you are less likely to become injured while performing these activities. Improving your core strength also helps reduce the stress and strain on other muscles in your body.
#5 Improved athletic performance
It’s almost impossible to find a sport that doesn’t need core strength to improve performance; here are a few examples of it:
- Core exercises can prevent athletes’ arms and legs from tiring quickly.
- Rowers draw strength from their core when they are paddling.
- Baseball pitchers use their arm muscles and core strength for their curveballs.
- Golfers are able to swing their clubs without losing balance while hitting their ball because of their core strength.
- Tennis players are able to optimise their racquet speed when they have stronger cores.
Regardless of the sport, core strength is crucial in improving performance. Yoga and Pilates, kick-boxing, cycling, swimming, isometric core exercises and dynamic core workouts are all excellent for working your core. It’s important to get direction and guidance from a professional physiotherapist about which core exercises you should perform.
We at Insync Physiotherapy have skilled and experienced physiotherapists on board and can provide excellent treatments and care. For any more information on the different types of services we provide, feel free to contact us on (02) 7226 3432. You can also send us your queries via this online form.
Thanks for reading,
Insync Physiotherapy Team
(02) 7226 3432