Training your core and the muscles that support it should be one of the basic fundamentals of any exercise programme. That’s if you can identify it. Here’s some help.

Finding your core

Plainly speaking, your core is just what it says it is, namely the centre of your body, the link between the upper and lower extremities. The core is, however, supported by muscles that provide the force that makes it possible to either stabilise or move body segments.

Identifying your core muscles

Your major core muscles are found in the area of your belly, mid and lower back and pelvic/hip area. Think of them as an imaginary corset that stabilises your whole body. In Pilates they are called the “powerhouse”, the centre of all strength and energy.

Muscles included in the powerhouse consist of the following.

    • Abdominal muscles, frequently referred to as your “abs”, that consist of four groups of muscles including those referred to as your “six pack”.
    • Lower back muscles also include a variety of muscles that connect along your spine and work together to extend it. The serratus posterior back muscle connects to and pulls the lower ribs back and down, helping to expel air from your lungs, and the latissimus dorsi stretches from the back of the pelvis up to the underarm and helps to flex the lower back and rotate the shoulder joint.
    • Lumbo-pelvic hip muscles sport a 29 strong group of muscles attached to your core that include your pelvic floor and tailbone muscles; hip flexor muscles vital for initiating movement and your bum muscles.

Having a general idea of where these muscles are located will help when you start exercising and strengthening them. If you don’t feel anything you are most probably not using anything!

Six reasons why you should strengthen your core muscles

  1. Strong core muscles make it possible and easier to do many physical movements and activities without hurting yourself, especially in sports.
  2. Strong core muscles promote good posture.
  3. Strong core muscles assist the body during pregnancy, labour and birth, making it easier to push the baby through the birth canal.
  4. Strong core muscles provide internal pressure to assist the body in expelling unwanted substances such as faeces or vomit and also air or carbon dioxide out of the lungs.
  5. Strong core muscles help with continence; the ability to withhold bowel and bladder movement.
  6. Strong core muscles help the body maintain balance and resist gravity when for example walking on a slippery slope.

Many exercise routines include exercises to strengthen core muscles. However, if you are convinced and serious about this matter, consider joining a Pilates class!

 

Sources
Bowden, B. 2011. What are the core muscles of the body? Retrieved from: http://www.livestrong.com/article/98988-core-muscles-body/
Core anatomy. Wikipedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_(anatomy)
Core muscles in Pilates. Retrieved from: http://pilates.issport.com/pilates-guides/core-muscles-in-pilates
Exercises to improve your core strength. 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/core-strength/SM00047