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To The Core

The way I see it with the workout that my stomach muscles get from me trying to suck them in, I shouldn’t have anything to suck in in the first place! Okay so vanity isn’t considered a workout to some but a pot belly has haunted me my whole life. I am convinced that the concave or convex curvature of your midsection is determined at birth and nothing can change that…for me anyway. Whether I was at my heaviest or leanest I still had that little pooch, albeit less noticeable at times, but nonetheless always there.

The muscles that make up our core arguably go from our neck to our pelvis and are the most important muscle group in our bodies as all other muscles rely on them. Any movement you make is dependant on the 29 to 50 muscles in your midsection whether you are an Olympic athlete or just picking up a bag of groceries. The muscles wrap around our spine and act as a stabilizer of sorts to promote movements with our arms and legs. Even those with six pack abs, while looking great, may not have core strength as there is more to it than just a flat stomach. It is important to work all of those muscles in order to utilize them when you need to.

Your body type can make a difference in the workout you need for core strength as well. Someone with wider hips will have different needs than someone who is more flexible in the spine. It’s important too to make sure you exercise and build all the muscle groups rather than just concentrating on the core group to ward off soreness and imbalance as well as upsetting your posture or worse yet, injuring your spine. Remember that these muscles wrap around your body and protect your backbone with all of the body’s nerve wiring going through that exchange.

If you want to start building your core strength (do as I say, not as I do) it is always good to run it past your doctor who may in turn refer you to a physical therapist. Even a great personal trainer is only as good as the information you are able to give him so offer him everything you can.

When starting an exercise program for your core muscles a good way to engage the proper muscles is to cough. This way you know which muscles you need to be working. Think of two dots in a vertical line on your midsection – one above your navel and one below. Try to pull those two dots together. A good place to start is by using exercises like the Bridge, the Plank or correctly done abdominal crunches. You can get fancier as you go along but be sure to pace yourself to make sure you don’t get hurt. One thing to keep in mind if you are over 55 is that as we age stenosis develops in our spines where the spaces between the vertebrae become smaller. When we do back strengthening exercises that involve pushing backward and forward it can be more harmful than good.

Poor form in core exercises may have long lasting effects on our lower backs that we don’t even see for years down the road. If improper form won’t yield the results we are looking for why do the exercises at all, right? So when it comes to getting an exercise program for your core muscles go big or go home. In other words, check with your doctor first and then get professional help through a physical therapist and/or a personal trainer for the best and safest results. With a little help maybe I’ll be able to tuck my shirt in someday without feeling self conscious…or at least you will be able to!

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