Most of us train our core either with the aim of flat belly or toned abs. But do you the actual purpose of core training???
The main idea of core training are:
1. Stabilizing the lower back
There is a correlation between decreased core back muscle quality and aging which creates the need for intervention in older adults with back pain, particularly for people who are overweight. Women have smaller core back muscles than men and because of this there is a potential link between hormonal changes after menopause and core muscle quality.
Training core can help strengthen your core back muscles, improve balance, and restore physical performance.
2. Enhancing flexibility
The specific exercises involved movements to target the transverse abdominis, multifidus, diaphragm, and pelvic floor muscles for increased stability of the spine. This enhances the flexibility of the body.
Core exercises to improve movement control and posture reaction. Learning to engage your core muscles can help you stay upright before a fall or sports injury.
3. Helping with balance
For many people, an occasional stumble or trip can be surprising but generally poses little to no danger to a person’s daily life.
Other people taking certain medications or managing health conditions such as arthritis are more prone to coordination and balance problems on a regular basis. Another risk factor for poor balance is aging.
A consistent evidence to support the hypothesis of improved balance, independence, and quality of life in older adults who has strong core. If you’re having a hard time getting started because of a medical condition, working with a certified therapist, personal trainer, or exercise partner is a good strategy to keep you motivated and accountable.
4. Supporting better posture
Many people unconsciously have poor posture from looking down at their phones or computers. This can lead to neck, shoulder, back, and other musculoskeletal disorders.
Beyond improving stress levels and flexibility, yoga is one of the best types of exercise to stabilize core muscles. Standing, sitting, and reaching yoga poses can activate certain core muscles. Over time, this may improve posture.
5. Supporting better exercise form
In the same way that core exercises improve standing and sitting posture, core strength training has the potential to help your workout form.
Training core strengthens your body from head to toe, but it can also make your core pop.
6. Increasing stability
Both athletes and nonathletes should think about stability in terms of being able to complete tasks easily and independently.
Stability isn’t just about staying on two feet and preventing falls. Balance exercises that engage the core muscles can help you climb stairs, hold heavy objects, and stay coordinated as you age.
7. Making everyday movement easier
There is no correlation between core training and functional movement. But engaging your core through intentional breath control and better posture can certainly offer benefits for everyday movements such as bending, lifting, and turning.
When you learn to identify core muscles and how they work, this self-awareness helps to remind you to ground your movements from your core as you go about your day-to-day.
8. Supporting strength training exercises
Children, teens, middle-aged adults, and older adults can all benefit from daily weight training.
Since muscle capacity decreases with age, these exercises can give you a good head start.
“The core muscles are important because they stabilize the center of the body so that the muscles of the appendicular skeleton can pull against a stable platform. Prioritizing your core strength provides a solid foundation for the rest of your body, including the ability to perform weight bearing exercises correctly.
9. Helping to reduce lower body injury
There is a link between core stability and injuries to the lower extremities (hip to toes).
Based on findings in athletic populations, the researchers suggest that healthy individuals with a history of hip, feet, or leg injuries may want to include core strengthening exercises in their training programs to offset deficits in core stability.