ABOUT YOUR CORE

Are you walking a bit more carefully lately, or feeling unsteady on your feet? You may be struggling with a balance problem. That puts you at risk for falls, one of the top causes of injury among older adults. But strengthening your core muscles—in your abdomen, back, and hips—can help.

"Core strength is intimately related to balance, because you need good stability at your core to have safe and effective movement at the hip, knee, and ankle," says Kailin Collins, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Your core extends from the diaphragm to the pelvis, forming a muscular 360-degree band around the body. These 29 pairs of muscles in the lower back, abdomen, hips, and pelvis stabilize the spine, keep us upright, power our arms and legs, and can even help regulate breathing and bladder function.

There are two groups of core muscles: Inner core and outer core. The inner core muscles are attached to your spine; they’re the muscles that stabilize your core. The outer core muscles work in conjunction with the inner core muscles when you need to move your body from point A to point B (or to do most physical activities). Core stability relates to your inner core muscles. Core strength relates to the outer core muscles and is developed to help you move around better.

Nearly every movement we do requires core stability. Optimal movement begins and ends with good core control and strength: Strong core muscles make it easier to do many daily activities, such as swing a golf club, get a glass from the top shelf, push a grocery cart, and bend down to tie your shoes. They are also important for athletes, such as runners, as weak core muscles can lead to more fatigue, less endurance, and injuries. Weak core muscles can leave you susceptible to lower back pain, bad balance, poor posture, difficulty standing for long periods, and muscle injuries.

STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE

The best way to increase core muscle strength and control is with regular exercise that includes some targeted core exercises:

BRIDGES: Start in a recumbent position on your back and then lift and hold your buttocks off the ground. It's effective because you create rigidity from the rib cage to the pelvis and all the way from the belly button around to the back. The whole region becomes solid, and it creates a contraction of all the muscle groups, like a corset.

PLANKS: Planks create contractions of the core, arm, and shoulder muscles as you stay in a push-up position. The key is staying as stiff as you can, like a wooden plank. Start with 10 seconds and work your way up.

BIRD DOGS: Get on your hands and knees. As you stretch out the opposite arm and leg, you're contracting your core and the muscles in the other arm and leg as they support you. Movements should be slow and controlled.

SITUPS: Lie down on your back, with your feet on the floor, knees bent. Place your hands on either side of your head in a comfortable position. Bend your hips and waist to raise your body off the ground. Lower your body back to the ground into the starting position. Repeat.

Other exercises include but are not limited to: crunches, Superman, Russian Twists, dead bugs, wood chops, high boat to low boats, jackknives, leg raises, and hip dips. There are really just so many exercises with a variety of intensity levels you can do for your core. Our Success Studio personal trainers can help you to choose the core exercises you like the best, determine which intensity level is good for you, and show you how to do them. Just click on the button below.

If you have a favorite core exercise you would like to share, please let us know in the comments below.