Core Training - Strengthen Your Foundation

If you spend anytime in the gym, you’ve heard of core training. Core training is the key to a stronger midsection and possibly fewer back problems especially as you get older. To better understand what you are actually using when you are working your core, let’s look at the core muscles and their responsibilities.
The group of muscles from just below your chest to right above your waistline and all the way around your body is your core area; abdominals in front and on the sides, and extensors in the back. They maintain the structural integrity of your spine and assist in breathing. You use them every time you bend forward, to the side, twist, or lean back. They are active in virtually every movement you make, so you can see how important it is to strengthen them.




One of the best ways to work the core is with functional exercises. That is, working those core muscles through as many movements and angles as you can while involving other muscle groups at the same time. Do exercises that imitate movements you make in sports or your daily life. So instead of 200 crunches, do a crunch with a one-armed chest press, a lunge with a torso twist, or a shoulder press with a side bend. Isolated exercises are fine, but add in a few functional exercises to challenge your core even more. They burn more calories and help to create a stronger, more durable spine.