| What does it mean to have a strong core? Does | | | | ground. As you do this, you change the function |
| it mean you have the ability to do 300 crunches in | | | | of the muscles and how they integrate with each |
| a row or do you have the ability to move your | | | | other. If your hips are turned in, out, forward or |
| body without experiencing back pain? There is a | | | | back, your abdominal and back muscles will |
| difference that misleads people to doing | | | | function in different ways. |
| ineffective exercises that achieve little results. | | | | My favorite exercise for increasing core strength |
| When you see someone with six-pack abs you | | | | is the squat and the variations you can perform |
| might assume they have a strong core, which | | | | from there. Why would the squat be the best |
| may be true, but looks can also be deceiving. We | | | | core strengthening exercise? It calls on all muscles |
| are all born with six-pack abs. That is the natural | | | | of the body to contract and stabilize. Think about |
| architecture of the abdominal muscle. Some | | | | how many times you do some sore of squatting |
| people have greater anti-definition layers that | | | | motion during the day. You get up out of a chair, |
| make the six-pack harder to see but the six-pack | | | | in and out of your car, walking up stairs. All these |
| abs exists under your belly fat. | | | | movements involve a squat type motion. |
| Most people engage in a core-training program to | | | | During the squat, the hips, hamstrings, gluteus |
| protect their back from getting injured. Training | | | | maximus, quads and lower leg muscles all work to |
| your core is much more than strengthening your | | | | stabilize and move the lower body. The abdominal |
| abdominal and lower back muscles and if you limit | | | | and lower back muscles stabilize the torso so you |
| your training to this, your goals will fall short. | | | | do not fall forward while performing this motion. |
| Traditionally, the core is trained when you are not | | | | Since these muscles work together to perform |
| on your feet and you engage in floor-based | | | | the movement, it is clear that training these |
| exercises but I have never met someone who | | | | together as a unit will give you stronger functional |
| hurt his or her back when lying down or sitting in | | | | strength compared to doing isolation specific |
| a chair. The injury always occurs when the feet | | | | exercises. Once you feel comfortable performing |
| are in contact with the floor. When your body is | | | | the squat, you can add a variety of movements |
| moving, does your core have the ability to | | | | like an overhead press or lateral raise to advance |
| stabilize your body? | | | | your training. If you really want to avoid back |
| Though you will increase your core strength from | | | | problems, prevent chronic pain and burn more |
| doing floor-based exercises, you should progress | | | | calories while strengthening your core, the squat is |
| to challenging your core when the feet are on the | | | | the way to go. |