Benefits Of Strengthening Your Core
After giving pregnancy I noticed a lot of changes with my body. The biggest one was the strength I lost in my core. Of course this is normal because it isn’t healthy to be doing crunches during pregnancy. However, after giving birth, strengthening my core became an important goal of mine. This goal wasn’t exactly to get my “abs” back but more so for the benefit that our core muscles provide for our whole body.
When I first started out on my fitness journey years ago I thought that core muscles meant your abs. However the core is so much more than a 6 pack. It is your abdominals, obliques, pelvic muscles and back. All of these provide so many benefits which I have shared below.
prevents slouching and improves your posture
Your core including your upper back muscles, lower back muscles, abdominals and obliques can affect your posture. Your postural muscles, which are responsible for keeping you from hunching over, rely on strength to work properly. If you’ve ever noticed when sitting or standing that your shoulders seem slouched over then you may need to work on strengthening your core. To do this I love simple moves like reverse flies, standing pelvic tilts, superman and planks holds.
improves balance and stability
Your core muscles are what helps you to remain balanced. When you work to strengthen your core muscles you’ll find that when you practice things like yoga or unilateral exercises (such as any movement done on only one side of the body at a time) you’ll start to have more balance and stability and it will become easier each time. Your core muscles are what are responsible from keeping you from falling over (were looking at you half moon yoga pose). The muscles that you want to strengthen to become more balanced are your back muscles, abdomen and legs. For this I love exercises such as lunges, single leg dead lifts, mountain climbers, pushups.
improves overall athletic performance
Having a strong core can help with form when running, walking and other workouts and other every day movements such as household chores. You may even find after strengthening your core to perfect your form that certain types of movement feel less painful and strenuous on your body. For this I love exercises such as bicycles, reverse crunches, squats, bent over rows and deltoid raises.
Working out is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. This is something I help guide you through in my health and coaching practice. Throughout the program we will work to establish your goals and help you reach them through a personalized wellness plan. Tap here to be added to the waitlist and discover your personalized road map to confidence.