Wake up your core!

What’s the big deal about strong core muscles? Turns out, a lot! Weak core muscles can leave you susceptible to poor posture, lower back pain, and muscle injuries. I don’t want that, and I know you don’t either! 

Keep reading to learn 

• Why a strong core is important

• The benefits of strengthening your core without involving the head & shoulders 

• One of my favorite ways to build core strength 

Why a strong core is important

What comes to mind when you think of a strong core? A visible 6-pack, perhaps glistening? That 6-pack does reflect a strong rectus abdominis (plus a body fat percentage lower than needed for general health). The rectus abdominis is a muscle that extends from your breastbone to your pubic bone. Its role in flexing the spine forward (think crunches) is important. But, it’s a superficial muscle and not necessarily effective at stabilizing the spine. 

We must go deeper than the rectus abdominis. 

We must look at the front abdominal muscles, the middle and lower back muscles, pelvic floor muscles, and the muscles around the hips. I know that’s a lot of muscles, but they all work together to support and stabilize the pelvis and spine. This is your core. 

Your core is involved in almost everything you do – bending, sitting, standing, lifting, twisting. This means when you’re walking, gardening, working on your computer, doing housework, or running errands, your core is involved.

A strong core improves stability and balance, helps keep your back healthy, and is a must for good posture. 

Strengthen the core without involving the head and shoulders

Sit-ups or crunches may come to mind when you think of core strengthening. Lifting the head and shoulders engages rectus abdominis, but may not engage the deeper core muscles. This also encourages 2 things:

1. The “forward head” thing that is so prominent in our society. 

   When your head is in front of your spine (also called “text head”) it impacts the rest of your body in so many ways. The “forward head” thing deserves its own article. For now, let’s focus on core strengthening without encouraging a forward head. 

2. When the head and shoulders lift to engage part of the core we make faces.

   Seriously. We strain our face and neck, which may lead to recruiting other muscles to do the work rather than the ones we want. Or we bring our elbows forward and hope that they can help us lift into a crunch. 

Neither one of these is helpful if our goal is to strengthen muscles that support and stabilize our pelvis and spine. This is why I’ll teach you one of my favorite ways to strengthen my core that doesn’t involve the head or shoulders. 

One of my favorite ways to strengthen core

This practice will specifically focus on strengthening the deep muscles on the front body. You’ll learn other areas of the core in the future. You will find and work to maintain a neutral pelvis. This is when the pelvis is in a position that best supports the curve in your lower back and is optimal for spinal health. Don’t worry, there are instructions below on finding a neutral pelvis.

You’ll learn to engage the transversus abdominis muscle. Why strengthen this muscle? The transversus abdominis

• is the deepest of all the abdominal muscles.

• is considered one of the most important abdominal muscles to prevent back pain

• starts at either side of your spine and wraps around your torso (like a cummerbund)

• holds internal organs in place

• stabilizes spine and pelvis

This muscle is an important one!

You can read the steps below (there are many) or listen to the audio. Or do both! This practice does require that you get down on the floor. 

Instructions

1. Safely make your way to the floor and lie on your back. 

2. Bend your knees. Feet are flat on the floor, it doesn’t matter how close they are to your bum.

3. Find a neutral pelvis:

   • Place your fingers on your belly button. Now slide them out to each side, and slightly down, where you’ll feel your frontal hips points (called ASIS, or anterior superior iliac spine). 

   • Place the heel of your palm on your hip points and place your fingertips on your pubic bone (the bone just above your genital area)

   • The pubic bone and hip points should be level to each other – Every body is different but it should be close to level.

   • IF your fingertips are higher than the hip points (the pubic is higher) you likely tuck your tailbone. Your low back may even be pressing into the floor. Press your tailbone into the floor until your pubic bone and hip points are more level. This will feel weird if you’re a tucker.

   • IF the heels of your palms are higher than fingertips (the hips points are higher) you likely overarch your low back. Reach your tailbone toward your feet until your hip points lower to the level of your pubic bone.

4. You have a neutral pelvis, or close. Keep this pelvic position as best you can. 

5. Keep all this work, as best you can!  Don’t forget to breathe.

6. Lift your knees over your hips, let your feet dangle. 

7. Don’t let your lower front ribs lift to the sky. They like to do this! Control them by lowering them down toward the floor. 

8. Keep your hands on your pelvis OR lay them on the floor next to you. 

9. Keep your head and shoulders resting on the floor and don’t make faces. The face is soft, perhaps with a smile on it. 

10. As you inhale touch your right toes to the floor. 

11. Exhale and bring the right knee back in line with the left one. 

12. Inhale and touch your left toes to the floor.

13. Exhale and bring that knee back to your center, next to the right knee. 

14. Repeat 10 times on each side.

*Breathe in and out your nose.

*Go SLOW!

*If you’re doing it with ease you can touch your toes further from your bum to increase the difficulty.

*You should feel the “work” on the front abdominals – if you start feeling the low back doing the work, stop. The front abdominals are tired and you can come back to it later.

When you’re done stay on the floor and stretch the legs out and the arms overhead (if your shoulders allow that). Stretch like you would if you just woke up. Strong and flexible muscles are important for moving with ease. 

There you have it, my friend. My favorite way to strengthen the front abdominals that don’t involve the head, neck, or shoulders. Start small by doing 10 on each side, then build up to repeating that 3 times. 

You can adjust the difficulty of this practice by touching your toes further or closer to your bum. Listen to your body. If your low back starts doing the work then please stop. 

You will see more changes practicing this several times per week for 5 minutes, rather than once a week for 20 minutes.

Be patient and consistent. 

If you want to keep on reading then check out this article on the importance of balance!