Today I’m talking all about one of the most asked questions I get from new clients, long time clients, dogs, cats…..well, you get the picture.  The core is a popular subject and one with many interpretations on how to make it awesome.  With so much content out there on the web, it’s impossible to figure out what the best route is for YOU!  Yes, I emphasize you because when we’re talking about this subject, it can be incredibly individualized.

But for our sake today, let’s just generalize it and talk about my 5 best approaches to building the best “core” you possibly can!

To start, let’s clarify what the core actually consists of:

Check out those glutes!  Yes, it’s not just the abs, the core involves everything around your mid section including the buttox.  That’s why when I get asked the question “how do I strengthen my core”, there is so much more to it than telling someone to do a bunch of sit ups. (which I would rarely ever tell someone to do but let’s table that for another day).

Here are my top 5 ways to improve the function of your core!

1.  Embrace the power of the pelvis!  As you can see in the picture, the muscles highlighted all attach or crossover the pelvis so having proper mobility and control with it plays a really big roll in developing those muscles as well as their roll in everyday function.  In other words, you better twerk!
2. If you’re not using your glutes, it’s time to kick them in the well, you know.  Those glutes are the cornerstone of proper function.  And without them, you will be left with some rather large issues, mostly in the form of lower back pain.  But, there is so much more to their function than just a few exercises, plus they move the body in multiple ranges of motion.
3. Learn to stabilize your lumbar spine.  The pelvis and the glutes play a roll in this part, but ultimately, this is where the abs start to join the party.  You want to find the optimal position for the lower back and then work develop stability around it.  This is crucial for so many exercises, and let’s just say if you’re a golfer, this is a must!
4. Water, water and more water.  This may not be an exercise, but truly, the function of your core involves what’s going on internally.  If you have a lot of inflammation in the abdominal area, it makes it harder to engage those muscles.  Water can aid in keeping things moving through the intestines and better digestion which will all help in this process.
5. And lastly, and my favorite, learn how to pay high attention to detail in your workouts so that the core is always involved and the need to supplement with extraneous exercises isn’t needed.  Yes, if you can achieve all the principles above, this will lead to better efficiency in essential exercises such as lunges, squats, hinging, jumping, pushing, pulling and definitely rotating.  And if you want to do any of those moves with any amount of speed or power behind it, the core has to be present.  I love what rock star trainer Meghan Calloway said this past week about treating each rep like it’s own set.  Imagine if you put that much focus into each rep?  That’s a whole new way of working out!

There is so much more to each of these answers than what I wrote above, so I’m excited to break each on down for you this week and share with you some of my favorite exercises that will achieve the ultimate goal of having a kick ass core that allows you the kick ass at life.

Talk to you tomorrow friends!

-S

#coreobsessed #fillthehole #proximalstability