Many of my patients hear me prioritize core stability pretty often, but why is this principle so important?
What exactly is core, and are you sure you are doing the right things?

Do you run religiously on a treadmill every week?  What about lifting weights as well, thinking you are covering all your fitness basics?  That is by all means a very important part, but you are missing out on one of the most important parts that is key to your health and longevity.

So, what exactly is your core?  It is not what you think.  Those really visible six pack abs that some people have?  That’s only one part of it.  These aren’t necessary the aesthetic muscles that are visible, they are deep muscles.  Even individuals with six packs can still have a weak core.  The core is made up of 29 muscles in your back, abdomen and pelvis that are essential for your ability to function everyday.  The most important  being total support of your back which is essential, especially as you age.  If you do not include core stability in your everyday or weekly routine, you are making yourself more prone to back and musculoskeletal injuries as well as bad posture.

More individuals are rushed to the emergency room for falls than any other cause, and according to the American Academy of Physicians, they’re the primary cause of accidental death in people over the age of 65.  Strengthening your core muscles will keep your center of gravity stable, and could very well extend or even save your life in these instances.

There is a weak core muscle epidemic!!

No. that is not an exaggeration.  It is almost a 99% probably that every patient that walks through my door with some kind of back complaint has a weak core. The number one cause?  SITTING!  Living in the silicon valley, almost every job here requires a good amount of sitting.  More and more companies are becoming more ergonomic in their offices and including sit to stand desks, but the majority of people all around the US are sitting WAY too much.  When you sit for more than 20 minutes it completely turns off your glute (butt) muscles. That’s a big stabilizer of your system!  What’s more troubling is when these people go work out after sitting the entire day, or are the “weekend warriors”. When you sit all day your muscles become “silent” which means that they really are not working.  If you go and try to lift heavy weights after sitting all day and not warm up these muscles, (because they have been shut off all day) you are setting yourself up for injury.  Throw in a weak core, and it’s a recipe for disaster.   An hour workout a day to make up for sitting the entire day does not even out.  We are meant to be moving beings, and this causes a lot of muscle imbalances.

Additionally, core stability has a huge influence on pregnancy and the birth process.  Many women present to chiropractors during pregnancy for low back pain, and although the pain can be reduced, it’s important to begin care prior to pregnancy.  This being because one of the major reasons for back pain in pregnancy and difficulties during labour is poor maternal musculoskeletal health.  Here is an example, if a 30 year old who has a sedentary occupation and has done little exercise since school becomes pregnant, the tone and activity of her pelvic stabilizing musculature is unlikely to be in the kind of condition to tolerate the extra stresses that pregnancy entails.  She may well end up suffering from significant low back pain, sciatica and abdominal and pelvic discomfort, and her child’s journey into this world will also me made more difficult.  This can mean more restraint in the uterus for the baby as the pelvic muscles are not stable, as well as more compressions to their heads and systems throughout the birth process, as it will be typically a more difficult birth.

This also is a major cause for women after pregnancy.  They could have already had these dysfunctions, and then as the ligaments started stretching out, areas became more unstable.  This can cause sacroiliac sprains in the pelvis and a cause for most sciatica, and low back pain thereafter.  It can also be a cause for prolapsed uteruses, bladder/UTI dysfunction and others.

I always recommend a core stability program after the injuries have healed in the low back region.  This being because if you start a core program while you have a sprain, or maybe some disc compression you might very well irritate the area more.  However, core stability is VITAL for total stabilization and to decrease the chances of the injury reoccurring.

What are the benefits of strengthening your core?  

Well, I have mentioned some already, but others include:

• Injury prevention in athletes
• help prevent injuries in workers.  Among one group of firefighters, an intervention to improve flexibility and strength in the trunk stabilizer and core muscle groups resulted in 42 percent fewer injuries and reduced injury-related lost work time by 62 percent in a 12 month period.
• An 8 week rehab program that improved hip and core muscle strength in women reduced the knee abduction movement, which is associated with developing patellofemoral pain syndrome.
• Better balance and stability
• makes it easier to perform physical activities of all kinds, from swinging a golf club, to getting dishes from your kitchen cabinet.

What’s the best way to strengthen your core? 

Usually in my office, I don’t have a whole lot of time to dedicate to rehab.  Because of this fact, I usually refer out to an awesome pilates studio as well as a private gym that knows to focus on this proper core program.

The most important thing to nail down before starting a core program is your breath.  Breathing the proper way throughout the exercises is key to engaging all of the entire core.

When you breath doing core exercises it is different from your normal breath.  This is how it goes.

Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet touching the floor.  Your hands should be underneath your low back area in order to feel the movement.  When you breathe in you suck air into your mouth and press your belly button to the ground.  You should feel that pressure into your hands.  Now, when you breath out you don’t let your belly release.  When you breathe out you almost forcefully breath out, kind of like blowing out the candles on a cake.  While breathing out you are further bringing your belly button into your spine, trying to suck it in further.  You should be feeling a lot of pressure going into your hands from your back.  It’s easier to do if you forcefully breath out on the exhale.  Repeat multiple times.

For some of you with weak cores, this might be difficult to do.  But when you breath this way, you are engaging your entire core.    If you do not feel pressure into your hands then you are not doing it correctly.  Until this is done with ease, you cannot start doing a core program.

You don’t really need a gym or special equipment, you just need to do the RIGHT exercises on a consistent basis, and mix them up so it’s always challenging.

1. Dead Bug.
While using the position you did doing the breath, you lift your legs up to table top.  Then slowly lower one leg until the foot touches the ground then bring it right back up to table top.  If your low back comes off of the ground, or you lose the pressure in your hands, then you are not ready to lower your leg that low.  Only lower your leg if the pressure is maintained in your hands with that breath.  You can also push your hands against the wall over your head to engage your lats as well.

2. Bridge.
Lie on your back with your knees bent.  Contract your abdominal muscles and lift your butt off the ground,  holding that position for 5 to 8 seconds. You should be contracting your abdominals, glutes and quads. Slowly lower your hips to the floor, then repeat the move.  More advanced, try extending one knee then the other while up in the air.

3. Plank
Lie on your stomach, resting on your forearms with your palms facing down.  Raise yourself from the floor so that you are resting on your elbows and toes.  Keeping your back flat, contract your core muscles and hold for 30 seconds.  You  might not be able to hold this long at first, so build up to it.  You should be able to hold it for 2-3 minutes easily with a strong core.  Make sure your stomach doesn’t start to sag down.  For more of a challenge hold one arm or one leg out at a time.

4. Side plank.
Lie on your left side, and then raise your body on your left forearm, keeping your shoulders, hips and knees aligned.  Rest your right arm on your side.  Hold that position for 30 seconds.  For a more advanced side plank, raise your left arm with your hips coming off the floor and extend your right hand toward the ceiling.

Be sure you are including core strengthening moves into your life now to experience the phenomenal benefits now and later!!

That is all for now. 
Wishing you all a happy and healthy week.