Core Strength Training: The Best Way To A Slim Waist

When you think of core strength training, you most likely think of traditional crunches and sit ups that work only your abdominals. But the core is much more than that, it consists of all the muscles that stabilize the pelvis. The core is the center of gravity and where all our movements begin and end. The muscles that make up the core are responsible for controlling all your movements in all directions. Core strength training can relieve low back pain, prevent injury, and improve your overall muscular balance.

The core is made up of stabilization and movement muscles which initiate and maintain proper muscular balance during all movements. Developing core strength is crucial to your physical well being whether you are climbing stairs, picking up objects, running, walking, or weight training.

If your stabilization system is week, your other muscles will compensate for most movements leading to muscular imbalance, pain, and worst of all injury. To develop a truly strong core a good core strength training program should target both the stabilization and movement system.

Stabilizer muscles include the deeper layer of muscles which include internal obliques, lumbar multifidus, pelvic floor muscles, diaphram, transversus abdominis, and transversospinlis. The movement muscles include the erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, iliopsoas, hip abductors, hip adductors, hamstrings, external obliques, and rectus abdominis.

Core strength training programs usually neglect the stabilization muscles which is why so many people experience low back pain and eventually injury. Core exercises that work the stabilizer muscles can improve overall fitness, low back pain and prevent injury.

Core strength exercises like sit ups and crunches work only the core movement muscles. If you perform them with week stabilizers you will increase low back pain and eventually injury yourself because they will place too much stress on the discs of the spine. But perform theses exercises with strong stabilizers and you will trim down your waist and protect your spine.

Having strong abs doesn’t mean you have a strong core. Even some who have six packs may experience low back pain and injury due to week stabilizers. Very few people actually have strong cores. A strong core requires a program that strengthens both the stabilization and movement systems.

Exercises that target the stabilization system include the bridge, plank, marching and cobra. Exercises that target the movement system include crunches, sit ups, bicycle crunch, leg raises, reverse crunches and back extensions. There are many variations for these exercises. Combine one from each in your core strength training program for the best results.