The core has 35 separate muscles, and unless you have an exercise regimen that exercises them all, your routine is incomplete. A lack of core strength can result in injuries at the gym, limited upper and lower body strength, a poor sense of balance, and poor muscle coordination between the upper and the lower body. These reasons alone should be reason enough for anyone to reconsider their current exercise routine and see if there are ways to incorporate more core workouts into them. However, the benefits of a strong core will act as an even better incentive to do that, as you will find out next.
Stability
Stability and balance come automatically when you have strong core muscles. This in turn prevents workout injuries, as well as other injuries that can be suffered during any physically strenuous exercise. Loss of balance is primarily a result of either poor motor nerve coordination or poor core strength. Core strength can improve balance by providing the power necessary to maintain the balance between the two halves, even when tested in a strenuous situation. Furthermore, reinforced core muscles take the stress off our spinal column throughout the day and during exercise. As a result, it significantly decreases our chances of spinal injuries such as a slipped disc and consequent nerve damage.
Power
As any professional athlete will tell you, core training is vital for channeling power from one end of the body to the other. The human body has three primary points of strength:
- The upper body
- The core
- The lower body
Be it for sprinting or for powerlifting, a huge portion of the necessary energy is always generated from the lower body and then transferred to the upper body, if and when necessary. While creating that explosive burst of energy, it is of absolute importance to have a strong core, so that the maximum amount of power can be channeled to the upper body via the core muscles.
Therefore, by exercising your core, you can effectively increase your maximum lifting capacity for compound exercises (squats, deadlifts, military lifts, etc.). The boost in strength is experienced not only on account of the core muscles acting as a bridge between the two halves but also because the strengthened core muscles contribute to the added strength directly. The squat racks can assist you in strengthening your lower body. Plank variations are good freehand exercises to build moderate core strength, but if you wish to simultaneously train your core and your entire upper body, rowing machines offer a serious workout.
Posture
Good posture is an authentic sign of confidence, and it is displayed without trying when you have a strong core. A confident and upright posture while walking and sitting also lowers our chances of developing back pain later in life. Social studies have previously indicated that an upright posture, supported by a balanced body structure, is looked upon favorably by most people. Above all else, psychological studies have found that when one’s posture improves physically, it makes the person feel more confident and secured about themselves.
Confidence, strength, and balance are the three most vital benefits of improved core strength, so it isn’t difficult to imagine why fitness enthusiasts always insist on building core strength, irrespective of age or gender. Men and women who are looking to attain that perfectly symmetrical body should never forget to develop their core muscles. After all, that elusive six-pack is very much a part of the 35 abdominal muscles that form the human core. It should be noted that having a strong core is not always accompanied by visible abdominal muscles. In order to make them visible, you will also need to cut down on your present body fat percentage, alongside training the core.
