Core Strength Exercises

     Core Strength

Peoples obsession with ripped 6 pack abdominals over the past few decades has seen to it that companies selling the revolutionary new 'As Seen on TV AbotronX-7!' and their alike have never been short of making a killing. However, as interest over the recent years has shifted from fitness for pure aesthetics to fitness from a health and active lifestyle point of view, core fitness and core strength have become regular verbatim amongst fitness goers and enthusiasts. But as the main profiteers of the fitness industry have wanted to keep selling their aesthetic building equipment - the AbotronX-7s and to most people's surprise over 90% of gym equipment - a lot of misleading information has intentionally been injected by the main profit-players of the fitness game.

Many people are either intentionally or ignorantly misled into believing that abdominal exercises build core strength. But the truth is that the abdominal muscles comprise only of a very small portion of the core muscles, and have very limited and specific action. In fact the core muscles collectively make up the largest mass of muscles in the human body. They run the entire length of the torso, and are responsible for stabilizing the spine, pelvis and shoulders, giving ability to all movements provided by the extremities. It is largely the level of our core strength that determines the level of our physical and athletic ability; whether it be throwing a ball, running up a mountain or balancing on protruding rocks to cross a stream.

Core strength is not only important for athletes and fitness freaks, but is pertinent to general health and day to day living. As the core muscles are involved in every movement, from when we rise out of bed to when we again lay down to sleep, their level of strength is what determines our level of energy and vitality. The greater level of core strength we have, the greater ease we have in performing every day movements and tasks. Even sitting all day on an office chair requires core muscle activation and hence requires energy. Recent surveys have indicated that the single most important aspect that most people would like more of in their life is vitality and energy. And it makes sense, as it is what enables us to enjoy life to its fullest.

From another health perspective, having good core strength protects our spine and joints from risk of injury. Studies have indicated that 2/3 of Americans at some point in their lives will suffer debilitating injury and pain due to biomechanical injury (back or joint injury). Through having a strong core and understanding how to utilize it, our risk of injury decreases dramatically. Research into core strength has indicated that elderly individuals with good core strength suffer biomechanical injury approximately 70% less than elderly individuals with average core strength, and over 85% less than elderly people with poor core strength.

Many people are misled into believing that gym training increases core strength. When in truth over 90% of the equipment in gyms is useless for developing core strength. To be precise, most gym equipment has been designed by bodybuilders to minimize core muscle development and maximize extremity muscle size. Bodybuilding has nothing to do with building strength and increasing fitness, but only to do with shaping a particular body shape and image. Core strength and fitness is developed by progressively moving from performing simple compound exercise movements to more complex and dynamic movements, as the core muscles begin to gain strength.

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