Have you been in an exercise class and heard the instructor say, “Engage your core?”
Did you think, “Where the heck is my core, and how am I supposed to engage it?” Have you wondered what all the buzz surrounding this emphasis on the core is?
As we age and become less active, we lose core muscle strength. If we don’t use it, we lose it. Core muscle weakness can set off a domino effect of problems, causing poor posture and body mechanics, which can lead to neck, back, shoulder, hip and even knee pain.
The core is more than just the abs. Traditional ab exercises (sit-ups and crunches) work what I call the washboard or six-pack abs; those exercises are not only ineffective in strengthening your core, but they can be stressful on your spine. Simply stated, the core collectively refers to all of the muscles of our torso – including our scapular, hip and pelvic floor muscles – that work together to allow us to stay upright against gravity. Of particular importance are the deep, inner abdominals: the transverse abdominis, multifidus and internal and external obliques. Together these muscles, when contracted, produce a muscle corset effect, providing stability and protecting the back from pain and injury.
The core functions to provide a stable foundation to allow for movement of our limbs. The core muscles reflexively contract 40 to 50 milliseconds before we actually move. A strong core not only helps us maintain good posture, but improves our ability to balance by stabilizing our trunk in preparation to take a step or reach beyond our base of support. Core strength also improves athletic performance by allowing us to generate powerful movements of our extremities.
Yes, a strong core can improve your golf or tennis game.
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The drawing-in maneuver
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The shoulder blade squeeze
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The bridge
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The plank
When the core is weak, these muscles are not reflexively firing like they should, which means we must think about contracting these muscles. The most basic of the core exercises is the drawing-in maneuver, which recruits the deep stabilizing muscles, especially the transverse abdominis.
To perform this exercise, lie on your back with hips and knees bent, feet flat on the floor or bed. Think of gently drawing your belly button in and up, being careful not to hold your breath, as you hold the muscle contraction for 10 seconds. The beauty of core exercise is that it doesn’t require special equipment and can be done anywhere and anytime. When sitting, standing, or walking – at home or in the office – you can work on maintaining the “abdominal corset” by keeping your abdominals in and up. If you want more of a challenge, sit on a stability ball while you work – multitasking at its best!
Another simple but very effective core and posture correction exercise that will benefit anyone, especially those with a sedentary lifestyle or desk job, is the shoulder blade squeeze. When you slump or slouch, your core is not being asked to do any work. By squeezing the shoulder blades together, you reflexively engage your core, as these muscles correct your posture, and you sit up straight. Doing these two exercises many times throughout the day will help to improve posture and lay the foundation of strength needed for the slightly more challenging exercises that follow.
The bridge is another beginner level exercise that targets the core, including the buttocks and hips. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on floor, arms by your sides. Engage your core pulling your belly button up and in. Starting at your tailbone, peel your spine one vertebrae at a time off the floor as you press down through your arms and feet, lifting your buttocks and lower back off the floor. Hold the bridge position for two seconds then slowly lower your back one vertebrae at a time, melting your spine back to the floor, your tailbone being the last thing to set down. Repeat 10 times, for 2-3 sets.
The plank is one of the best exercises you can do for your core because it works all the muscles you need to maintain proper posture: neck, back, chest, shoulders and abs. If you are new to planks, start with the modified version. Lie on your stomach. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, placing them under your shoulders, resting your weight on your forearms. Bend your knees to 90 degrees so your feet are in the air. Performing the drawing-in maneuver, lift your hips off the floor so you are on your knees and forearms.
Hold the position as long as you can, working up to 20 seconds. Do not allow your back to sag. Progress to full planks once you can hold the modified position for at least 20 seconds. The set-up is the same, except you come up on the tips of your toes instead of your knees. The goal is to work up to holding the planks for durations of 30-60 seconds, for 3 to 5 repetitions. By adding planks to your daily exercise routine, you will find that you sit and stand straighter without even having to think about it.
Whether you’re an athlete looking to maximize athletic performance, a parent with back pain from caring for young children, an office employee with poor posture from sitting behind a computer all day, or an aging adult worried about balance, you can benefit from finding your inner core strength.
Lori DeShetler is a certified orthopaedic specialist with The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. Feedback welcome at ssole@cityscenemediagroup.com.
