Why You Should Strengthen Your Core

If you think of being physically in shape, what comes to mind? Marathon runners pounding the pavement for twenty six miles? A gymnast scoring a perfect “10” on a floor routine? Guys in the gym lifting twice their bodyweight?

An individual’s interpretation of fitness may differ, but generally, fitness is your capacity to finish physical tasks efficiently. That includes running a 5K; hauling full grocery bags from your car into your home; and even spending a day playing 18 holes of golf without getting exhausted or out of breath — or waking up sore and bruised the next day.

Good fitness starts with your core. The durability and flexibility of your core muscles affect your capability to do nearly every activity performed on a normal day — e.g., getting up and out of bed, working at your desk, and walking your dog.

Your body’s core is the foundation for physical movement. When the muscles that compose your center are strong, it is easier to move around as well as have more strength and power in your mobility. Trained abdominals influence a simple task like standing up from a sitting posture and as complex as running and stretching to backhand a tennis ball back at your opponent. A solid core is also a major element of stability and can help decrease your chance of falling.

It means that you are more adequately equipped to complete tasks that involve stretching, reaching, and extending your body. Ever painted walls inside your home? From bending and crouching to reach the trim; to using a roller to smooth paint in an up-and-down motion; to stretching to reach the highest nooks of your room, your core stabilizes and supports you.

The accompanying resource lists more benefits of strengthening your core and includes five simple exercises to help you do so.