Core Strength Exercises

Core strength exercises are extremely popular because everyone is interested in "functional" exercises for everyday, whole body fitness. The trunk, or core, must be strong and stable to prevent low back injuries, prepare for everyday activities, and to compete in sports.

When the trunk is strong and stable, posture improves. You are also better able to maintain balance and mobility for everyday activities. Core strength exercises are especially important for women training with explosive exercises or performing heavy squats and dead lifts. The demands of heavy lifting on the low back are counterbalanced by strong abdominal muscles.

Whatever your goals or modes of exercise, it is important to include core movements that work all three primary ranges of motion of the trunk, or combinations of them:

*Bending and straightening (flexion, extension). The curl up, or crunch, is a key exercise for the rectus abdominis muscle used for trunk bending and extending movements. The rectus abdominis is the main muscle used in the crunch. Once your shoulder blades leave the ground, your hip flexors come into play. Adding a slight trunk rotation recruits the oblique muscles. Their main job is to neutralize each other during strict flexion/extension.



Back hyperextensions are performed on a device that supports the trunk. With the feet locked under the device, the low back, hips, and hamstrings contract to lift the upper body to the neutral position or beyond (hyperextension). Generally, moving beyond neutral into hyperextension is not recommended by health professionals, but for many sport activities hyperextension is part of normal movement (e.g., javelin throwing, gymnastics skills).



*Twisting (rotation) Strengthening exercises for trunk rotation involve placing resistance against the twisting action. Free exercises and specially-designed machines are great for working the rotational muscles.


Note: If you rotate with a heavy weight on your shoulders for strengthening the obliques, the resistance puts pressure downward--not against rotation. Heavy weights create compression on your spine, making it vulnerable to injuries. The best core strength exercises for rotation should offer resistance against the twisting action.

*Side bending (lateral flexion). The obliques are main movers when the trunk bends side-to-side.

There are numerous core alternatives that you can perform without weights, using free weights, weight machines, or other exercise equipment. Many can easily be performed with no equipment at all.

It is a common misunderstanding that losing stomach fat comes from performing core strengthening exercises (particularly ab exercises). Stronger, larger abdominal muscles actually replace the location of the fat. Fat, or adipose tissue, is lost by increasing activity and maintaining or reducing caloric intake. See Weight Control

Recommended Core Strengthening Products

Versa Balls

Concepts in Core Training DVD

Power Wheel

Core training System Text Kit

Targeted Abdominal Exercise Equipment

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