When we train, many of us do full body workouts so it’s easy to just focus on upper body exercises and lower body exercises with maybe 1 core exercise at the end, if any. However, strengthening your core is absolutely vital for your overall strength and also avoiding any lower back issues down the line.
The core is the centre piece of all our our movements day to day such as getting out of bed or putting your shoes on. A strong takes the pressure of movements and any weight off of the lower back and also ensures we have good posture instead of slouching when sitting, standing or exercising, a weak core can lead to slouching which can in turn lead to injury, especially when training. Usually the lower back will then have to step in and compensate for the lack of core strength and stability leading to lower back pain.
It’s vital to avoid injuries – day to day not just when training – particularly in the lower back, that we work on making our core nice and strong. How? Always ensure you are performing core exercises with every workout you do, and add in a full 10/15 minute core workout 2 or 3 times a week to really focus on getting strong. Not only will this reduce the risk of injuries, but a stronger core will also assist in being able to perform other full body exercises and lead to better posture which will mean performing the exercise better, progressing quicker and being able to lift heavier.
When training the core, be sure to add in variety. Here’s a few examples of core exercises you can perform that will hit the upper and lower core as well as the obliques:
- Sit Ups
- Russian Twists
- Flutter Kicks
- Reverse Crunches
- Plank
- Side Plank
- Bicycle Legs
The post Why Core Strength is Important appeared first on Griffin Fit.
