Get to the CORE of the Matter

We all want to look good and be confident in ourselves, and it's no secret that most of us want to be healthy and fit. One of the most prized possessions of the fitness enthusiast is the six pack, eight pack, washboard abs, or whatever you want to call it. Meeting new clients, I hear a colorful assortment of terms describing the less than pleasing results of sedentary living; they refer to their midsection as a spare tire or beer belly, complete with love handles or a muffin top (conversations as a personal trainer are colorful).

You might've tried a few sit ups, realized how difficult it can be, and given up. Maybe you've slaved away, doing crunch after crunch, wondering when you'll get the results that you want. You're possibly trying to rebuild after a pregnancy or surgery. Whether you're on that road right now, or just trying to find the road map, I have some news that might be hard to swallow: It's harder than you think.

Please give me a second to explain. It's more difficult because you are not thinking about the whole picture. Your core consists of everything between your shoulders and your hips. It is the home of your center of gravity, and it is WHERE ALL MOVEMENT BEGINS. Your core is so much more than the single muscle in front that we refer to as a six pack. In addition to movement, it also contains THE MUSCLES THAT ARE USED TO BREATHE. Many aches and pains that you feel, including most lower back pain, come from imbalances and the incorrect engagement of the core musculature. Any core exercise routine needs to address the lower back, sides, and hips, as well as the rectus abdominus, or abs.

Today it's time to get down to business. Chicago Fitness Training is going to outline the progression to the core you want. More importantly, we will give you the map to the core you need to stay functionally sound, perform better, and live free from pain. It is a surprisingly simple progression. The first step is to engage and strengthen the internal and external stabilizers. The basic exercises are plank, bridge, and side plank; where you hold the your body off of the ground with your elbows, hands, or shoulders, and feet. Begin with 20-30 second holds and progress until you can hold each position for two minutes. Once stabilization exercises begin to feel easy, you are ready to move.

Movement, or dynamic exercise, consists of bending, side bending, and twisting. Start by doing a continuous transition between the plank and side plank, then slowly add in some of the tried and true core exercises that we've been doing since gym class (some examples: sit-ups, supine leg raises, good mornings, russian twists). These movements should be performed singularly (Do NOT bend and twist simultaneously at this point in your progression!) Proper stabilization and control of the core should occur during all movements. This means that the internal stabilizers should be engaged (tightened), and that spine should remain properly aligned with movement occurring by properly counterbalancing or folding at the hip joint. Move in a slow and controlled manner. An exercise should only be continued for as long as proper form and stability are maintained before resting or moving on to the next exercise.