There’s no denying that a six-pack is one of the most enviable achievements in the fitness space. Why else do people assume hundreds of crunches is enough to get them into shape and ready for the beach? The abs themselves are highly coveted and are like the popular kid in school. However, there’s more to abs than just looking good. They’re actually a part of your core, which is considered as the “powerhouse” of your body. There are many reasons why core strength is important. Reasons that I’ll be covering in today’s post. So, the next time you’re in a plank or rolling out sit ups, remember why your entire body needs more than just a hot six-pack.

The Core Defined

What exactly is the core anyway? Is it only the six-pack or something more?

Indeed, your core is more than those visible muscles. Think of it as a meat corset holding everything in the center of your body, including your internal organs and part of your central nervous system. It’s comprised of the (visible) ab muscles on the front and sides as well as the lower back (or spine), lower diaphragm, glutes, pelvic floor, and hips. [1]

The core enables stability and strength and is involved in every movement that is made. If there is one thing you should take away from this post, is that the core is literally the center that drives everything that you do. And without it, exercise would be a weapon against you, making it easier for you to break under pressure of the simplest of movements.

The Benefits of a Strong Core

If you’re still with me, let’s cover a list of specific benefits that come from having good core strength:

Back Health

Can’t backbend? Dealing with constant aches and pain? Struggling to get stronger and better at exercises like rows and pull-ups? Then start paying attention to your core. Remember, the core is like a corset, wrapping around the front and the back. Your core is what’s going to help protect you when doing things like a backbend or wheel pose in yoga. It’s what’s going to keep you safe. And if you’re dealing with the modern affliction of back pain, it could be that you’re not maintaining a good amount of core strength. This weakness is what causes other areas of your body to work even harder to support your back, which over time becomes a burden and ironically stresses out the back. Avoid this unnecessary compensation by supporting the muscle(s) that are supposed to do this job in the first place: the core.

Posture

On a similar note, back pain is often the result of poor posture. Which the core happens to be an important part of. Maintaining an upright posture is a modern challenge due to over-sitting and sedentary lifestyles. You’ll be surprised how much better you feel once you eliminate poor posture and focus on alignment! Little aches and pains will quickly start going away, and you can move and feel better. Not only that, but you’ll stand taller, slimmer, and more confident. And who doesn’t want that? Slouching just wears away at your spine over time, while strengthening the core keeps it young, stable, and pain-free.

(Note: I’m not just saying this to sound smart- a couple of years ago, I went through a big setback due to imbalances in my posture. Luckily, I was able to learn how to care for it and reverse its effects. However, I need to always stay on top of it. If you’re curious and would like to learn more, then check out my Postural Therapy series which is exclusive to ZGYM members.)

Balance

To maintain good balance, you must have stability. Enter the core, which is a stabilizing muscle. Look at people who are dancers, gymnasts, or yogis and notice how they’re able to maintain challenging positions on just one leg or their fingertips. It’s not just because they have strong legs, back, or arms. Their core is doing a good deal of work to help them stay balanced. For the everyday person, having good balance and stability remains important because it prevents injuries. Seniors should be especially concerned about this, since they are the ones who are the most likely to suffer fractures and other injuries due to falling. In which case, prevention is key. Hence why maintaining good balance involves effectively training (and strengthening) the core. For those of you like me who are not in their golden years, keep reading. Balance is also important when doing activities like hiking, surfing, paddleboarding, and sports. Without it, you once again subject yourself to the high-risk category for falls and injuries.

Even regular movements involving bending, twisting, lifting, and reaching all require core strength. Without it, you’ll be seeing a physical therapist more often than you think!

Incontinence

Here’s something that not many people talk about when it comes to the core: incontinence, which is the disability to “hold in” or “control” your urine or feces. Case in point: jumping rope and peeing your pants. A major cause behind this an imbalance in either the pelvic floor or deep core. Constipation, or making sure that everything “goes out”, is also a common symptom of a weak core. As is being able to keep yourself from peeing your pants; don’t think it only happens when jumping rope! While there is more to incontinence than just performing Kegels, core strength is going to play a big role in improving it. [2] [3]

Training Your Core

“Zuzka, I’m pumped! How do I train my core?” Well, you’re first going to have to remove the idea that endless amounts of sit ups are going to do the job. First of all, your core is already getting worked through functional exercises like burpees, push-ups, kettlebell swings, pistol squats, and jumping rope. However, there are targeted exercises like leg raises, knee raises, pike rolls, and mountain climbers that really hit them deep.
In the ZGYM, I also have a few series that are more core-focused than others. These include:

• Upper Body and Abs Basics
• Upper Body and Abs Inferno
• Bosu Balance and Agility
• Jump Rope Cardio (JRC) Fit Slide

Remember though, having a strong core and visible abs are two separate things. You can have incredible core strength and no six pack, and a six pack with virtually no strength in your core. However, it is possible to achieve both of these goals. With the core, continue with consistent, challenging workouts like the ones I offer in the ZGYM. Doing so will make your abs appear even more defined the sooner they start appearing. As for your abs, the only way you’re going to see them is by reducing your body fat intake, which is largely influenced by your diet.

If you’re not seeing any results, trouble shoot your course of action with my Peek-a-boo abs post, which covers the reasons as to why you’re abs seem to be playing hide and seek.

Otherwise, I hope this article shows the importance of core strength, and how the benefits are much more than skin (or six pack) deep.

Sources:

[1] https://www.physio-pedia.com/Core_stability
[2] https://www.continence.org.au/pages/what-is-incontinence.html
[3] https://www.umms.org/-/media/files/um-uch/health-services/pelvic-floor/pelvicfloor