How To Strengthen Your Core Without Going To The Gym :)

Many people associate the core with an image of toned 6-pack abs, but that is an incomplete picture. 

Our core is actually comprised of over 30 different muscles. There are deep muscles that surround the spinal cord (keeping us upright), internal and external obliques, the outer “abs”, the glutes, and back muscles.

Strengthening and stabilizing the core is incredibly important, especially for women who’ve had children.

You may also need to focus on your core if you suffer from lower back pain, poor posture, incontinence, and/or weakness in your extremities.

What causes weak abdominal muscles? 

There are certain factors that can cause abdominal muscles to stop functioning well. Pregnancy, abdominal surgery, bad posture, lower back pain, being overweight, and improper abdominal exercises are some of the main reasons for weakness. 

To connect and engage your core throughout the day, it’s important to do a few key things that many people don’t even think about.

• Visualize your core muscles working. Use this visualization to identify what good form feels like and consciously maintain this form. (This may take time and practice, but the more you think about using the core, the more aware of it you will become).
• Take a deep breath in and stand tall. As you exhale, relax your shoulders, but keep your chest high and belly button pulled in.
• Try to think about standing and sitting tall as much as you can. It feels weird at first, but the more that you do this, the more aware you will be when you are slouching or standing in a position that could potentially hurt your back.

Your core muscles go way beyond just your abs; they have many responsibilities, from stabilizing your spine to transferring force from one part of your body to another. The core is involved in almost every movement in your body, which is why focusing on connecting with your core will make it easier for you to do many daily, physical activities.

If you experience chronic low back pain or have a weak core from pregnancy (or something else), please reach out to me to help you with a plan to restore your core.