CORE: IMPORTANCE FOR HEALTH

How many times (many of us) have we used the word core to refer to the abs?

Gimnasio, Culturismo, Abs by mrkaushikkashish Pixabay license

On numerous occasions we can see how the word 'core' is used to refer to what the rectus abdominus is, but the reality is different, as this term goes much further.

The term core refers to the entire middle zone of the body and includes all the muscles of the central zone of the body, which we can classify into:

• Abdominal muscles:
• Abdominal rectum.
• Transverse of the abdomen.
• External and internal obliques.

Abdominal wall by Henry Vandyke Carter Public Domain

• Back muscles:
• Multifids.
• Lumbar square.
• Spinerectors (iliocostal, longissimus and spinalis muscles).

Back muscle anatomy by Mikael Häggström  Public domain

We can also consider some muscles that have involvement in the hip joint, such as buttocks, hamstrings and hip rotators, although they are not muscles we have in mind when we talk about the core.

When we look for exercises to work it, in numerous occasions these are not the most appropriate or even some are proven to be harmful, which can cause, for example, back pain, but they are still done simply because they are exercises that have been done "all your life".

If we investigate a little, we can see that there are many safe ways to train the core, such as isometric exercises or using unstable surfaces.

And what else should we know about the core?

On the one hand, the function of this musculature, and hence its importance for health, is mainly to stabilize the trunk, which means that it limits the movement of the trunk. In fact, rarely is the time in sport that the role of this musculature the flexion and rotation of the trunk, if not that they make a completely opposite role in most movements.

So having a weak trunk musculature can lead to lumbar problems and poor control of the pelvis and spine.

If we look at the benefits in a general way, working the core to achieve a strong and balanced middle zone will mean (Ramón, Chulvi, & Heredia, 2006):

• Correct stabilization of the body, which will allow the arms and legs to make any movement with this muscle as support and form a muscular chain transmitting forces.
• It improves the efficiency of the movement.
• Improves balance and coordination.
• Improves postural firmness and postural control.
• Increases strength and flexibility through the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex.

Therefore, if we are able to fix the spine when we are performing an exercise, we will reduce the stress of compression and shear on the bone structures.

In the following posts we will see different exercises classified by type of "anti-movement".

See you in the next post.
May the force be with you!

REFERENCES

Boyle, M. (2014). El entrenamiento funcional aplicado a los deportes.

Ramón, M., Chulvi, I., & Heredia, J. R. (2006). CORE: Entrenamiento de la zona media.

Segarra, A., Monleón, C., & Blasco, E. (2015). Evidencias sobre el efecto del entrenamiento sobre superficies inestables para la salud del core.