When people hear the word ‘core’, the first thing they consider is the six-pack belly they are used to seeing in magazines. Although the rectus abdominis (the so-called six-pack muscle) is involved, it is by no means the complete picture. The fact is, your core is a multiple structure of muscles that interacts to guide your spine, muscle tone and enables movement, with power and stability.
Knowing these muscles and their functions can transform the quality of movement, performance and everyday activity. Also, practicing exercises that work on the core, even those done on a short routine with consistency can hugely improve posture, decrease the chances of injury and even the basic routines like walking, lifting, or even sitting.
This article will summarize the key core muscles, what their roles are, how and why you should take care of them.
What Is the Core? More Than Just Abs
There is not just one muscle in your core. It is a system of muscles that are around your trunk and pelvis. All together they serve to function as a corset to guard your spine and to distribute energy throughout the body. That is why athletes, dancers, weightlifters and even office workers have a good, balanced core.
The core muscles may be divided into the superficial muscles (the ones that we can see or touch easily e.g. the rectus abdominis muscles) and deep stabilizing muscles (the ones that provide structural support of the core). These inner muscles matter too, but they are overlooked more often until they get weak and make you experience back pain or bad posture.
Rectus Abdominis: The “Six-Pack” Muscle
When you think of washboard abs, you think of the rectus abdominis. This is a long and flat muscle located vertically over the front part of the abdomen.
Primary functions:
- Bending the back (as with a crunch or sit-up).
- Assisting in breathing by aiding to push the air out in the exhalation.
- Helping out in such movements as bending forward.
Although people pay the most attention to it, the rectus abdominis is not the only component of the equation. It is unable to stabilize the spine when there is no support by the deeper core muscles.
Transverse Abdominis: The Hidden Corset
Also known as the natural weight belt of the body, transverse abdominis is a deep abdominal muscle extending horizontally around the torso. Think of it as an inner girdle to provide strength and support.
Primary functions:
- Fixation is on the spine and pelvis prior to any motion.
- Helping in the process of breathing and keeping abdominal pressure.
- Supporting the lower back when lifting, twisting or bending.
A poor functioning of this muscle is associated with the back pains and poor stability.
The Obliques: Internal and External Movers
The obliques are the muscles on the sides of your abdomen and are classified as external obliques (the ones that you see more on the surface) and the internal obliques (the ones beneath it).
Primary functions:
- Turning the body left or right.
- Side bending.
- Helping with spine and pelvis stabilization.
Powerful obliques enhance balance and rotary strength. Athletes who twist, swing, or throw (tennis players, golfers, boxers) are extremely dependent on the strength of the obliques. Weak oblique muscles instead can result in back strain when there is twisting.
Deeper Stabilizing Muscles You Might Not Know
Other than abs and obliques, there are hidden heroes of the core as they are the stabilizing muscles. These include:
Multifidus
These are tiny and deep muscles, which run alongside the spine.
- Function: to be able to give stability to the vertebrae in their movement.
- Significance: There is a close connection between weakness as well as chronic back pain.
Erector Spinae
A set of muscles that extend up and down the bottom.
- Function: Maintain the straight spine and help to bend the back and extend it.
- Significance: Good posture and spinal strength require it.
Pelvis Muscles
These are the muscles which are at the bottom of the pelvis, as a hammock.
- Function: Support the organs and regulate the bladder activities and coordinate with the diaphragm to regulate breathing.
- Significance: The stability of the pelvic floor enhances and minimizes the chances of the pelvic dysfunction.
Diaphragm
Yes your breathing muscle is your core also.
- Function: Regulates breathing and intra-abdominal pressure.
- Significance: Acting as a whole, the diaphragm, transverse abdominis and pelvic floor complete a system of inside out stability.
To learn more about the functioning of these stabilizing muscles, you need to know that they play a pivotal role in preventing injuries and moving more efficiently.
Core Strength and Posture
The strength and balance of the core is a big factor in shaping your posture. With weak muscles in this area, the spine becomes unsupported, resulting in slouching over or stiffness, or excessive curves. This can result in back pain, shoulder strain and/or headaches over time.
Powerful core muscles ensure your spine is in the correct posture either when standing, sitting or in motion. That is why exercises aimed at strengthening the core muscles are frequently suggested to sedentary workers.
Core and Balance: Center of all Movement
Each step, turn or stretch you do is determined by your core. Your balance does not only come out of your legs or even your feet, it starts with the trunk.
Athletes who can train their core show better balance, agility and coordination as well.
For the older adults, core training lessens the chances of falling. Even in everyday life, tasks such as going up and down the stairs, carrying groceries, and standing up on one leg, wearing shoes need core stability.
Core for Performance: Beyond Sports
- Athletes: Enhanced transmission of power (e.g.ia red to arms in the swing of a baseball).
- To the Workers: Avoids injuries of the back when lifting.
- For Parents: It makes children or groceries transport easier.
- Everyone: Works to increase the effectiveness of breathing and relieve fatigue.
This is why small daily practices like planks, bridges or bird-dog exercises may reveal significant changes in strength and efficiency of movements in a few weeks.
Core Strengthening Exercises You Can Try
To develop a powerful and harmonious core, try exercises that work both at the superficial muscles of the abdomen and pelvis, along with the deeper core muscle.
These are some of the good alternatives:
1. Plank
- How to do it: Lie prone, on your forearms and toes. Keep the body straight in a line down toward the heels.
- Muscles engaged: Transverse abdominis, obliques, rectus abdominis and stabilizers.
- TIP: Do not allow your hip to drop back, use the visualization of the belly button to spine.
2. Dead Bug
- How to do it: Lie on the back, arms straight overhead and bent knees at 90-degrees. Slowly descend your right arm and left leg down towards the floor and hold your core in tension and then come back and repeat to the other side.
- Muscles engaged: Transverse abdominus, multifidus and pelvic floor.
- TIP: Maintain your lower back against the floor by pushing your back up to the floor.
3. Side Plank
- How to do it: Get on the side with your forearm propping you up and lift your hips so that your body is in one long line. Then lift and turn over.
- Muscles engaged: Obliques, transverse abdominis and spinal stabilizers.
- TIP: Don’t allow your hips to sag – use the side of your waist.
4. Glute Bridge
- How to do it: Lie on the floor with knees, and feet flat. Heels through your heels to lift the hips until your body is in an upright line position.
- Muscles engaged: Lower back and deep stabilizers, and glutes.
- TIP: Never over arch your back and squeeze your glutes together on at the top.
5. Bird-Dog
- How to do it: Should start on hands and knees. Stretch your right arm and left leg simultaneously, and keep your back straight. Turn around and change.
- Muscle engaged: Multifidus and erector spinae, transverse abdominis.
- TIP: Slow down and make your hips level.
6. Russian Twists
- How to do it: Sit in the sitting position with legs folded. Lean backward a bit and flex your torso side ways.
- Muscles engaged: Internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis.
- TIP: Maintain lifting your chest and do not make your back rounded.
These exercises are homely and need no equipment and can be used within 10-15 minutes daily. As a beginner, hold 20 to 30 seconds per hold or up to 8 to 10 reps per side. When performed regularly, they not only tighten the visible abdominal muscles, but also the stabilizers those which are usually hidden, and protect the back.
How to Train Your Core the Right Way
1. Do More Than Crunches
Crunches work the rectus abdominis, and fail to include the deeper stabilizers
2. Functional Movements
Planks, dead bugs and bridges work more than one muscle simultaneously.
3. Emphasis on Stability
Neuromuscular control is bettered by slow-controlled movements (such as the bird-dog).
4. Not to Forget Breathing Workout
Do exercises that use the diaphragm (breathing exercises) and target the inner core area (such as pelvic-floor strengthening exercises).
5. Be Consistent
Daily work-outs of10 minutes to 15 minutes will result in valuable strength over time.
The General View
What makes your core more than just a visual sixpack is that it is the muscle that drives almost all of your actions. The muscles of the core are the cornerstones of functional movement since they keep you upright, help you lift, twist and breathe.
Learning not to only work your outer muscles, but also your deeper stabilizers, can alter your posture, performance, and general comfort in everyday life. A powerful core is not only important to athletes, but also to all.
