Core workout - Tips to improve core strength

Defining Core:

You must first understand what your core is made up of in order to know how to engage it. Many people confuse "core" with "six-pack," but your core's structure is more intricate than you might think. .

When it comes to using your core, these are the key muscles to focus on:

Rectus abdominis: The most well-known ab muscle and the one that gives people their much-desired six-pack, the rectus abdominis. From your pubic bone to your sixth and seventh ribs, it is a flat, lengthy muscle. Your spine bends mostly because of your rectus abdominis.

External obliques: The muscles on either side of your rectus abdominis are known as your external obliques. You can rotate your body, bend sideways, flex your spine, and compress your abdomen by using your external obliques. 

Internal obliques: Your internal obliques are located immediately beneath your external obliques. They do the same duties.

Transverse abdominis: The deepest layer of abdominal muscles is the transverse abdominis. From your ribs to your pelvis, it completely encircles your torso. The transverse abdominis, unlike the other abdominal muscles, doesn't move your hips or spine, but it stabilises your spine, compresses your organs, and supports your abdominal wall.

Latissimus dorsi: Also known as your "lats," these muscles extend from just behind your shoulder blades to your pelvis along both sides of your spine. Your lats support your back, particularly when you extend your shoulders. Your ability to twist to the side is also aided by them. 

Erector spinae: Your erector spinae muscles run the entire length of your back and are located on either side of your spine. Your back can extend, rotate, and move from side to side thanks to these muscles. They are regarded as postural muscles, and they are essentially constantly active.

Although not quite as much as the aforementioned muscles, your hip muscles and glutes also help to stabilise your core.

When performing single-arm shoulder presses or push-ups, you may notice that your back arches; when sitting, your back slumps; when trying to "hollow" your body, your lower back rises off the ground; when conducting single-leg activities, you may notice that you lean too much to one side.

core workout

Why Should You Engage Your Core?

Individuals learn from their failures, so by understanding what to avoid, it might be simpler to learn how to engage your core. Here are a few typical instances of not engaging the core.

• As you perform push-ups or shoulder presses, your back arches.When trying to "hollow" your body, your lower back will elevate off the ground. You will lean significantly to one side when completing a single-arm shoulder press. You will lose your balance when performing single leg exercise.

How to Make Your Core Active

In order to maintain your spine secure and stable, engaging your core entails bracing and contracting all of the muscles in your core to the four abdominal muscles, lats, paraspinal muscles, hip flexors, and glutes. Imagine your entire body, from ribs to pelvis: It ought to feel like one solid cylinder throughout.

It's Not Only "Sucking in" Your Stomach, either Many people mistakenly believe that to "activate your core" is to "suck in your stomach." Yet in reality, that couldn't be further from the truth—quite the contrary, in fact. Imagine bracing yourself for a sucker hit to the stomach to activate your core. You won't feel sick to your stomach. You're going to inhale deeply and contract every abdominal muscle. Bringing your navel up and towards your spine while visualising your abs "zipping up" could be helpful.

As you contract your core, your breathing should be unaffected: Fill your abdomen first, then breathe in and out while allowing only your rib cage to move. The first breath should leave your gut tight and full. When you breathe after that, you ought should be able to see your ribs expanding and contracting.

 Begins With A Breath:

The most crucial aspect of activating your core may be breathing because it requires practise to continue breathing normally while maintaining a tight core. You have the opportunity to strengthen the muscles from your rib cage to your hips by engaging your core every time you breathe.

Take Olympic weightlifters and professional power lifters, for example. These athletes' tummies frequently protrude above the top of the weightlifting belt when they wear it to aid in their lifts. They are not puffy or overweight; rather, they are using their breath 

Yet, many weightlifters discover that by bracing their core, they can lift higher weights, and many runners discover that by doing the same while running, they have better posture and have less neck and back pain.

When Should Your Core Be Active?

When there is a chance that your spine could flex, lengthen, bend, or twist excessively, it is very critical to engage your core.

Keep Your Core Active While Lifting Weights:

The most important time to use your core during weightlifting may turn out to be. As you bend at any of your major joints, especially your  shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles, your spine may move. In the previous example, you were doing an overhead press while arching your back. By focusing on your core, you can prevent any excessive spine arches.

Another fantastic example of when it's important to engage your core is the dead lift.

You can maintain your back straight and your shoulder blades retracted by taking a deep breath and contracting your stomach.

Keep Your Core Active During Cardio:

Generally speaking, the risk of spine injuries is lower during cardio exercise than it is during weightlifting exercise because there is less opportunity to move the spine into potentially hazardous positions. Yet engaging your core while exercising will improve your posture and decrease any pain you experience while exercising or after.

During jogging, for example, using your core can help you keep your chest up and your back straight.

By doing this, you can prevent neck  prevent neck over extension, a common issue that can cause headaches and neck pain.

Bracing your core will reduce some of the pressure on your lumbar spine when you're running, which will assist to lessen or eliminate any pain you might be feeling there.

With ab exercises, contract your core.

Because of all the torso movement that occurs during ab exercises, it can be challenging to activate your core.However, hyper extension, also known as an arched back, is the most common sign that you should brace..

Consider tilting your tailbone forward or contracting your glutes when performing ab exercises. You may tighten your abdominal muscles and lessen the lumbar bend of your spine by using these two cues.

Keep Your Core Active All Day:

By keeping your core engaged throughout your daily tasks, you may avoid bad posture (and the chronic discomfort that comes with it).

Training Your Core to Engage:

Start with this bracing exercise to become accustomed to engaging your core.

1. On the floor, on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lay your

      arms out in front of your body so that your palms are facing the ground.

2. Push the ground with your lower back until your tailbone slightly rises.

3. Take a long, belly-filling breath. Cinch your abdominal muscles once your abdomen

     is full of air (while keeping your lower back pressed into the floor).

4. Against your breath, draw your belly button up and inward using your ab muscles.

5. Keep breathing, allowing air to fill your chest. The entire time, your stomach should remain full.

6. Restart the practise after three to five deep breaths of relaxation breathe of relaxation.