Can Core Strength Can Help Prevent Injuries?
One of the most common associations with a strong core is washboard abs. However, your core is a complex series of muscles, which extends beyond your abdominals. It includes all muscles (front, back and sides) in your mid section, which can be broken down into stabilisation and mobilisation muscles.
Stabilisation muscles are responsible for support and posture, whereas mobilisation muscles function to assist our movement.
As a whole the core, acts as an axis for your whole body, and a foundation for every movement from gardening to lifting weights in the gym.
A strong core is developed through exercises, which involve the coordination of both stabilisation and mobilisation muscles.
Therefore, a strong core requires both core stability and core strength.
Creating a Strong Foundation
Our core is the central link between the upper and lower extremities. It is the basis for all movements and provides support for your spine and lower back. Without a strong foundation, maintaining a healthy body is harder and presents a higher risk of injury. As the power source for majority of actions, a weak core puts unnecessary stress and tension on smaller muscles groups.
Thus building a strong core is an essential part of any fitness regime.
With core strength comes the ability to properly engage your core before and during exercises, which not only creates better results but significantly decreases the risk of injury especially to your spine and lower back.
Increased Flexibility and Mobility
Core exercises are a vital part of a well-rounded fitness regime, and will improve your overall flexibility and mobility.
By strengthening your core, you create a stable support system which underpins a wider range of movements.
This reduces the risk of injury when performing day-to-day tasks and when in the gym.
As your core strengthens, your balance and stability will also improve, as you relieve stress and tension from weaker joints and muscles. Additionally, you will be more aware of your range of motion and therefore less likely to push yourself beyond your capabilities.
Check out these Essential Core Exercises and Ab exercises you can do anywhere.
Proper Posture
Good posture stems from a strong core supporting your body, helping you to stand tall with your limbs in the correct alignment.
Correct posture significantly minimises the strain on your muscles and joints, facilitating the proper distribution of weight throughout your body.
A strong core provides spinal and posture control, therefore protecting particularly the lower back from injury. Weak core muscles fatigue quicker, leading to poor posture which often translates to poor form while exercising.
Incorrect posture during a workout significantly increases your chance of injury and decreases your endurance, hindering your possible results.
Focused Breathing
Breathing is often overlooked in training regimes, yet it is extremely important for your overall health. As part of the core, your diaphragm plays a vital role in proper breathing. It is the primary muscle which controls the extent to which you can inhale and exhale. Strengthening your core allows you to breathe deeper, additionally as you are able to intake more oxygen and thus expel more carbon dioxide, you will be able to maintain a lower heart rate.
Proper breathing during exercise can prevent dizziness, improve athletic performance and increase fat burning, especially in exercises which require exertion such as lifting, pushing and pulling. The deeper you can breathe, the more oxygen enters your blood stream and therefore the more energy, and strength you will have to draw on during a workout. Breath focus during a workout can be a powerful tool in safely pushing your boundaries to reach fitness goals, while minimising the risk of injury.
Overall Fitness
The benefits of a stronger core work together to increase your overall fitness, prevent injury as well as help you achieve fitness goals during a workout. These also translate into real world benefits, as twisting, reaching and bending are part of everyday activities. It is the powerhouse of our bodies, allowing you to lift heavier weights, run faster or kick harder.
As your overall fitness improves with your core strength, you are protecting other muscle groups from injury, as you are able to maintain alignment throughout your workout.
It is important to go beyond abdominal crunches when incorporating core training into your fitness regime. A strong core is the coordination of your key core muscles, working in harmony to support and protect your spine and lower back.
It is important to properly engage your core before and during each exercise to best prevent injuries as well as receive the best results.
When training your core, quality over quantity is key as well as incorporating exercises which engage multiple muscle groups.
Engaging both stabilisation and mobilisation muscles is the best way to train both for core strength and core stability.
Core training is an essential part of a well-rounded fitness regime, and will improve performance as well as provide benefits in your everyday life.
