Core muscles are very vital for body movement. Be it walking, stretching, swimming or any other physical activity, they all require core muscle movement. Your core muscles keep you upright and help in absorbing impact from ground forces. Having a good strong core means all your core muscles are in harmony. This enables to carry out a wide range of activities from advanced weight training to day-to-day work. Whereas weak core muscles make you susceptible to poor posture, lower back pain and injuries.

Where are your core muscles located – Your body\’s core is the area around your trunk and Pelvis. The lumbopelvic region consists of two types of muscles. The ones at the surface of your abdomen are global muscles. The ones that are deeper in your abdominal walls, the local muscles are collectively known as the transversus abdominis. These are the muscles that most core exercises focus on. Try coughing – the muscles of your abdomen that get engaged, are the transversus abdominis.

The whole system – When it comes to core exercises, it is quality over quantity. A high number of repetitions are not important here. Instead, the focus should be on the moves- they should be as correct as possible. Rather than isolating different parts of your trunk and pelvis, core exercises concentrate on the whole lumbopelvic region, and can be tiring. Therefore, you should not force yourself. Start slow, with lower repetitions and then progress gradually.

Breathe right – As core exercises concentrate on your abdomens, which also aid in breathing, you should breathe properly while doing these exercises. Push your belly button in towards your spine, and out away from it as you exhale – do it consciously till it becomes a habit. Keep your breath rate as steady as possible, do not gasp, or hold your breath.

Good core exercises
Bridge pose – Lie on your back on the floor with your legs on top of an exercise ball. Raise your hips and buttocks off the floor into a bridge. Hold this position for three deep breaths before coming back to your starting position.

Plank pose – Lie flat on your stomach with your elbows and forearms resting next to your body on the floor. Elbows are placed in such a position that the shoulders are in line with elbows. Lift up your chest, torso and hips, your body should be parallel to the floor in this position. The balls of the feet and the forearms should remain firmly on the floor. When you come into this position, see to it that the back is not curved, and your core muscles are taken in towards your back. Come back to the starting position.

You can also try crunches and leg raises to strengthen your core.

Be regular – Do the core exercises at least three to four times a week. You will not see any results without consistency in your workout. However, if you have overworked your core muscles during a session, take a break of minimum one day before resuming the workout. It is preferable to round of the workout with some aerobic or cardiovascular training, as well as some strength training.

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