Today’s topic is all about the benefits of having a strong core.
These muscles are not just for having a nice toned midsection or six-pack abs, but they also, if used effectively and with the right exercises, can help you live a healthier life overall. Some of the best exercises for your core are planks, bird dogs, and glute bridges. These will not only help create a tighter midsection but also positively impact other areas of your body and life.
Here are three benefits of having an effective core routine in your health and fitness program:
Benefit #1: It Helps Create Better Posture.
As we age, our body starts to deteriorate naturally. Our muscles begin to atrophy, and that’s just a part of life. Typically your posture is affected by this as well. You may have noticed that many elderly individuals nowadays have physical limitations like kyphosis, which is a forward rounding of the upper back that creates a hunchback look. They may even use walkers or maybe are confined to a wheelchair. But the important thing to understand is that we can prevent those things by having a stronger core. This will not only help you have a healthier back and spine but also help you breathe more optimally. Your posture and how open your chest is will impact how much oxygen that your lungs will inspire, thereby greatly improving your mental and physical well-being.
Benefit #2: It Can Strengthen Your Back.
As I mentioned previously, activating one’s core effectively helps create better posture, reducing workload from your back and allowing those muscles to work more efficiently. During exercise, if you’re not using your core effectively, then your back is going to have to overcompensate. Having a stronger core is going to generally lead to a stronger body. Not only will it assist you in movements like walking, sitting, or standing, but also when performing exercises like running, pressing, squats and deadlifts. Once you start to engage this core more consistently then you feel more solid, grounded, and stable during more vigorous physical activity, including heavy compound lifts.
Benefit #3: It Improves Stability, Balance, and Mobility.
Having a strong core can improve your balance and how your body moves. Not only can this benefit your workouts, but it becomes even more critical as we age.
Think about it, if you have a simple fall when you’re in your 20s, it’s likely not going to cause you serious harm. You might get a little bruised or sore, but it’s typically not going to be a big deal. But as we progressively get older, into our 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond, it becomes an issue and a hazard. That once simple fall in your 20s, if occurred in your 80s, might cause a bone fracture and lead to further physiological limitations and may even reduce your life span.
We can prevent this by working on our core as a staple of our routine so that we can not only have a healthier body right now but ensure that we can sustain that healthy body and core as we age.
In conclusion, a strong core leads to a better life. Adding these exercises consistently to your routine will benefit you in more ways than you might originally have thought. So start today and witness the positive impact they have on your body now and tomorrow.
