Ever bend down to pick something up and ouch…there goes your back?!
Ever go to grab a weight without thinking and oh, sh!t ….. there goes your back?!
The most common injuries, especially as you age, are back-related.
And, back injuries happen for a variety of reasons— often a combination of both exercise (bad form, improper technique) and everyday activities:
Lifting kids/ grandkids out of the crib, reaching down into the washer to grab laundry, lifting Amazon boxes off the porch, unloading that Costco cart…..
Why does this happen? Why are back injuries so common?
The main reason has everything to do with your core (and we’re not talking your abs – more on this later).
Why is your core so important?
First, a weak core is a leading cause of back injuries.
Second, the core has a very important job: keeping you injury-free!
Have you spent a few days horizontal on the couch after throwing out your back? Yeahhhh-it’s super painful and debilitating so let’s make sure that never happens (or, again).
A strong core is the foundation for nearly every movement you make! From bending down to pick something up, to carrying groceries, or even turning to check your blind spot while driving, your core does so much more than you think!
When you have a strong core, you experience less fatigue, more efficient movements and a reduced risk of strain, making daily tasks feel easier and effortless!
That is exactly why not just exercising, but strength training, is vital for your long-term health and vitality!
Strength training teaches you how to properly brace/engage your core and is the most effective way to build core strength.
Whether you’re a current Results Fitness Warrior or, exercising at another gym, you’ve likely been told to ‘’Brace your core!’’. When lifting weights/using any form of resistance, this is one of the most important coaching cues.
Outside the gym, in everyday life, bracing your core is equally as important!
But….. what does “bracing/engaging the core’’ mean? What exactly is your core? How do you know if you’re doing it correctly?
To make sure you can build a super strong core so that you can stay injury and pain free when exercising and in everyday life, this blog is ALL ABOUT THE CORE!
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WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR CORE?!
Contrary to popular belief, there’s more to your core than just your abs!
Sure, having a 6-pack looks good like the photo in this blog BUT, your core is so much more!!
Your core is composed of all the muscles in the center of your body, also known as your trunk.
Officially, the core constitutes the central portion of the body, and is composed of the torso, abdominal muscles – both superficial and deep – pelvis, pelvic floor, lats, erector spinae (muscle directly attached to the spine), and all the muscles and connective tissues that hold all of these things together.
Like I said – SO much more than just your abs.
These muscles support your spine, protect your organs, and transfer force from your limbs to make sure you are pain-free while moving and exercising!
Here’s a quick analogy:
Think of your core as a sort of bridge or a power line connecting your legs to your arms.
On their own, the arms and legs don’t generate much power— your biceps are a much smaller and weaker muscle compared to your lats. That’s where your core comes into play!
Your core generates that power and then transfers it out to your limbs! An example of how your core transfers power is throwing a baseball:
If you stand in the same spot, facing forward and only move your arm, that ball isn’t going to go very far.
But, if you step into the throw, really rotate the hips as you throw and follow through, that ball is going way into the outfield!
This is because your core generated loads of power and transferred that power down your arm so you could launch the ball!
Interestingly, this means that the core muscles have the opposite function from the muscles that make up your limbs. The muscles in your arms and legs are there to create movement and force while exercising or moving stuff in general.
On the other hand, your core’s muscle function is stabilizing your spine and keeping everything in place. This means NO back pain, injuries or being laid up on the couch!
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HOW TO “BRACE YOUR CORE”
As a coach, this is one of the best, most important phrases you will hear me lovingly yell! 😊
Bracing your core is especially important when strength training! Whether you are squatting with a 10 lbs. or 100 lbs. weight, anytime resistance is involved – you must always brace your core!
Adding resistance to any exercise means your body has to work harder to maintain control and balance – all of which stems from your core!
You also use and brace your core during everyday activities:
Impact sports such as football, explosive movements like throwing a baseball or hitting pickleball, lifting boxes and moving furniture, carrying car seats, pushing grocery carts, bending down to put on / tie your shoes, sitting/standing up off the toilet, lifting your carry-on luggage into the overhead compartment….
The common phrase that ties into bracing your core is “Lift with the legs not the back!” to avoid pulling/cranking on your back.
Again, this is crucial for preventing injuries, especially back-related incidents.
So, how do you ‘’brace your core?’’
There are a few ways to think about this and one of my personal favorites is to take a breath in, tighten the abs, and exhale as if you were preparing to get punched in the gut!
Try that now and notice how your core becomes locked in – that is ‘’bracing the core’’!
Another way to (physically) practice is by taking a weight like a dumbbell or kettlebell ( think 10-18 lbs.) or a heavy book and lying down on your back.
Place the weight or book on top of your stomach and then push that object away from you, up towards the ceiling. This causes you to flex the abs and press your shoulders down to engage the lats (muscles down the sides of your body).
After you get comfortable and familiar with that feeling, start to implement that into your workouts and daily activities to protect your spine/back and prevent injuries.
It is also important to note that ‘’bracing your core’ does NOT mean holding your breath. You should still be able to breathe through your movements while your core is properly braced and engaged.
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STRONG CORE = BETTER LIFE!
Contrary to popular belief, sit-ups are not the most effective way to strengthen your core – mind blown!
If sit-ups don’t do the trick, then what does?
*Strength Training*! Exaclty what you do in our Small Group Personal Training sessions here at Results Fitness.
And, remember strength training is NOT just for bodybuilders, competitors or elite athletes.
Strength training is for EVERYONE because it can be 100% tailored to your fitness level and individual needs, injuries included!
In fact, if you have back issues, you want to be strength training with certified coaches who can create safe and effective programs that will alleviate issues and pain.
The primary focus of strength training is to keep you strong, mobile and independent in everyday life OUTSIDE the gym so that you can pick up your grandkids without cranking your back, throw a baseball with your son, get up and off the couch with ease, carry multiple grocery bags at once, shovel snow, and lug those Christmas trees!
Just like any other muscle in your body, you need to be actively using and training your core to make it stronger!
And, there are many different ways to test and train your core strength using various types of exercises and core-based exercises.
These exercises can include bodyweight, weighted-based and offloaded exercises; all of which are designed to improve balance and help you resist the urge to lean to one side while balancing or holding a weight.
You can also do core-specific exercises include planks, superman’s, hollow holds, bird dogs, side planks, speed skaters, and dead bugs.
Now, if you are new to exercise, a super beginner-friendly core-based exercise you can start practicing today = the plank!
You can perform a plank from the comfort of your own home and modify as needed based on your fitness level: i.e. plank on your hands (more challenging) or forearms and start lower to the ground on the floor (more challenging) or, higher up on a fixed structure such as a kitchen counter or island.
From there, here’s how to set yourself up for the perfect plank:
- Start on your hands and toes, making sure hands are directly under shoulders and feet are about hip width apart.
- Tighten your core, squeeze your glutes, and flatten your lower back.
- Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels.
- ALWAYS maintain a perfectly flat back by embracing your core!
- AVOID sagging your hips or letting them rise too high.
- Practice by holding that plank as long as you can WITHOUT your butt or low back sinking.
- Aim to hold each plank for 30 seconds, rest for 30, reset and hold again. Repeat this 3-4 times/day!
- After you can do 3-4 sets of 30 second plank holds, go up to 45 seconds, then 60 seconds and so on.
At Results Fitness, all workouts place a big focus on building core strength; with core work built into every workout. This ensures you are constantly improving core strength, posture and preventing injury.
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The torso, core and midsection of the body contain so many important muscles, bones, and organs that need to be protected.
Understanding how to ‘’brace your core’’ will keep you active both in and outside the gym longer, keep your spine/back super healthy and keep you pain and injury-free!
If you are not sure how to ‘’brace your core” or worried you are not doing it right, this is why working with a coach can be helpful so that you can exercise safely, effectively AND perform daily tasks with ease 🙂
Let us help YOU build and preserve your back/spine health so that you can live healthy, happy and strong as you age without limitations or pain. Schedule a FREE intro call so that you can ask questions that will help you get stronger and live the best possible life!