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Do you want a tight toned tummy? Are you managing hip, back, neck or shoulder issues? Are you trying to improve your fitness? Do you want to tighten your core after having a baby? Read on to learn how core strength can help you reach any and all of those goals while boosting your energy, decreasing stress, and helping you create a healthy lifestyle you love. Then grab the free tutorial to get started today!
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Why You Need Core Strength
80-85% of the US population has experienced debilitating back pain. That is a huge percentage of the US and unfortunately that means if you’re reading this, you’re probably at risk for experiencing this pain. The thing is, this is completely unnecessary!
Of those 80-85%, 80% have decreased core activation. That means there is a REALLY strong correlation between a weak core and back pain. Strengthen the core = minimize your risk of falling into that 80-85% of Americans who experience debilitating back pain!
Low back pain directly correlates with weak back muscles and poor muscular endurance. The muscles of the core are responsible for holding your spine up ALL DAY. So they need to have a LOT of endurance. If they can’t even get through the day, much less also manage some of the activities you want your body to be able to handle, you’re going to get low back pain, or some other kind of pain.
You Need to Strengthen Your Core PROPERLY
BEFORE you start trying to strengthen your back if you already have low back pain, here’s something you need to know: You HAVE to have really good core stabilization BEFORE you can safely strengthen your back.
Generally when you experience low back pain, the muscles of the low back get tight. So on the back side of your spine, you’ve got tight muscles, and on the front side you have weak, loose muscles. If you try to strengthen overly tight back muscles when the front abdominal muscles are weak, you’re only going to make your problem worse.
In fact, you’ll actually put yourself at a huge risk of disc rupture/hernia, back strains, or pinched nerves and nerve damage. You can prevent all those issues, or work to correct those issues if you’re already part of the 80-85% by simply strengthening your core muscles!
Even if you don’t have back pain, core strengthening is always a good idea. If you want a tight, toned tummy you need to strengthen your core. You also need a strong core to support an active lifestyle, or manage any other aches and pains you may get from injury or aging. Finally, if you’re a new mom, your core will need some extra strengthening to help it recover from pregnancy and delivery.
No Crunches Needed to Get Real Core Strength!
Here’s the deal. Core training can be simple while still maximizing your results. You don’t need high intensity training or intense ab workouts where you go through a circuit of 30 different ab exercises. And you definitely don’t need crunches!
In fact, most of those methods are just going to set you up for an injury and you’ll probably never get the strong, toned, fully functioning core you’re after.
That’s because the core is so much more than just the 6 pack abs.
What is the Core?
If you pop off your arms and legs, everything you’re left with is the core. Hips, shoulders, neck, head, and spine are all part of your core. (Ok, some will argue that the core is just between your hips and shoulders and they’re not wrong.) Your core is composed of a LOT of muscles that all crisscross and interconnect to bring strength and stability to your body.
Some muscles do more to stabilize your body while others play a bigger role in helping you move your body. Other muscles are most active when helping you breathe. But they all work together to help you function at your best.
Most of the ab workouts you’re used to really just target the outer core muscles. You want 6 pack abs, then you need to work that muscle right? Wrong!
The main purpose of your core is to stabilize your spine and help your body breathe and move.
That means you need to strengthen the core from the inside out to make sure the ENTIRE core is fully functional. When your muscles are fully functional, they’re automatically going to be nice and toned.
The Missing Link in Core Strength
Notice how one of the jobs of the core is to help you breathe? Have you ever done an ab workout that incorporated breathing? Besides exhaling during a crunch, I’m guessing you haven’t.
Breathing is the missing link in core training. Core muscles ARE your breathing muscles.
You can’t train your core without breathing. And you can’t breathe properly without having core strength.
So, train breathing and your core at the same time so they will coordinate and function fully for ANY activity you could want to do.
Bonus: Breathing properly will also trigger your parasympathetic nervous system which is your rest & digest response. So not only are you building core strength & endurance, tightening your tummy and building your capacity to do any activity you want, you’re also decreasing your overall stress and increasing your ability to relax. That’s my kind of training!
Read More:
Why Rest is More Important Than Your Workout
How My Core Strength Method Works
So if you aren’t doing high intensity training or ab circuits what does proper core training look like?
There are five core exercises that I start with. It doesn’t matter if you’re a total beginner or if you’ve been working out for a while. I have YET to meet anyone who didn’t benefit from these 5 core exercises.
If you’ve struggled with enjoying exercise, making exercise a habit, or maybe even found exercise to make you hurt more, these 5 exercises are exactly where you need to start. This method is super gentle. And it allows you to get in touch with your body while doing the most simple, natural thing for your body: breathing.
If you’re more advanced, you’ll be able to identify and correct your weak spots to boost your core and breathing function. You’ll probably see some pretty awesome improvements in your capabilities too whether it’s lifting heavier weight, running longer, or shaving time off your personal bests.
Fun fact: A 60 year old triathlete shaved 3 full minutes off her personal best triathlon after learning how to engage her core through breathing. She didn’t change ANY of her other training!
Once you get these 5 core exercises down, there are TONS of fun exercises you can add to your regimen, depending on your body’s needs.
I’ll introduce you to those 5 core exercises here, but you’ll definitely want to join the Strengthen Your Core Properly Challenge where I’ll teach you how to do them properly!
1. The Connection Breath
You start with breathing and really getting in touch with your body. This type of mindful breathing helps you feel the natural movement of your core while breathing deeply. This is the first step in stress reduction too!
2. 3D Breathing
Also known as diaphragmatic breathing, this breathing exercise is all about using your core to breathe properly. This is where the magic happens that helps you release tight areas, start relieving aches and pains, decreasing your stress levels and increasing your calm.
You will literally be using your breath to move the bones and muscles of your core to give yourself a gentle core massage while beginning to strengthen your core. If you’ve struggled with cardio because you get side stitches, burning lungs, or you fatigue too quickly – this is the breathing exercise that’s going to change all that.
3. Active Exhale
Once your core can move fully while you breathe properly, you’ll step up the core strengthening with this exercise. This is where the tummy toning really gets going. And when your core muscles are toned and activating properly, you’ll start getting even more relief from aches and pains while injury-proofing your body so you can live the active lifestyle you want.
4. Core + Glute Bridge
Now we get into the functional core work, or how to apply the breathing and core activation to other exercises. Your hips are arguably a part of the core, and also part of your legs. Either way, they are the next most important area to work because your hips combined with your core create the stable foundation your spine needs to support your body through the day and through every activity you could ever want to do.
You’ll learn how to properly engage your core and breathe while doing a basic glute bridge.
5. Core Marches
This exercise is another functional core exercise to really strengthen your core. Core Marches are a great example of a really good, effective core exercise. So as you start doing other exercises moving forward, there’s no need to do crunches ever again. Just core stabilization, strength and endurance work like Core Marches to support the proper functioning of your core!
How to Use The Core Strength Exercises
Practice these exercises every day for a week and see if you can work up to about 20 repetitions of each. You’ll be so amazed at how GOOD your body feels and how much more calm your mind is!
Once you’ve mastered these 5 exercises, you’ll be able to apply the breathing and core activation techniques to any exercises you’d like.
Try applying your new breathing and core activation techniques to the 25 Minute Hips & Core Workout!
Benefits of Core Strength
This is the Core Strengthening Method I’ve personally used to manage my Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. HEDS means that my body doesn’t make collagen properly so my body is extra stretchy. I have a hard time maintaining the muscular strength my body needs to keep my joints in place.
Over 14 months of working with my Physical Therapy team, I was able to build enough core strength and muscular endurance throughout my body that I was able to start living the active life I’d always wanted to live. I can now keep up with my kids, go on family adventures, and I even started running again!
My Physical Therapy protocol was very similar to the renowned Muldowney Protocol by Kevin Muldowney, PT. I’ve even gone through that protocol as well and while I highly recommend it, it does not include anything like my Core Strengthening Method.
I would never have had the success I have had with my Physical Therapy program without learning to strengthen my core through breathing.
While this Core Strengthening Method has worked near miracles for me and other people with HEDS, it is not just for people with weird genetic issues. I’ve used this method with a variety of clients and I have yet to meet someone who hasn’t benefited from these exercises.
One client could see a noticeable tightening in her tummy within 2 weeks and when she started my New to 5K Program, she had NO asthma flare-ups or side stitches!
Another client was able to cut her chiropractor visits for hip and leg pain back from monthly to only four times a year.
This method has also been incredibly effective for helping new moms (including me and some of my clients!) recover from pregnancy and delivery!
Benefits of My Core Strengthening Method:
- Tighten and tone your tummy from the inside out
- Improve low back pain and other aches and pains
- Injury-proof your body so you can enjoy life to the fullest
- Decrease stress and increase your calm
- Boost your energy
- Make cardio possible and enjoyable with no side stitches or burning lungs
- Boost results from other workouts
- Reduce chronic joint issues
- Increase strength and endurance to support an active lifestyle
Core Strength Done Properly
If you want to live an active life, you need a strong core. A weak core is directly correlated with back pain. Proper core strengthening should include breathing to strengthen and stabilize your deep core muscles. This will tighten and tone your tummy, improve or prevent low back pain and other injuries, and support a healthy, active lifestyle for the rest of your life.
Join the Strengthen Your Core Properly Challenge to get started!
References
Low Back Pain Fact Sheet https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet#3102_4
Chang, W.D., Lin, H.Y., & Lai, P.T. (2015). Core strength training for patients with chronic low back pain. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 27(3), 619-622. https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.27.619