Dude, Where's My Core?

Written by Andrew Wallen, MS, CSCS, NASM- CPT

One of the most popular if not the most popular term in the fitness and performance industry today is the word 'core'. You probably hear it all over the TV as the next piece of junk exercise equipment is trying to be sold on an infomercial or from your local personal trainer at your gym who is trying to sell you on the next Abs class. Either way, whenever you hear the word core a few common questions should be answered. What exactly is the 'core'? Where does it exist on my body? And most importantly how does it function? As I try to answer these questions, I ask that you please keep an open mind for this concept. Some of it may sound like a foreign language but I promise you I’m speaking from science.

The 'core' is what is commonly referred to as the center of the body meaning the area between your shoulders and hips. Many different cultures and practices talk about the core as the center of all movement or your power center during exercise activities. The biggest myth I want to smash here is the thought process that the ‘core’ is just your abs or to be more specific your rectus abdominus. When thinking about the abs as the ‘core’ many people then like to slide the spot reduction theory in the back door. Okay. Yes, I'm going to flat-out say it: you can't get a wash-board ‘core’ from doing specific activities that target the core, i.e. crunches. It that were the case then I would be a millionaire, and that's definitely not true. Your performance lifestyle (nutrition, sleep, workouts & supplementation)plays the most important role in getting those wash-board abs. There has never been credible research that supports the theory that 'core crunches' reduce your waist-line and provide you with an old-school washing board for your weekend laundry duty. In fact, doing traditional core work might actually lead you straight to a successful lower back injury and an increased waist line due to the inactivity that would follow. I know this alone is a whole new argument for another day (feel free to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it me with any questions or comments).

The ‘core’ consists of many different muscles that originate or attach to different segments of the spine. I don't want to bore you too much with big Latin words but what I do want you to remember is that there are approximately 20 muscles that play a very functional roll in reducing, stabilizing, and producing force throughout the ‘core’. These many different muscles could definitely be broken down into a more anatomical level but what needs to be observed here is: without a doubt they function as an integrative whole. To try and isolate any of these muscles is foolish and a definite waste of precious workout time which we all need to guard in light of today’s fast-paced society.

The most important question of how does the core function is this: The core functions first as an anti-rotator, a key stabilizer for the lower spine. The lower spine doesn't have much ability to rotate and twist so therefore the core acts as a stabilizer to prevent that. Another great function of the core is as a trunk stabilizer in un-wanted flexion and/or extension of the lower spine. If the core is not functioning properly, this dysfunctional movement especially under load could be very painful over time and detrimental to your overall goals. Furthermore the core acts as the transfer of force area where the body consistently transfers force from the arms to the legs and vice versa. If the ‘core’ is weak and is not performing this job well you will have what is called 'energy leaks' throughout the body which will definitely decrease all maximal production of any strength qualities and possibly lead to injury.

Here, I have offered a very "Reader’s Digest™" version of the ‘core’, hoping to educate the average person that hears all this ‘core’ talk and doesn’t know exactly what to do with it. I hope this article provides some insight into what the ‘core’ is and how it functions. I want you all to keep in mind that the core is a very complex area but yet extremely important to the healthy function of the body. With the right exercise routine you can actually say you have a healthy ‘core’ and know what you’re talking about.

*Andrew Wallen is the president/CEO of Integrated Movement. He has a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science while holding numerous professional certifications. Integrated Movement is a personal training and sports performance training studio located in Valparaiso, IN. Integrated Movement strives to achieve success through science. www.integratedmovement.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it