Editor's note: Consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program. Stop immediately if you feel pain.
CNN
—
A typical New Year's resolution is to exercise more, but it can be difficult to know where to start. Some choose fitness classes. Some people plan with a personal trainer or train at home. No matter which option you choose, the phrase “strengthen your core” is likely to come up during your workout.
To achieve your fitness goals, it's important to strengthen and tone your core. JaQuine Washington, strength coach and owner of Harlem Kettlebell Club in New York, said a strong core creates the power to be physically stronger, become a better runner, and play sports more effectively.
Strengthening your core has benefits outside of the gym, including increasing stability and reducing your risk of injury from future falls.
Whether you're a regular gym goer or just trying to get back in shape, it's important to activate your core muscles during almost every workout. But what does this mean? A fitness expert explains which muscles to use, how to make sure you're doing it correctly, and exercises to strengthen your core .
read more: Exercise Quiz — Find the workout that's right for you
The first step to properly activating your core is knowing which muscles are being used. Ashley Vielma, also known as Coach AV, a Pilates instructor at Club Pilates Richmond in Texas, said that when most people talk about a strong core, they think of a six-pack.
Abs are part of core strength, but they aren't the only component.
“Some people have visible abs, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have a strong core,” Washington added. “Depending on how you train your abdominal muscles, some people may have a toned core even if their abdominal muscles are not visible.''
In addition to the abdominal muscles, a person's core includes the muscles of the back and pelvic floor. All of these muscles help with everyday activities such as sitting, walking, bending, and standing by supporting the spine and stabilizing the core area. Vielma said strong core muscles give you the ability to rotate and twist your torso. It may look like the force required to return to an upright position after bending down.
When it comes to strengthening your core, people confuse it with sucking in your tummy. In fact, sucking in your gut can weaken your core. Vielma explained that this movement lifts the shoulders and sinks the neck, which puts pressure on the back and neck, which over time can cause chronic pain from tightness and pressure. Additionally, unnecessary tension makes it difficult to breathe normally and weakens other core muscles, such as the pelvic floor.
“Inhaling is thought to be an activation that is the opposite of proper core engagement,” Bielma says. By practicing breathing regularly, you can tell the subtle difference between a relaxed stomach and a tense stomach. Washington said when you exhale, your stomach retracts, giving you the tightening action you should feel as you activate your core.
Core muscles are used every day, so she said to prioritize core training in every workout. If you're a beginner, you'll want to start with breathing exercises to get more familiar with how your core works.
Visualization is another way to learn how to activate your core. Washington said imagine a boxer about to get punched in the stomach. The next step is to avoid damage as much as possible. Absorbing the shock to your intestines means keeping your body stiff and your abdomen tense. Another visualization, says Marisa Fuller, owner of Studio Pilates International in Brooklyn, New York, is to imagine drawing your belly button inward toward the back of your spine.
Planks are great for core strength, especially since they require you to retract your belly button to maintain proper form. In a plank, you keep your body in a straight line and stay in a push-up-like position for as long as possible. Holding a plank pose is more effective at activating your core muscles than doing crunches. the study I found it.
To perform a plank, your shoulders should be away from your ears, your wrists should be in line with your shoulders, and your spine should be neutral so you don't arch or sink into the mat. A neutral spine aligns his three natural curves: the neck, upper back, and lower back.
Micolette/E+/Getty Images
The plank is an important exercise for strengthening your core. Start with two sets of 10 second holds and build up to 20 or 30 second holds or side planks.
Washington recommended starting small, such as two sets of 10-second holds, and building up to 20- or 30-second holds or side planks.
“If you can only plank for 30 seconds now, don't fight for two minutes, because the higher the resistance, the harder it will be on your core,” Washington warned. Rather, it is better to gradually increase the holding time. Gradually increase the intensity over several sessions as the intensity increases.
Vielma recommended a core-strengthening Pilates exercise called the Hundred. The person should lift their shoulders off the mat and extend their arms in front of them about 1 to 2 inches above their hips to lift their neck and chest. Lift his legs an inch or two off the ground (stretched or bent as if you were sitting on a chair) and crumple there while simultaneously moving your arms an inch or two above and below him.
A set of 100 reps is usually recommended for this workout. People breathe in for 5 seconds while pulsating their arms 5 times. Then, exhale for 5 seconds and move your arms 5 more times. In total, this corresponds to 10 inhalations and exhalations and 100 arm pulses.
“The Hundred is one of the most effective exercises for core strength and is a full-body workout, so you can think of it as a plank in a way,” says Bielma.
As with any workout, those who train the most consistently will see results. Washington recommended that he sprinkle one or two core moves into every workout. Even if you can only work out once a week, incorporating core work into your sessions can help build strength, Fuller added. If you train consistently, you may start seeing results in just a few days. 8 weeks.
For best results, Fuller recommended practicing core exercises at least three times a week.
Jocelyn Solis Moreira is a freelance health science journalist based in New York.
