We have discussed the importance of core strength many times and I am sure many of you have read articles on this as well. What isn’t always clear is why having a strong core is so important.
For starters, the core is synonymous with posture, and posture is connected to almost everything. “When we don’t have a healthy, upright posture, our organs are compressed and our breath is restricted. And so much of our life and vitality comes from our breath.
A strong, supportive core can help you avoid pain and injuries so you can keep doing all the things you love. “Think of the pelvis as a hula hoop and all of your muscles as strings attached to it. If one string is pulling really hard on one side and another string on the other side is slack, the hula hoop tilts.” This muscle imbalance between sides can lead to a tilted pelvis, hip issues, back and knee pain. If you exercise with an imbalanced body, you add stress, which can result in chronic pain and dysfunction.
Lastly, your core is the body’s anchor system. Your shoulders and hips are ball joints; they’re meant to move, reach, and step over things. Your legs and arms hook into your core. If your core is weak and imbalanced, your brain “can’t trust it as the support that keeps your limbs safe when they need to move in space.”
“When your core is strong and balanced, not only does your brain know it can keep you safe, but it’s also easier to move,” he says. “You have the ability and freedom to move about in the world independently.” If you want to live a full life, you cannot afford to ignore your core.
The bottom line: If you want to live a full, limitless life, you can’t ignore your core. The exercises mentioned in one of our previous article can help build the core strength you need. Click here.