10 Benefits of a having a Strong Core for Women
Your core is the center of every movement that you make. When it comes to having a strong core, there are the obvious surface level benefits - a hard flat stomach is attractive - but more than just the aesthetic benefits, having a strong core allows you a far better quality of life. If you were to remove anything on this list of benefits, it would have an immediate impact on mobility and freedom of movement - which I would argue is an important contributor to overall quality of life. Here are 10 of the biggest perks of having a strong, stable core.
A strong core supports good posture. Having bad posture is like having a weak, moist handshake. It’s immediately obvious to everyone, and it speaks volumes about your confidence. Standing tall, with your shoulders black, is a signal to the world that you are someone to treat with respect and take seriously, and having a strong core will allow for better posture, and more positive first impressions.
Your core isn’t just the famed ‘six pack’ area, the core wraps around your entire torso, including your sides and back. When all of these muscles are strong and stable, it helps to keep your whole body in alignment which will help make bad posture a thing of the past.
A strong core improves your balance. Having a strong core gives you a solid base and foundation for all of your movements. This means less stumbles, and being less off balance when you exercise and move throughout your daily life. Balance and mobility go hand in hand, particularly as we age. Falls, in life and while exercising, are a leading cause of serious injury for women. Having the strength and balance to keep your feet firmly under you will keep you safe and capable.
A strong core supports your running, jogging and walking mechanics. Solid core strength allows the pelvis, hips and lower back to work seamlessly together when you run, walk or jog, improving your overall activity performance and reducing the risk of injuries.
A strong core increases your stability. Because your core wraps around your entire torso, a strong core will keep your trunk stabilized when you exercise - meaning that your workouts will be more efficient, your balance will be on point and you will be capable of exerting more power and energy when you lift and move.
A strong core protects your vital organs. Your liver, spleen and kidneys all live right behind your abdominal wall. Having strong core muscles keeps these organs in-place and protected.
A strong core makes everything that you do in your day to day life easier. All of the movements that take place in your non-exercise activities are sometimes referred to as ‘functional fitness’. This includes things like lifting bags of groceries out of the car trunk, pulling a piece of furniture, vacuuming under the bed - whatever tasks and challenges that life throws at you. All of these ‘functional’ movements will be orders of magnitude easier for you if you have a strong core. Anything physically taxing will be less onerous, and you will experience this as the ability to effectively do more each day, getting more accomplished because you are not faced with the significant limitations that can come from having a weak core. Just ask anyone that suffers from lower back pain all of the things that they can’t do anymore, and you will appreciate the benefit of having a strong core.
A strong core will reduce and prevent debilitating muscle pain. A strong core has been proven to help to significantly reduce and prevent back pain (particularly the lower back region) and discomfort. People with strong core muscles are much less likely to report aches and pains associated with movement and exercise. Making your core strength a priority is an effective insurance policy against debilitating and chronic pain.
Having a strong core boosts your power. The power for most ‘active’ movements - like swinging a racket or a bat, throwing a ball (or a punch) or even lifting a dumbbell comes from core muscle activation. With so many power movements rooted in your core muscles, having a strong, stable core will give you the power and strength to move effectively when it comes to almost any sport or activity. Interestingly, a recent study has shown that crunches and sit-ups are not the most effective exercise to target your core muscles. A standing exercise that you would likely never guess has been shown to be the best way to work the core. You can find out which exercise that is here. This brings up a good point - the best approach to training your core is by taking a full-body approach to the way you exercise. Many exercises that target your legs and thighs for example are also amazing at hammering the core. Here at BodyRock, we take this full-body approach to training, which means that most of the time, even if you don’t even realize it, you are effectively toning and torching the core area.
Having a strong core supports HIIT & Strength Training workouts. HIIT and Strength training are the most efficient fat loss and general athletic conditioning workouts that exist. No other style of workout will get you as strong or lean as fast as this style of training. That's why all of our workouts here at BodyRock focus on HIIT and strength training - usually fused together into one session. The results from this style of training - particularly for beginners, is nothing short of miraculous, which brings me to the takeaway point. A strong core is not just for advanced fitness enthusiasts, coaches and athletes. A strong core is something that is available for everyone at any fitness level, body shape or size. You also don’t have to have visible muscle tone or definition to have a strong core. Having a strong core is the foundation for a lifetime of freedom of movement and mobility. It’s not something that you get with a particular number on the scale and it’s not handed out with a certain dress size. A strong core is something you work on improving, just like the rest of your fitness. It’s why we focus on toning your core in our 30 Day Beginner Bootcamp, setting your core as a priority goal right out of the gate by activating it throughout each workout - even when you didn’t realize it.
Having a strong core helps you age well. From better balance, to better posture, to greater exercise performance (and faster results), a strong core will directly impact the overall quality of your life - especially when it comes to reducing aches and pains and limiting the risks of injury. A strong core is everyone’s right - it’s not just for the ultra fit, and as I’ve previously mentioned, the benefits go way beyond the surface level appeal of a six-pack.
If you want to make your core a priority, while working on your overall conditioning, fat loss and overall fitness, but you don’t know how or where to get started, join us for our 30 Day Beginner Bootcamp workout series on our fitness streaming service BodyRockPlus.com (think NetFlix for workouts) - this series was created specifically for beginners, and it doesn’t matter if you haven’t trained in years or even decades. Each workout is between 10-15 minutes in duration, and incorporates core specific exercises that you will be able to do as a beginner.
A shot from our 30 Day Beginner Bootcamp Workout Series.
Over 250k women (and men) have successfully completed our Beginner Bootcamp, and taken their first steps towards their fitness and weight loss goals. We’d love to welcome you and help you get in the best shape of your life from home, or anywhere you feel comfortable training. For a limited time, we are offering a full year of unlimited access to our Beginner Bootcamp series (and all of our beginner programs) for just $69 with code: NY22. Thats a full year of workouts and support. If you like our vibe here at BodyRock, we hope that you will give the 30 Day Beginner Bootcamp a go.
Best,
Freddy