Your core is basically the center of your personal universe. If something goes wrong there, you could feel it all over and it could be debilitating. The core consists of the muscles from your hips up to your shoulders and there are numerous reasons to keep your core toned and in tip-top shape.
Improved balance and stability. If you have a weak core, your shoulders may be a little slumped forward and you may have weak back muscles and tight shoulder muscles, thus misaligning your center of gravity. This can lead to imbalances in your whole body and will make getting around when you’re older a lot more difficult. Working on strengthening your core will help you to stand taller and to be less prone to slips and falls.
Better posture. When you stand tall with your shoulders pressed back, your back muscles pulled back and down and your head held high you automatically send a message of confidence out to the world. Mentally and physically you feel empowered, and who wouldn’t want to feel that way? You look taller, your center of gravity is where it should be and your body is in tune, functioning the way it was meant to. A properly aligned and stabilized spine also helps your mental functioning to improve, allowing your brain to receive messages from the body more efficiently.
Eliminate back pain. So many people are affected by lower back pain. A strong core all but eliminates that nagging pulling and tightness feeling that many people suffer from. Doing back exercises are extremely important in building up your lower back muscles so you can perform daily activities without the pain.
Feel younger. This is actually a by-product of the improved stability and eliminated back pain you’ll experience. You are more able to perform everyday tasks. Your agility, balance and strength are all working together harmoniously to allow you to feel younger and stronger.
Toned abs. C’mon, who doesn’t want toned abs? Summer is creeping around the corner and there are so many of us who would love to be able to rock that cute little two piece. Working on those ab muscles will help to make you feel strong and sexy for the summer.
And one of the best reasons, you don’t need expensive equipment or a gym membership to do core exercises. Planks, crunches and back extensions can all be done in your living room. To make it more challenging, get a stability ball and do your exercises on that. It’s a small investment with a major payoff!
So try incorporating more core exercises into your workouts and you’ll soon notice a stronger and sexier you!
