CORE THE POWER STORE

CORE THE POWER STORE

“Hold that core tight”, is that a familiar phrase you hear from your trainer when you are working out at the gym or at your studio. Well why is it so important to hold that core tight. It is, as it is your power house of energy, your support for everyday movement without pain, your spine protector; let’s sum it up to your most necessary muscle group.

When I say ‘strong core’ I do not mean six pack abs, we don’t want to look superficially strong only, we want to be strong from deep inside, long term, leading a pain free life.

The moment you are in pain you are distracted from what you want to do in life.

Very importantly; the entire life your spine especially your lumbar region takes up most of the active pressure, right from standing, sitting or bending; so it goes through a lot of wear and tear. If you have a strong core you are taking off the load from that overworked spine and giving it some help or support to carry out its daily activity without back pain. Back pain has become the word next door as strengthening exercises take a back seat and only the look good muscles are concentrated upon.

Here are 5 very easy exercise you can include in your daily activity to train that core (the abs, pelvic floor, the obliques, the gluteus, the back muscles) to be strong.

It very much starts with a neutral spine.

1. Standing, sitting or laying down pull you navel towards your spine without holding your breath. Hold as long as you can and do the following exercises.
2. Lying down on the mat keeping your knees flexed, press your lumbar spine into the mat, hold for 5 counts and release. Repeat 15 times.
3. Lying down on to a mat lift up into a bridge pose and tighten your pelvic floor contract all the muscles surrounding it. Lower and lift again. Repeat 15 times.
4. Sitting upright with your knees flexed and feet firmly on the floor, lower your back such that you form an 60 degree angle with the floor, now keeping your back flat and chest out hold your hands behind your head and twist to the right hold for 3sec and twist back. Repeat 10 times and repeat to the left. I hope you are still pulling your navel to your spine the point no.1.
5. Now on you all fours, lift one leg up and flex your knee such that you foot is facing the ceiling, make sure your thigh is in line with your abdomen, now without dropping the knee keep pushing your foot upward towards the ceiling. Repeat with the other leg.

Relax !! :-)

From The Pep Up studio Desk.

-Moushumi Nagarkar.