Your core is the centre of your body, and it’s made up of three muscle groups: the rectus abdominis (your “six-pack”), the obliques, and the transverse abdominis. The most important muscles are your deep abdominal muscles because they help support your back, pelvis and spine. Therefore, core training is an incredibly important part of any exercise regime.
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Benefits of core training
Many people think that core training is just for those who want to look good in a bathing suit. There are, however, many other benefits to core training that you should consider if you want to be healthier and stronger on the inside and out.
Core strength is necessary for many different types of exercise. Without it, you can’t lift as much or perform certain movements properly – and this means that your workouts will be less effective overall. By improving your core strength through regular exercise sessions and targeted workouts like Pilates or Yoga classes, however, you’ll find yourself able to lift more weight during each session while also being able to improve upon existing skills such as jumping higher or running faster than ever before!
Good posture helps prevent injuries by keeping us balanced when we move around our bodies; bad posture causes us discomfort over time because it puts pressure on certain parts (like our backs) which then cause pain when we move around too much without giving them enough rest between activities like walking long distances every day after work hours finishes up late at night.
Why you should be doing core training exercises
When you think about core training, what comes to mind? Is it a bunch of people doing crunches in the gym and making funny faces? Or maybe you think of someone doing planks on an exercise ball. Whatever your mental image may be, it’s time to get rid of it because core exercises can benefit more than just your abs.
Core training is good for your health and fitness
Core training improves posture and balance (you’ll stand taller with better alignment).
Training your core relieves back pain by strengthening back muscles that support the spine (this helps prevent injuries).
Core exercises help improve functional movement patterns like squatting, bending over or picking things up off the floor without straining yourself unnecessarily. You know those movements where we usually end up hurting ourselves because we’re not using our backs properly? Well now there’s a solution!
Which are the best core training exercises?
There are loads of exercises that are great for core training. Some are easier than others, so it’s best to start with something like the plank before moving on to the more challenging poses.
Once you’ve mastered this move, you can move onto bird dog, the superman, side plank and dead planks.
The Plank
The plank is one of the most basic core exercises. It strengthens your entire body and can be done anywhere – the gym, living room – anywhere!
How to do the plank
Lie face down on the floor, with arms at shoulder level and legs straight behind you (like a push-up position).
Tuck your toes under and lift up onto them so that only your forearms and toes are touching the floor. Your back should be straight from head to tailbone; don’t let it sag or arch up too much! Hold for as long as possible without letting go of any part of your body – your hands or feet need not touch again until after time has elapsed for one rep.
The Superman hold
To do the Superman hold, lie face down on a bench or other sturdy surface and place your forearms on the floor. Your legs should be straight in front of you with toes pointed (or flexed). Lift them up off of the ground so that only your torso is supported by the bench, keeping core engaged throughout. Hold for time or repetitions.
This exercise works multiple muscle groups at once – your shoulders, back and glutes are all engaged as well as smaller muscles like those in arms and legs. It also helps improve posture because it requires good alignment from head to toe in order for it to be effective!
If this is too difficult for you at first try doing some single leg raises instead of full body ones until they get easier before adding more resistance into this movement pattern again later down road when progressions have been mastered more fully over time with consistent practice sessions being performed regularly each week over long periods of time.
The Bird Dog
The bird dog is a classic core exercise that works your lower back, hamstrings and glutes.
How to perform a bird dog
Lie on your stomach with your arms straight in front of you. Lift up onto all fours and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute before returning to starting position. Repeat three times per set (one set equals three repetitions). Perform 1-3 sets three times per week for four weeks.
Side planks
Side planks are a great way to strengthen your core, improve posture and increase balance. They can be performed with either one or two legs raised (depending on your level of fitness).
How to Perform a Side Plank
Place yourself on your side in a straight line from head to toe. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips, and both feet should be flat on the floor.
Lift one leg off the floor so that only one foot remains touching it; keep this position for 30 seconds before switching sides. Repeat 10 times per side. Hold for one minute total. If this is too easy for you, try doing multiple sets of 15 reps with each leg raised at once!
Dead Bugs
Dead bugs are an excellent core training exercise for strengthening your lowest abdominal muscles. To do dead bugs, lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift arms off of the floor, keeping elbows bent at 90 degrees; keep them close to your ears but not touching them.
Core training is a great way to improve your health and fitness
Core training is a great way to improve your health and fitness. Core training can help relieve back pain by strengthening your back and abdominal muscles so they’re better able to support your spine during activity.
It helps improve your posture and balance, which makes it easier for you to move around without getting hurt or falling over. It does this by activating deep inner-abdominal muscles that connect through the pelvis to the lower back.
Stronger abs will lead to better performance in sports or at work, because they allow you to exert more force with each contraction of the muscle group (think about how much harder it is for someone who has never done crunches before versus someone who does them regularly). The core muscles are like a belt that supports your spine, keeping it strong and preventing injury.
While core training may not directly treat a specific condition such as arthritis or scoliosis, they can help people with these issues by strengthening their spines. This will help them handle more physical activity without causing further damage.
Find something you enjoy
The most important thing about core training is to find something you enjoy doing so you’ll stick with it! Whether you prefer yoga or Pilates or Zumba classes at your gym, give it a try! And remember: if one exercise doesn’t work well for you right now (or ever), don’t give up – there are lots of other exercises out there that might be more effective than this one.
Hopefully, all this will have helped you understand what core training is and the benefits it can provide. We hope that you’re now inspired to start incorporating some core exercises into your daily routine!