Why Core Training Is Important
Many people think that core training is simply another name for abdominal exercises, but this is incorrect. Core training is about training your body's foundation — the muscles that support good posture and efficient movement. Core training does not focus on a single muscle, but rather focuses on improving how the muscles at the center of your body work together to provide you with stability, balance, and control over your movement.
Core training focuses on building endurance in the muscles that support the spine, shoulders, and hips, and in improving the integration of how these muscles create stability. Earlier chapters focused on how to train some of these same muscles to improve specific muscular strength and endurance. This chapter focuses on how to train these muscles to work together to support the body as a singular unit. Well-trained core muscles improve every aspect of daily living, because whenever we are awake we benefit from movement control. In addition, you could say that core training even helps improve your slumber because you will avoid back pain and other aches that may disrupt restful sleep.
Modern living has taken many of the normal challenges to movement out of our lives such as walking on uneven surfaces and sitting without back support; therefore, it's necessary to incorporate core training into our daily routine to remind these muscles of the work that they need to do to provide stability. These exercises are the most important part of your program, because good alignment is essential to effective aerobic and weight training, as well as to every other aspect of your life. If you don't have time for anything else, always try to fit in some core training.
When you have good posture, your joints are properly aligned and you do not suffer excess strain in your neck, shoulders, back, hips or knees; you enjoy more efficient movement in all of your joints; you have better range of motion and flexibility from more balanced muscle development; and your internal organs function more efficiently.
Creating Good Posture and Stability
Core training creates good posture and stability in the body by targeting those muscles at the body's innermost layers. These muscles provide support to the spinal column, to the shoulders, and to the pelvis. The value of good posture goes far beyond looking attractive.
Improving Balance
Core training improves balance because it targets the deep muscles of your abdominals and your lower back, which are responsible for your body's sensitivity to where you are in space. For example, if you lose your footing, these muscles at the innermost layers of your spine react quickly to readjust your weight distribution and restore your balance. Improving the tone of these muscles goes a long way to prevent accidents. Investing in training your core helps ensure that you won't trip down the aisle as you stroll gracefully down to meet your fiancé!
Preventing Aches, Pains, and Injuries
Most adults suffer from back pain at some point in their life. It's the leading cause of disability from work in the United States. Because you're under considerable stress with all the preparatory tasks for your wedding and honeymoon, you want to be sure that you avoid back pain. Core training targets the muscles of the back, abdominals, and pelvic floor to ensure good posture. This training helps you to stand and sit properly, avoid tension in the neck and shoulder area, and to lift and carry things without straining your back or shoulders.
Improving Your Sex Life
Studies show that becoming more fit in general improves your sex life. Core training, specifically, tones up your pelvic floor and deep abdominals, restores spinal flexibility, and improves control over your pelvis, which all together adds up to more enjoyment from sex. Not only will you have more endurance, you'll also enjoy more sensitivity. This is a great benefit for any married couple.
