Core Strengthening

Monday, 17 October 2011 - From Steve L. Gordon PT, DPT     Share on Facebook

Everyone enjoying the good fall weather? Who would've thought we would still be seeing hot days! Now is the time that everyone is back into some kind of a routine with school starting but routine is definitely not good when it comes to exercising. You need to spice it up and keep your body guessing of what's next. Most people don't know that our muscles have memory of what has been done before and when something becomes routine its not efficient at burning calories and building lean muscle. Their is a way to change this! One way is to do interval training. Interval training is simply changing up the speed or intensity of your daily workout. For example, if you like to walk on the treadmill for 20min, try to change it up by adding a high grade incline, or a quick sprint every other minute. This will increase your heart rate and put a higher demand on the muscles to keep them guessing what's next. Another way, is to change your workout routine frequently. Alternating upper and lower body exercises is a good way to do it. Pick a few opposing muscle groups (ex. biceps & triceps, quadriceps & hamstrings) and work them out one day and pick different ones the next day. This will not only help build lean muscle mass but also do it in a balanced way. Please let us know if we can help spice up your gym routine to get better and faster results.

We always hope to exceed your expectations!

No matter what activity you participate in, your "core" is the center of all muscle activity. Your core is much like the middle link to a thick, sturdy chain. The upper part of the chain is your upper body; the bottom part of the chain is your lower body and the two are connected at the center. A stronger core will not only give you a stronger foundation for your upper and lower body, it will also enhance your stability and balance.

Everything you do, whether you know it or not, uses your body’s core. Let’s take a look…

• Recreational activities and sports - Every single sport (football, baseball, tennis, golf and even skiing), depends on your body’s core for strength and stability.
• Everyday movements - Simple movements like getting in/out of bed or emptying the dishwasher require the use of your core muscles.
• Work/job tasks - Any job you perform relies on the core muscles for stability. There are some jobs (especially ones that involve repetitive lifting) that depend on core strength and stability more than others.
• Balance and stability - Since your core is truly the "center" of your body and supports your body’s upper and lower extremities and spine, it is used in every single functional task you perform.
• A healthy back - Back pain can be excruciating and tends to limit many of your activities. It is estimated that 4 out of 5 people will experience back pain at some point in life. Strengthening the core muscles is the "secret ingredient" to keeping your back healthy.
• Gardening and housework - Daily tasks like vacuuming, mopping a floor and making a bed all utilize the strength of your core.
• Posture - Having a weak core can lead to poor posture, which in turn contributes to back pain.
• You can see from the small list above that the core muscles play a vital role in keeping you strong and injury free.
  

Strong To The Core

The benefits of a strong core include:

• Improved balance and stability for daily activities and recreational activities - core exercises train the muscles of your abdomen, hips, pelvis and lower back.
  
• Increase ease of performance with daily activities - a stronger core can make many things easier and pain free. Examples include swinging a golf club, reaching up to grab a plate in your kitchen cabinet and picking up your child.
  
• Increased confidence - the stronger you are, the more you can do and the more confident you feel.
  
• Pain relief and strength - Relieve lower back pain and prevent future back pain.

It is not as hard to build core strength and stabilization as you may think. You don't need any specialized equipment to target the core muscles. All you need is a good physical therapist.

Your physical therapist will be able to not only create an exercise routine specifically for you, but will also be able to monitor your progress. Our staff is highly trained in identifying muscle imbalances and weaknesses. This information is used to craft an individualized program based on your preferences, needs and goals.

Call us today to see how we can make your daily activities easier by facilitating the strength of your core muscles. We look forward to showing you what physical therapy can do for your core.

Note: Please do not start any exercise routine without the consent of your physician.