The core is a magical part of the body that gets referenced by almost every fitness person or program. “Toning your core” or “Getting a shredded Core” are the headlines that sell fitness magazines, but what is it exactly?
The core is the musculature that starts at the nipple line and ends at the pelvis. There are over 50 muscles within that area, and many of them are deep within the midsection.
The core muscles include the lats, the largest muscles on the back, and some of the glutes, the largest muscles in the legs. However, most of the time when we talk about the core, we are specifically referencing about the abdominal muscles, which help support the spine.
By stiffening the muscles around the spine and “tightening the core” you can make sure that the low back stays safe when using weights.
The way to create a proper stiffness in the core and activate all the deep layers of the muscles is drawing your belly button in toward your spine gently, then “bearing down” as if you were about to cake your pants.
You’ll be able to tell if you did this correctly if you put your hands on your midsection at the belly button line with your thumb in back, and fingers in front. If you feel tension in all 4 parts of the midsection, you’re good too go.
