The benefits of a strong core
The maturation of all movement skills starts in the muscles of the core and extends outwards for that point. The exercise terminology for this process is proximal to distal development. Movement skills of motor development starts with the larger, slower muscle so of the core early in our life’s as a child. These are known as the proximal muscles and these movements are known as gross motor patterns. As we grow, the control of fine motor skills develops. These are controlled by the small muscle of the extremities, known as the distal muscles. Regardless of the movements you perform, a strong core will promote effective and efficient movement functions.
You have probably heard the saying “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link”. Well due to the fact that we now spend a vast proportion of our daily lives either seated or lying down, the core musculature has become the weakest link. When you perform actions both in your daily lives and in sport, you frequently generate power in the lower body that is then transferred into movement in the upper body. If the core or mid-section is weak, some of the power generated will be dissipated and the upper body movement will be weaker. A good example to demonstrate this would be to look at a golf swing.
The good news is that, regardless of age, there are many excellent exercises that can be performed to improve core strength. When considering any new exercise, you should try to perform movements that related to your sport or those you perform regularly in your everyday life. Functional exercises that involve large co-ordinated movements or the body are generally ideal. For more on functional exercise, see the related article.
If you are looking to improve body tone or reduce fat levels within the body, strengthening the core musculature can be of great benefit. The reason for this is that a weak core often causes postural problems such as anterior pelvic tilt, where the pelvis tilts forward or posterior pelvic tilt where it tilts back. If left to develop these cause a rounding of the shoulders, back pain and pronounce the belly. Therefore developing better postural strength will help you to stand more erect, look leaner and improve the appearance of the body.
