Core, what is it good for? Five reasons why core strength is important and how you can build it.
Since I began teaching Pilates classes online I have run weekly focus sessions, to keep things interesting, and to respond directly to the needs and requests of my clients. Core strength is always coming up one way or another — namely because it’s so important for preventing muscle and joint aches and pains, as well as poor posture.
It also turns up a lot because the muscles that make up your core can be tricky to identify or engage, and therefore to build. It’s certainly no bicep. Strange, given that ‘a strong core’ is bandied about left right and centre as the Holy Grail of #fitnessgoals.
Core, what is it good for? Was — as I thought — the rather inspired name for one of these focus Pilates classes. I had expected clients to roar, ‘absolutely everything!’ which is of course where I was going with the whole thing. Sadly, it was just the two people who made the Starr connection. But in my head, the week’s core strength classes were powered by this top notch tune. Which incidentally I did spend many months roaring, up and down the streets of Manchester and London, that devastating year when our government embroiled us all in a completely unjustified — many would say illegal — war. (Ooop! Politics? Controversial.)
I’m still not sure that warrants my appropriation of the song for a Lark online Pilates class. However. To my mind, both versions of the song carry important messages, in relative terms. So…
So your core. Really, what is it good for? And first, what even is it?
What does core strength mean?
Your core is made up of two sets of super smart muscles that work in tandem to support your lower back and pelvis through all the adventures and misadventures of everyday life.
These two sets of muscles are: your deep abdominals, or your transversus abdominus, a layer of muscle that wraps around your lower back and tum like a belt. If you tighten this belt of muscles, you engage your core.
The second set of muscles is your pelvic floor or the base of your pelvis. It’s a hammock-like set of muscles that run from your tailbone at the back, to your pubic bone at the front. If you gently lift your pelvic floor up and in, you are engaging your core. Unsure what I mean?
For anyone who lives on the British Isles, a helpful example of automatic core engagement using your pelvic floor, would be the summer hols sensation of jumping into a cold sea. That sense of ‘lift!’ is it. But without the sharp intake of breath.
Speaking of lift, if you’re not a fan of cold water fun, you could also imagine that fraught scenario — trying not to break wind as you stand in close proximity to an attractive other while gliding from the ground to the 21st floor. That is also strong core engagement situation.
The ace thing about your core is that if you engage one set of muscles, the other set automatically switches on too. It’s a double whammy of support for that super important part of your body.
Consider the human skeleton: the lower back and pelvic area area is pretty central. It’s a shock absorber, it’s the structure that determines how much of the rest of the body is aligned, it’s the connection point for those limbs that enable us to gallop about this beautiful Earth, and it’s also the centre for some pretty key bodily functions. In short, it is totally central. And that’s why in Pilates we often refer to the core as the centre.
Pre- and postnatally, women are very much encouraged to do pelvic floor exercises — essential when carrying the weight of a baby for so many months. Specially designed Pilates classes are ace for mums-to-be and new mums too. But pelvic floor exercises are super important for all.
Oooft. Well that was all a bit much. But now we’ve got through some of the nitty gritty, let’s get into a few of the reasons why a strong core is a jolly good thing.
core strength for lower back pain
Sudden or repetitive stress situations for your lower back can lead to pain. Recent examples I have come across in my work include: planting a bazillion spring bulbs, laying a beautiful new parquet floor, the pull of a strong dog on its lead, playing Tetris with heavy furniture, long hours desk-working in a poor postural position. All everyday-ish stuff.
But with a top notch set of muscles around your lower spine and pelvis, i.e. a strong core, you can help or prevent or mitigate lower back pain as the muscles work efficiently to both stabilise and support.
Poor posture is also a common cause of back pain. Pilates can be ace for building good postural alignment over time — this is largely thanks to all those foundational core strength and stability exercises.
At Lark I teach the APPI Pilates method. Each exercise is based on one of Joseph Pilates’ originals, but updated with the latest research in physiotherapy. Most of these exercises can be taught through a progression of levels, and the lowest levels are designed to build core muscle strength without loading or putting pressure through the lower back at all — so Pilates may be ideal if you have lower back pain.
core strength for balance
As outlined above, the lower back and pelvis area is a pivotal part of the body. If you struggle with balance, sure you may need to strengthen your leg muscles — but likely too that you will benefit from a stronger core. If your core is strong and working efficiently it will automatically kick into action in an icy pavement or muddy path situation. And this is a good thing. This can help you slow, control, or even save a fall.
As someone who is always getting into adventure-related scrapes…wet rocks, dog sleds, streams, muddy fields and cattle grids all immediately spring to mind…I have a long and practical appreciation of the benefits of core strength in a broad range of sliding scenarios.
core strength for running
A strong core is ace for runners who regularly gallop the streets, or even more fun, the off-road trails. It provides stability across the pelvis and lumbar spine, which transfers down, helping stabilise the hips, knees and ankles too — all common areas for injury. Because running involves such repetitive movement a slight imbalance can reduce movement efficiency and / or lead to injury.
Building a strong core, correcting imbalances and improving postural alignment through Pilates can help lower these risks. A recent study in Plos One found that after 12 weeks of Pilates training, runners’ performance was improved over a 5km distance — this was in part attributed to ‘strength training of the postural and trunk muscles’.
core strength for prehabilitation
By prehabilitation here, I mean strengthening exercises that speed recovery and maximise movement following injury or operation, rather than exercise for injury prevention.
Over the last few months a couple of my clients have been out of regular action, because of an adventure-related broken leg and a foot operation respectively. They both spontaneously reported that their core strength — built over regular Pilates classes and one to ones at Lark — has paid dividends, enabling them to continue exercising (albeit with a reduced repertoire of movement), and to progress their rehabilitation work with confidence, and from a strong foundation. In one case the physiotherapist and occupational health professional involved noted that my clients’ significant core strength would aid and ease their progress towards recovery. Great stuff!
It’s hard times for all sorts of things just now, but it must be especially hard to come back from an injury or operation. So I salute these two brilliant people right here! And cheer them on too. You know who you are. :)
What we can all take from their stories, is that prehab helps. Investing time and effort into building our core strength is foundational for making a strong and sturdy recovery from the musculoskeletal bashings that life will throw at us at one point or another.
core strength for feeling good
Back in the good old days when I could teach real life classes to real life brilliant people*, the most common spontaneous feedback at the end of a session was reliably: ‘Oooh I’m walking out of class feeling taller.’
Now this for me basically sums up how a well functioning core makes you feel. Spine supported, posture beautiful, and strong from the inside out. The result is not only a physical feeling of walking taller, but also a sense of psychologically lifting the gaze, standing more confidently and approaching the world with more openness. This may sound like a massive stretch, but. Think about how we communicate. What’s the stat? 93 per cent of communication is non verbal? Of course most of that is ace eye contact, tone of voice and so on. But an open, upright posture can add to these positive, friendly and confident ways of approaching each other. Smiling collarbones ahoy!
Personally too, I find that core strength really powers up a good run, or even a long walk. It gives me that extra bit of grit when I feel energy is running low, or a hill is too steep to gallop down. Or up for that matter.
And feeling strength build over time, even if it takes a while, is a good and encouraging and empowering thing.
Intrigued? Give Lark online Pilates classes a whirl and see what you think. Or, if you would like to read lots more words, find out how you might benefit from Pilates right now.
*You are still brilliant — yes you! Especially so for jumping on in to Lark online. Thanks team! x :)
so how can you build core strength?
Just like any other set of muscles you can train your core to become stronger over time. Pilates is a great way to begin this strengthening work, because you begin with precise, low level exercises that don’t load through your lower back. From a stronger centre we then increase the challenge, building greater strength through more exercise repetitions and then slowly increasing the load too. Because many Pilates exercises have a range of levels, in a class scenario you simply work at the level that best suits you, and move on up when you feel ready.
The other ace thing about Pilates, is that it trains core muscles to function more effectively — switching on automatically as needed, and relaxing fully too. The benefits of the automatic bit are self-explanatory, but training your muscles to fully relax? Think about what happens when you hold your shoulders in tension for long periods of time — either because you are anxious or stressed or cold. Headaches can sometimes result, and poor postural alignment can also become an issue. Your muscles aren’t designed to be tensed all the time. Things get out of whack. And then they hurt. This is true of your core muscles too.
In Pilates we connect each movement to the breath. This helps us perform each exercise with precision and control. It also helps us relax. So throughout each session there is focussed work as well as focussed relaxation — of mind and body. Lovely.
If building core strength with Pilates sounds like a bit of you, send me a note, or give me a ring; I will be delighted to chat you through your options, answer any questions, and probably have a quick discussion about the weather too.
larkpilates.com / johanna@larkpilates.com / 07920 421783