Core stability is the capacity of the core muscles to assist in maintaining good posture, balance, and stability of the spine and pelvis during movement. In essence, core stability is the foundation for ideal movement and should be a major focus of any exercise training program.
Weak core muscles can often lead to all sorts of imbalances in the body and even lead to injury or difficulty in performing daily tasks. So what is the core? To generalise, the core comprises your abdominals, back, glutes and pelvic floor muscles. These muscles help to stabilise and balance the body in order for you to perform every activity you do. Signs of a weak core can be lower back pain, poor posture, difficulty with balance, weak pelvic floor, and general muscle weakness from a sedentary lifestyle. Very often these muscles are dormant and need to be ‘awakened’ because they have been weak for so long. For some people, simply learning to activate and engage the correct muscles can be a challenge.
Making sure to include core training into your exercise routine can help you:
- Improve your posture
- Protect your spine
- Prevent injury
- Improve performance of physical activities
- Have better balance
- Age healthily
- Improve your confidence
Focusing on core strengthening is essential for a healthy body and can be life-changing if performed correctly. One of the best ways to improve core stability at any age for anyone is to practice regular Pilates. Pilates is a discipline that teaches the exercises as movements for full-body integration, ensuring that the correct muscles are activated while performing the exercises. If you experience any of the core stability issues mentioned, it is important to learn to engage the correct muscles to fix any imbalances you may have. An individual assessment and exercise routine that suits your body could be the difference between having a healthy young spine and a body that moves with ease or an achy stiff one.
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