10 Reasons Why You Should Strengthen Your Core Muscles

Core exercises are a vital part of a well-rounded fitness program. However, a lot of people neglect them and just slip in the odd sit-up or crunch whenever they feel like it. This is why we bring to you 10 reasons why you should be strengthening your core muscles every week:

1. They Improve Your Balance and Stability

Core exercises help make your lower back, pelvis, hips and abdomen all work in tandem with one another. This leads to improve balance, stability and performance in daily activities. In addition, you?ll be at less risk of falling over with a more stabilized core.

2. They Improve Athletic Performance

Pretty much every sport out there requires core strength for performance. Improving this can keep runners’ legs and arms from tiring quickly, or help a rower pull harder and faster whilst paddling. Your core is the link between your upper and lower body, making it critical to sporting performance.

3. They Don?t Require Specialized Equipment

You can do core exercises at the comfort of your own home. You may want to consider investing in some dumbbells, which will help you vary each ab workout. Or you could try a bridge, which is a classic core exercise that doesn’t require free weights.

4. They Improve Your Posture

Core strengthening exercises work every muscle of the torso, helping you stand tall with your limbs in alignment. An improved posture decreases your risk of disc problems and vertebrae degeneration. In addition, a better posture equals better breathing, making inhalation and exhalation easier.

5. They Alleviate Back Pain

People who have weak core muscles tend to be at an increased risk of back injury because they lack sufficient spine support. Core engaging workouts such as yoga and Pilates can reduce discomfort, improve mobility and improve support for the spine in people suffering from chronic pain.

6. They Improve Everyday Movement

Daily tasks such as carrying groceries, walking up a steep flight of stairs or maintaining balance on an icy road, all become easier and reduce your chances of injury. Not only are you in better control of your core muscles, you?ll also be able to find your center more easily if you?re caught off-balanced.

7. They Tone Your Abs

Come on, what guy out there doesn’t want a ripped stomach? Although you?ll need to do a lot of aerobic activity to burn belly fat, core exercises will strengthen and tone the underlying muscles.

8. They Help Reach Your Fitness Goals

Most workout routines focus around aerobic and muscular fitness, but to have a well-balanced program, consider chucking in some core exercises as well. Regardless if you?re a beginner or an avid fitness freak hoping to optimize performance, a well-balanced routine is the best way to achieve your fitness goals.

9. They Help With On-The-Job Tasks

Tasks that involve standing, twisting and lifting all rely on core strength. However less obvious jobs such as sitting at your desk also engages your core too. General computer use can make back muscles stiff and sore, especially if you?re not strong enough or if you?re not taking adequate breaks.

10. They Make Doing Housework Easier

Bending, twisting, carrying, lifting, hammering and reaching overhead are all standard housework movements. Even mopping, vacuuming and dusting all engage the core at some point.