Tips for a Stronger Core

The core is commonly thought of as the abdominals, but in actuality it is comprised of more muscles than that.  If you think of your core as a coke can, imagine that the top of the can is your diaphragm, the front of the can is your abdominal wall (including the internal and external obliques), the bottom is your pelvic floor, and the back is your erector spinae and multifidi.  There are more muscles and greater specifics to this concept, but to keep things light the above are a few of major importance.  The job of the core is to provide support to the spine.

Anatomy Review 

• Diaphragm: Dome shaped muscles underneath your lower ribcage.  It is your primary breathing muscle.  When breathing with the diaphragm, the stomach expands on the inhale and retracts on the exhale.
• Abdominals: 
  • Transversus Abdominus- deepest abdominal muscle that produces no MAJOR observable motion, but functions as an internal corset.  
  • Rectus abdominus: produces spinal flexion (think of crunches or sit-ups)  
  • External Obliques (E.O.): produces rotation to the opposite side (right E.O. causes rotation to the left)
  • Internal Obliques (I.O.): produces rotation to the same side (right I.O. produces rotation right).
• Pelvic Floor: group of muscles that allow you to hold your bladder if you have to urinate.  When functioning properly, they’re actually contracted until you decide to relieve your bladder, at which point the muscles relax to allow that to happen.
• Erector Spinae: Big strappy muscles along the length of your back- used to help one stand upright or arch the back (spinal extension)
• Multifidi: Small muscles along the length of your back (close to the spine- you can’t see them).
  • When functioning on both sides at the same time they produce spinal extension like the erector spinae.
  • Working one side at a time produces same side lateral flexion and opposite side rotation (right side activates and produces side bending toward the right and rotation toward the left)

Sample Exercises to Strengthen Your Core

• Planks: hold for 10 seconds repeat 6x (or 20 seconds, 3x; 30 seconds, 2x)
  • Setup
    • Begin lying on your front, propped up on your elbows.
  • Movement
    • Engage your abdominal muscles and lift your hips and legs up into a plank position, keeping your elbows directly under your shoulders. Hold this position.
  • Tip
    • Make sure to keep your back straight and maintain a gentle chin tuck during the exercise.
    • Option to perform with knees down
• Side Planks: hold for 10 seconds repeat 6x (or 20 seconds, 3x; 30 seconds, 2x)

• Setup
  • Begin lying on your side with your feet stacked, resting on your elbow. 
• Movement
  • Lift your hips off the floor so your body is in a straight line and your hips and shoulders are facing forward. Hold this position.
• Tip
  • Make sure to keep your head in line with your trunk, do not let your hips drop toward the floor, and do not roll forward or backward during the exercise.
  • Option to perform with knees down.
• Paloff Press: Perform 2 sets of 15 facing each direction

• Setup
  • Begin in a standing upright position holding a resistance band in both hands that is anchored at your side.
• Movement
  • Press your arms straight forward. Hold briefly, then bring your arms back in and repeat.
• Dead Lift: Perform without weight first; 3 sets of 8 for strengthening 2 sets of 15 for endurance

• Setup
  • Begin in a standing upright position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and a kettlebell in front of you on the floor.
• Movement
  • Bend at your hips to reach down and grasp the kettlebell. Lift the it off the ground, engaging your back and thigh muscles, Then lower it back down in the same manner and repeat.
• Tip
  • Make sure to keep your abdominals tight during the exercise and do not let your knees bend forward as you lower the kettlebell.
• Diaphragmatic breathing: perform for 5 minutes at a time for added benefit of stress relief and muscle relaxation
  • Setup
    • Begin sitting in an upright position with one hand on your upper belly and your other hand on your chest.
  • Movement
    • Take a deep breath in, feeling your stomach expand against your hand, then breathe out. Repeat.
  • Tip
    • You should not feel any movement in your chest as you breathe.
• Kegels (yes, men can do these too): aim to hold contraction for 10 seconds, repeat 10x.

• Setup
  • Begin lying on your back with your legs bent and feet resting on the ground.
• Movement
  • Exhale, and contract your pelvic floor muscles. Relax, inhale, and repeat.
• Tip
  • Make sure you are focused on the pelvic muscles and keep the buttock and thigh muscles relaxed.
  • If unable to perform for complete duration hold as long as you can without compensation from your glutes squeezing.

Why Physical Therapy?

• Personalized Care- the above exercises are an example of some core exercises that can be done and may not be appropriate for everyone.  Check with your healthcare provider before beginning a new exercise regimen.
• Increased Strength
• Increased Mobility
• Reduced/Absent Pain
• Improved Body-Awareness
• Education regarding your condition and how to manage it

Our licensed Doctors of Physical Therapy are able to evaluate the cause of your core weakness, and prescribe a treatment plan to address YOUR specific injury.  If the condition proves to require further medical testing, the evaluating therapist will be able to determine that and direct you accordingly.

Call LSTC today at, 703-450-4300 to schedule an evaluation! Waiting to get evaluated only extends the time it takes to get you back to living the life you want, participating in activities you enjoy, playing with your kids, sitting comfortably, walking for long periods of time, or performing household chores.  Time is the only thing that you can’t get back.  Spend some time with our team of therapists and athletic trainers, so that you can spend more time focusing on the things and people that matter most!

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