Merriam-Webster defines vital as impossible to do without, and, trust me, you do not want to build, lift, fight fires, save people, or even stand all day without having proper core strength. Why? The short answer is that core strength will help you fight poor posture and maintain the natural curvature of your spine to avoid back pain, making your physically demanding job much, much easier. 

What muscles are considered your core muscles?

• The system of muscles in your torso
• Muscles that support your shoulders
• Muscles that support your hips

Benefits of maintaining a strong core on your back, body, and job

Core muscles help the spine carry you. If you have a weak core, it is likely that you will experience more back pain because you are relying on your spine to hold up your body, putting a large load on your spine and likely causing damage and back pain. Strengthening your core will help relieve pressure on your spine, letting it heal and go back to doing what it’s supposed to do.

A strong core will help prevent injury. Your core muscles transfer force from your lower body to your upper body and from your upper body to your lower body, which means they are used a lot. Having a strong core will help prevent injuries from lifting or bad mechanics over a long history of time. 

Having a strong core will improve your balance and stability. When you exercise your core, you are teaching your lower back, hips, pelvis, and abs to work together. Doing this will help with your balance and stability, likely making you more agile and better at performing your active job, especially the physically demanding activities you need to do on the job. Not to mention, you’ll also become better at sports.

Strengthening your core helps you look and feel great. This might not be on the top of your list right now, but doing core exercises over time will lead to a toned abdomen and more defined muscles. It burns fat and might help you lose a few extra pounds, which will help you have more energy while doing your job, look better, and feel better. 

Your strong core means daily jobs are easier. Even doing small things like standing up from your chair or tying your shoes will be easier when you have a strong core because even the smallest activity like this uses your core for strength. This means that your physically demanding job will get easier too as you exercise your core muscles often. Lifting, running, pushing, and bending will be simpler because these actions use your core muscles.

Good core strength keeps your back healthy. A lot of lower back pain is caused by a weak core and poor posture. As you work to have better posture through core strengthening exercises, your lower back pain will start to fade as your core gets stronger.

How to build core strength

Really however you choose to strengthen your core will involve getting up and moving. Whether that is through yoga, running, weight lifting, or simple exercises, your core will ultimately get stronger if you make it a habit to exercise your core often. Developing a habit of exercising frequently will be what ends up strengthening your core and giving you these many amazing benefits. If you need ideas on some core strengthening exercises, read this blog post or roll out on the Chirp Wheel for a good core strengthening exercise. 

 

 

 

Harvard Health Publishing. (2020). The real-world benefits of strengthening your core. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-real-world-benefits-of-strengthening-your-core

Mayo Clinic. (2020). Core exercises: why you should strengthen your core muscles. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/core-exercises/art-20044751

REPs. (2019, April 24). Core stability–what is it and why is it important? Retrieved from https://www.exerciseregister.org/blog/post/core-stability-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important/

Sydes, J. (2018, July 5). Core stability: what is it and why is it important? Retrieved from https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2018/07/core-stability#:~:text=Why%20Is%20the%20Core%20so,to%20perform%20at%20our%20best.