7 Things You Didn’t Know about Building Your Core

 

Do you know which muscles make up your core? While it’s easy to equate having a strong core with having visible six-pack abs, there’s much more to your core than how your stomach muscles look in the mirror. A strong core can mean improved athletic performance and lower injury risk—but like everything else in sport, it takes consistent practice to build and maintain your core muscles.

Here, Michele LaBotz, TrueSport Expert and sports medicine physician, explains why the core is so important for athletes, what most athletes get wrong about their core muscles, and how you can actually develop and maintain a strong core.

 

1. Why Does a Strong Core Matter?

The core is important in virtually every sport. “The core is what transmits the power from the lower body to activities you’re doing with the upper body,” says LaBotz.  “And if your core is not doing that well, you’re losing a huge amount of power, you’re not as effective, and you are also more prone to injury. Your core is also incredibly important for protecting your back.”

 

2. Your Core Isn't the Same as Your Stomach Muscles

When you think of your core, you likely picture the classic ‘six pack,’ or think of your stomach or abdominal muscles. But your core is much more than just your outer layer of abs. “The core is composed of all of the layers of muscles that surround your midsection,” LaBotz says. “That includes not only the deep layers of muscles around the abdomen, but also those muscles that are around the back, the gluteal muscles, and the muscles that are around your hips.”

 

3. Crunches Alone Won't Build a Strong Core

“You can’t just do crunches and leg lifts to develop your core,” LaBotz explains. “You need to engage those deeper muscles, and since the core is made up of layers of muscle, you need to work all of them.” For example, a crunch isn’t very good at strengthening the rectus abdominus, the deep layer of muscle that wraps around your midsection that is a key player for good core function.

 

How to Build Your Core

So, how do you actually build a strong core, if not by doing more crunches and ab work at the gym?

 

4. Get Mindful About Your Movement

“I often see patients who are going to physical therapy but not making any improvements in their core strength,” she says. “I’ll ask those athletes to show me the exercises that they’re doing, and what they often demonstrate is that they’re doing the movement, but they’re not actually engaging the muscles that they need to be working in order to make changes. If you’re not using good technique, all of these exercises you’re doing aren’t going to have the desired effect.”

 

5. Add More Planks

A plank—essentially holding a high pushup position with a straight line from the back of your head to your heels—is one of the best ways to work your entire core. You want to hold your body in a line, on a level, says LaBotz. But, doing planks correctly can be challenging and many athletes need some guidance on how to build up to that, as well as progress to side planks and more advanced versions when ready.

“Planks engage the muscles around the shoulder blades and the entire core when done right, but you have to pay attention to your alignment in a plank,” says LaBotz. “It can be helpful to have feedback, whether that’s someone watching you and letting you know if you’ve let your butt drop or if it’s lifting up, or taking a video to check your form later, or even glancing in a mirror while you hold a plank.”