Daily Movement Prompts, Thursday, September 28, 2017 edition: Core Strength
Possibly the most common remark I hear from people who are considering new movement habits is, “I need to work on my core.” That can mean different things to different people, but it usually encompasses building strength throughout the torso.
Each body is different. You may notice a different “core” based on which activity you are pursuing. How do you measure the efforts needed to build up your core strength?
Perhaps you could start with “fake situps” in various positions. Try sitting on the edge of a bed. See how far back you can lean to the point where your abdominal muscles really kick in. Then sit back up to your normal posture. Lean back, sit tall. Lean back, sit tall. Even a set of ten repetitions may be enough for you feel the effects of your work. Try again as if you were rotated around to place an object on the bed behind you, engaging your side muscles (obliques). You could do these “fake situps” every morning when you sit down to put on shoes and socks.
If you’re already active, which core muscles are needed for your favorite activities? Are you a dancer? Swimmer? Rock-climber? Runner? Which activities do you need additional strength for? What habits and repetitions could you add to your routine to build that core?
Today could be a day for working on your “core” muscles, whichever ones you consider core to the activities you want to pursue. How will you move today?