When you are doing push-ups we first need to stabilise the core muscles; when doing bench press barbell training the same is true for core strength. So learning to stabilise the core muscles is very important for the gym goer. When consulting with the experts, they are very concerned about core strength, so what exactly is core strength? In fact core strength is generated by the core muscles firing. Core strength is used to protect important muscle groups such as the cervical spine and pelvic muscles, while also maintaining the stability of the pelvis, lumbar spine and hip joints.

One of the most important characteristics of the core muscle groups is stability. The stronger the core muscle groups are, the more stable the body will be when performing physical exercises and the more standard the movements will be. If the core muscles are too weak, they will still be an empty frame, which is why it is so important to get them right!

The introduction and importance of the core muscles; the way to exercise the core muscles; a. Introduction and role of the core muscles

The core muscle group mainly consists of the lower back muscles, erector spinae, rectus abdominis and lower back muscles. The core muscle group is involved in the abdomen, hips, waist, chest and back, so the core muscle group is a vital muscle group.

One of the most important functions of the core muscle group is power transmission. It is used to connect all the forces in the upper body to the lower body, and your whole body has to be transmitted through the core muscles no matter which part of the body needs to exert force. So to a large extent, low strength is not entirely due to weakness in the torso, but to weakness in the core muscles. Even if some of the muscles are well developed, but the core is too weak, then the muscles will not reach their designated position.

To summarise: When you have very full pectoral muscles and your legs need to exert force, and the core muscles are weak, then the force from the chest passes through the core muscles, which can't handle that much force, and can only be transmitted to the part of the core muscles in the legs that can handle it. This is why the core muscles are incredibly important.

The core muscles also have a stabilising effect on the body. When you are performing barbell squats, if the core muscles are too weak, your whole body is unstable. Even when you push, your whole body is unstable. When it comes to mutual combat sports like boxing, whoever has a strong core muscle group will have a more stable centre of gravity, so the core muscle group is very important in terms of stability.

How do i work my core muscles effectively?

We have already understood the importance of the core muscles and their role, so how do we exercise the core muscles? The core muscles are a comprehensive exercise, so as long as you involve the muscle tissue involved in the core muscles, then your core muscles will be effectively exercised.

The first point to make is that barbell exercises work the glutes, lats, abdominals and legs. This is why the barbell is a very comprehensive physical exercise. The barbell is also divided into various training modes such as the barbell bench press, barbell squat and barbell row. Secondly, the russian spin and bird dog plank will also be very helpful in training the core muscles.

Movement 1: Barbell squat

The barbell squat is a physical exercise that is very effective in working the core muscles, but it is also an exercise that tests the strength of your core. So if you want to gain core strength you must first perform the barbell squat pattern. The squat itself is a core building exercise. By adding more weight to your own body, you can get twice the effect.

If you are swaying, your toes are not fully on the ground and your heels are cocked when performing barbell squats, this indicates an unstable centre of gravity and a weak core, so you can reduce the weight of the barbell appropriately.

Suggestions for barbell squats: Divide into four groups, cycle 15 times per group, rest 30s between each group.

Movement two: Barbell rowing

The barbell row is shown in the above diagram, with hands spaced shoulder-width apart, holding the barbell with palms facing inwards, waist parallel to the ground, knees slightly relaxed and slightly bent, exhale when lifting the barbell, inhale when lowering the barbell. The most important point is that the arms are spread out, the shoulder blades are tightened and the hands are not rotated outwards and are held inwards as far as possible.

When pulling up, pull the barbell up towards the core of the abdomen and try not to sway. If the body sways violently, stop and reduce the weight of the barbell. Tighten the backbone throughout, allowing the backbone to drive the arms to create force, with minimal arm strength involved in the movement.

Suggestions for the barbell rowing exercise: Divide into 3 sets of 20 cycles with 40s of rest between each set.

Movement 3: Russian twist

The russian twist should be performed sitting on a yoga mat, if the floor is too hard there is a high risk of hip injury. Firstly, bend your legs, do not touch the ground with your heels, place your weight on your abdomen and extend your arms forward at a vertical angle to your body, as in the picture, and take a dumbbell or do it with your empty hands to produce the movement.

When doing the russian spin, whether to the left or to the right, the waist should be twisted to the limit of the body and the legs fixed throughout, not following the body and creating a twist. For beginners you can place your legs at the interval of the object, forcing them not to move and touch the ground.

Suggestions for russian rotations: Divide into five sets of 20 repetitions each with 40s of rest between sets.

Movement 4: Bird dog plank support

Planks are not very recommended if you want to work the core muscles, but the bird dog plank, a derivative of the plank, is very effective for training the core position.

When performing the bird dog plank, it is important to note that the initial position has four points touching the floor, the arms should be straight, the knees are directly under the hip joints and the hip bones and knees are in a straight line and perpendicular to the floor. The back is in a straight line with the cervical spine, no collapsing of the back, etc., and the back is always kept in a square position. Keep your legs straight and level with your hips, your arms straight and level with your shoulders and control your breathing.

Bird dog pose exercise suggestion: Complete a suspension, hold for 5 to 10 seconds and then switch sides. Divide into 3 sets of 5 cycles each with 20 seconds rest between sets.

The core is not a muscle group that can be connected quickly, it needs to be cycled gradually and belongs to the progressive muscles. It is difficult to exercise the core in a short period of time, although you don't feel the core firing, but as long as you keep training, the role of the core will slowly manifest itself. Through persistent training you will develop core awareness, and in future training, your posture will become more and more standard and your body weight will become more and more stable.