There is a lot of confusion, misconception and incorrect information floating around in the cosmos regarding Core Strength & Core Stability. Let us clarify this.
Your “core” refers to the region between your hips and your chest, commonly referred to as your trunk or torso. Your “core muscles” roughly consist of a deeper layer and a more superficial layer and have been described as the corset of muscles that wrap around the abdomen and the back in this region. They help to support and control movement of your trunk or “core”.
Good core stability = deep AND superficial core muscles working together.
The deeper core muscles are only capable of producing small forces and hence are generally considered to have a more stabilising function, whereas the larger, more superficial muscles can produce far more force and are considered to contribute more towards strength of the “core”. This is true to an extent.
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| Deeper Core Muscles | Outer Core Muscles | ||
| FRONT | Transversus Abdominis (deep tummy muscle) | FRONT | Abdominals - obliques and your six pack! |
| BACK | Multifidis (deep back muscle) | BACK | Long back extensor muscles |
| BOTTOM | Pelvic Floor (bum to pubic area) | BOTTOM | Backside/hip muscles (glutes) |
| TOP | Diaphragm (breathing muscle) | TOP | Chest and upper back muscles |
“Core stability” refers more to the support of the spine, or it’s ability to maintain stiffness or resist force or perturbation.
“Core strength” refers more to movement and function of core muscles and is often thought of as the action of the bigger, more powerful muscles which generate force and power to move your body.
The deep stabilising core muscles sit like a cylinder around your spine. When we want to move, they contract first and “hug in” to give lots of support and control to your trunk. Then we use our superficial core muscles to further stabilise, move and generate force. This creates a base or “core” from which more powerful movements of the arms and legs can take place e.g. running, tackling, lifting weights.
Good core stability can significantly benefit a whole range of people from pregnant women, students and housewives, to active employees, manual labourers and athletes. Good core stability:
For more information as to how Elite can help you improve your core stability and your ability to perform many activities Call us Now on 3394 4489!
