Core strength is important for balance, posture, performance and injury prevention. It involves strengthening muscles in the back, hips, quads and glutes, not just the abdominal muscles. Injuries to the back and lower extremities account for 40% of military injuries and weak core muscles can cause back pain. To fully strengthen the core, it is important to perform different types of exercises that work various core muscle groups, not just repetitions of the same exercises like sit-ups. Some strategies recommended for building core strength include yoga, Pilates, dance classes, exercises using equipment like stability balls, and functional fitness programs focused on daily living activities.

1. Performance Strategies
Core strength: It’s not all about sit-ups
Physical
Fitness
041713
Strengthening the core—which includes not only abdominal muscles, but also back, hip, quad, and glute muscles—
has numerous benefits.a
You can improve your balance, performance (running, jumping), posture, and back sup-
port—all by increasing your core strength. These benefits are especially important as you age and lose bone mass—
especially in the lower spine—leaving you vulnerable to injury even while doing everyday tasks. Increased balance
and posture can also help to prevent injuries in aging adults or those with previous injuries. If the benefits aren’t
enough to convince you of the importance of core strength, consider that injuries of the back and lower extremities
account for 40% of all musculoskeletal injuries in the military. Also, spinal injuries are the number one reason for
Soldiers to remain non-deployable because of the resistance to therapy and ultimately re-injury. Back pain is often
caused by weak muscles, which can be relieved by strengthening the muscles of the core. Limiting your routine to the
same exercises—sit ups, for example—only targets those specific muscles, not the other muscles that also make up
your core, so you can help prevent injuriesb
by alternating exercises that strengthen your core. HPRCc
highlights vari-
ous exercises to improve your core strength. Many health centers at military installations provide free group exercise
classes that highlight different exercises. Here are some strategies for core strength:
• Strategy #1: Mind/body classes such as yoga and Pilates focus on core strengthening along with balance and
stretching. These classes are low-impact and promote relaxation, which everyone can benefit from, while also
strengthening postural muscles—the back and abdomen.
• Strategy #2: Dance-exercise classes provide a total body workout that especially benefits the muscles of the
core. These classes are fun and can be appropriate for all age groups because you can do as little or as much as
you want during the class.
• Strategy #3: Vertical core exercisesd
versus ones done on the floor are more practical because they strengthen
the core through movements you do on an everyday basis. These exercises often use a medicine ball or a wall.
It’s helpful to watch videose
of vertical core exercises being done in order to perform them correctly.
• Strategy #4: The use of stability ballsf
, BOSU (blue half-ball with flat platform), balance disks, foam rollers, and
vibration machinesg
can make an exercise routine more interesting and provide a workout to various muscles of
the core. These items are commonly found at fitness centers and focus on balance, which indirectly strengthens
the core and reduces your chances of back pain.
• Strategy #5: Functional Fitness—using strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living—is grow-
ing in popularity because of the baby boom generation reaching retirement age. Many facilities offer special
programs for aging adults that focus on functional fitness.
• Strategy #6: There are specific core exercises for those with back pain, but you should discuss these with your
healthcare provider before giving them a try.
Additional Information Online (links in text)
a
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/core-exercises/SM00071/NSECTIONGROUP=2
b
http://hprc-online.org/blog/optimizing-performance-common-errors-in-abdominal-training
created by the human performance resource center / hprc-online.org

2. c
http://hprc-online.org/blog/strengthen-your-core-with-a-few-core-moves-entry
d
http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/acsm-in-the-news/2011/08/01/swap-the-sit-ups-effective-verti-
cal-core-exercises
e
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ORDq_iCUnQ&feature=related
f
http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/selecting-and-effectively-using-a-stability-ball.pdf
g
http://www.kjm.keio.ac.jp/past/56/1/28.pdf
created by the human performance resource center / hprc-online.org