Pain in Lower Back - Work Your Core Not Just ABS for Relief
Working your core and not just your abdominal muscles can do wonders in helping relieve pain in lower back. You hear a lot about this term “core” as of late. What exactly IS the core? A lot of people think it is just another way describing the lower back and abdominal region. Not true. That is only the TIP of the iceberg!
The core and the term core training is one of the most misunderstood areas in the fitness field today.
There are actually 3 parts to the core:
- UPPER-Core – all the muscles from the base of your neck, all around to your sternum and ribcage.
- MID-Core – the abdominals, internal and external obliques, your posterior oblique systems, your spinal erector muscles, glutes and hip flexors.
- LOWER-Core – all the muscles attaching to the hip complex including the glutes, lower back and hip flexor but ALSO your adductors, hamstrings and ankle complex.
The core structure comprises ALL the structural muscles that stabilize the upper, middle and lower body segments. That is a BIG area. Much more than just the lower back and abdominal region.
Working your abs is just only part of the picture and usually that is what everybody thinks about. They just want that flat stomach, the six pack or to reduce their waistline. These are all good goals and there is nothing wrong with that, but we have to look at how the body functions to be able to learn how to work the area effectively and achieve your goals in the quickest manner.
Working you core, not just the abdominals will be able to accomplish this.
The abdominals only comprise 10% of the equation. All the other muscles need to be worked by incorporating twisting and rotational exercises. That will work the other 90% of the “waist-reducing” muscles that crunches miss!
Using a cable and performing twisting movements, placing the pulley in various positions; top, middle or bottom; and then performing twisting motions are KEY.
THOSE type of exercises will do wonders for reducing your waistline and relieving pain in lower back!
