What are we really talking about when we say “Core Muscles”? Adam, our PT, teaches what your Core Muscles are in this 3 minute instructional video to prepare you for core strengthening exercises to help protect your lower back from injury and pain.
When people say “Trunk”, “Core”, or “Abs”, they’re typically all referring to the same groups of muscles. Note that I said “groups” not “group”, because, yes there are more than one!
First off we have the Rectus Abdominus. This muscle is what you typically think of when you think of Washboard Abs. The muscle runs along your stomach from your ribs to your pelvis, with divisions that can give that “washboard” look. These muscles help you bend forward (like for sit-ups).
Next come the Internal and External Obliques. These are really two separate muscle groups that run diagonally across your stomach in different directions. They help you turn and flex. They are very important for stabilizing your trunk and pelvis during other movements. They are used a lot in sports, but they’re also used in everyday actions – like reaching to get something out of a cupboard, giving someone a handshake, or carrying a bag.
Finally, we come to the Transversus Abdominus, probably the most ignored of the abdominal muscle groups (unless you’re into yoga or pilates, in which case you have probably tried to target it, even if you didn’t know the name before). This muscle runs all the way from the back on one side of your body, around your front, to the other side of your back. If you picture a weight belt worn by a weightlifter or someone who works in packing or shipping, you’ve got the idea. This muscle stabilizes your back the MOST so we want it to be STRONG to help prevent back pain and injury.
Ready for some exercises? Continue on to the next post in the series and get started here!
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