Posts Tagged ‘core strength’
Exercise is Not a Pain in the Neck (or Back)
The truth is that exercise and fitness in general, are quite the opposite. Back pain is so common that many people have resigned to live with this problem. Most have never had a direct injury to their back or any other medical reason for the pain. So, it gets chalked up to the facts of life; age, stress, etc. The reality is that it is a fact of lifestyle, not life. Truth be told a few lifestyle adjustments, for most people, can make a life changing difference in the way they feel.
Building core strength is a foundation of the Fighting Fit Bootcamp. The core of the body is the area between the hips and the shoulders. It is the “storage” area for almost every vital organ and houses the two largest components of the spine. The spine, a.k.a. the scapegoat for back pain, is encased by muscle upon muscle. These are in place to ensure the body’s ability to properly move, or function. An areas of functionality that are predominately important are dynamic and static core function. These are the basis of day to day mobility. Essentially, there are four parts to most movements. They are: Spine, Pelvis, Thigh and Shin. You need all four of these parts to squat down and pick something up or to even sit in a chair. Core function is the ability of the muscles to allow for movement while maintaining resistance against force. An example is keeping your balance while walking.
Hiking uphill or downhill, walking on a wet or icy surface, skiing of any sort, etc. are all real life instances where the dynamic core function comes into play. When the body is in one place, but resisting a direct force or pressure the static core function is at work. Holding something over your head, catching a heavy or fast moving object without losing balance, shooting a gun or bow, etc. are times to be thankful for static core function. Not a day goes by that the core functions are not used. It is when we begin to use them less and less that they get weaker and “out of shape” leaving our spine at risk of injury.
These functions are the workings of different groups of muscles. The strength, or functionality, of these muscles is a result of how well they have been conditioned, or correctly exercised/worked. The average back pain can be eased, if not completely alleviated, by proper mid-line stabilization and core strength training. Proper core work outs incorporate muscle building and stretching; two of the main components needed to achieve the highest level of function and, in turn, ease back pain for good.
Jim Mahan is the Fighting Fit Bootcamp instructor at Absolute Self-Defense and Fitness in Harker Heights, Tx. Contact him at 254-247-4999 to kick start your core and kick out back pain!
