Conditioning one’s center helps keep life in balance

“Core! Core! Tuck your bellybutton to your spine.”

You’ll hear personal trainers use these phrases over and over again as they work with clients.

We cannot stress enough how important it is for a person to have a strong core — it’s what controls how we move on a daily basis.

It’s relatively easy to strengthen your core. And the benefit of core conditioning? It will help you develop functional fitness, the kind of fitness that’s essential to both daily living and regular activities.

Core and abdominal conditioning have become synonymous in recent years. But the abdominal muscles alone are over-rated when it comes to real core strength and conditioning.

In reality, the abdominal muscles have very limited and specific actions. The “core” actually consists of many different muscles that stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder and they run the entire length of the torso.

Core muscles provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities. They make it possible to stand upright and they help control movements, transfer energy, shift body weight and move in any direction. A strong core distributes the stresses of weight-bearing and protects the back. These muscles are your natural “back brace.”

So how do you move — or not move — and how does that affect your core muscles?

Sitting at a desk or being in any one position for extended periods on a daily basis will tighten the chest, shoulder and hip flexor muscles giving you that “hunched” over posture. You need to do exercises that reverse these effects.

But be careful about jumping back into an activity you haven’t done for awhile. The start of golf season once the rain stops is a good example. Some of the worst back injuries occur because people aren’t conditioned to the movements.

Focus on core conditioning as part of your ongoing fitness routine and you’ll avoid these problems. The best core exercises can be modified for beginner, intermediate and advanced skill levels and include such activities as rowing, hip lifts, push ups, front and side planks, squats, lunges, Superman’s, back extensions, bent knee curl ups, bicycle crunches and any torso rotational exercise.

Start with one set of 12 to 15 reps for an exercise, then add another set as you get stronger.

Finally, contact your physician before starting any exercise program and consult a certified personal trainer or licensed physical therapist for proper form.

Shandra Milstein is a personal trainer at Timberhill Athletic Club in Corvallis. She can be reached at 757-8559.