Importance of the Core

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Importance of the Core

• Laura Wagner

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Why is the Core Important?

• Where your center of gravity is located
• Also where all movement begins

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More than just your abs

• While the core includes your abs, it is not
  limited to these muscles.
• Refers to your lower back and hip muscles also

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Getting SpecificMuscles in the core- the Abs

• Rectus Abdominus
• serves to flex the spine
• Used when doing a basic sit
• up or crunch
• Transverse Abdominus
• Trunk stability
• Oblique
• Rotate and bend from side to side

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Getting SpecificMuscles in the core of the back

• Erector spinae
• Deep muscles of the back
• Multifidus
• Spinal Extension
• Spinal Lateral Flexion
• Longissimus Thoracics
• Spinal Extension
• Maintains Erect Posture
• Stabilizes During Flexion

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Getting SpecificAccessory Muscles of the Core

• Latissimus dorsi muscle
• Gleno-humeral Internal Rotation, Adduction, and
  Extension
• Gluteus maximus
• Hip Extention and External Rotation

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Results of a Weak Core

• Poor Posture
• Decreased Balance Stability
• Overall decreased Strength

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How to Strengthen Your Core

• Basic Crunch
• Lay on your back
• Place hands across your chest
• Lift legs to a 90 degree angle
• Crunch up until your
• Shoulder blades are
• off the ground

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How to Strengthen Your Core

• Oblique Rotation
• Lay on your back with your arms at your side
• and bring your knees to a 90 degree angle
• Slowly rotate knees to one side
• Make sure they come
• close to touching the
• floor
• Slowly rotate to the other
• side

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How to Strengthen Your Core

• Plank on the ball
• Place an ab ball under you stomach while you are
  on your hands and knees
• Slowly roll the ab ball down and walk your hands
  out until the ball is under your ankles
• Roll the ball in so that your knees
• touch your chest
• Roll the ball back out
• Make sure you keep your
• back straight
• Keep abs tight

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Advantages of a Strong Core

• Better Posture
• Resolved lower back pain due to muscle endurance
• Less injury in sports due to strength
• You will feel better all around
• And you will be beach ready all the time!!

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References

• http//media.www.campustimes.org/media/storage/pap
  er371/news/2002/11/21/Sports/The-Importance.Of.Cor
  e.Strengthening-330367.shtml
• http//www.mayoclinic.com/health/core-strength/SM0
  0047slide8
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_(anatomy)