Tag Archives: Core strength

March 21, 2014

WHY US PERSONAL TRAINERS ARE ALWAYS REMINDING YOU TO ‘KEEP THE CORE ENGAGED’.

Core

Ask any of my clients and they will tell you that I’m constantly reminding them to ‘engage the core muscles’. But what does this really mean and why is it so important?

In order to contract your core muscles, you need to imagine that your belly button is being pulled back towards your spine. This can be a bit difficult to start with, but as you learn the correct technique and as your muscles become stronger, it will soon feel natural.

It is essential that you give your breathing some extra attention too. Efficient breathing helps activate your core and diaphragm, leading to energy flow through the body which affects both muscular endurance and pain tolerance.

By engaging or ‘activating’ your core muscles you allow yourself to be stronger at your weakest point. Engaging the core is fundamental in exercise as it allows your body force to be distributed more efficiently and can even allow you to do more reps and lift more weight.

So next time you exercise make sure you don’t forget to get those deep core muscles involved to get yourself out of the average and into the extraordinary.

April 25, 2013

STAND TALL TO IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE.

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Good posture is probably the world’s simplest beauty secret. It makes you instantly look taller and slimmer. Just think of the elegance that ballet dancers embody.

Your movements become easier and more graceful and your clothes hang better. You take in more oxygen, improving your skin and creating a wealth of new energy.

The perfect poise will help you look and feel more alive. Postural alignment is a vital part of any professional exercise programme and is targeted through specific exercises which help strengthen weak muscles and stretch tight areas.

In the short-term, you can make improvements to minor deviations by following these simple steps:

Standing Tall

  • Look in a full-length mirror, from the front and the sides.
  • Firstly, observe and get to know your natural stance. Check if you have slipped into bad habits. Is your pelvis sticking out to far, causing your back to arch? Are you knock-kneed? Is one hip higher than the other? Are your shoulders rounded?
  • Correct any deviations so that when standing correctly your feet should be slightly apart, with toes pointing forward. Imagine pulling your body upwards, starting at your neck and pulling up through your chest to your waist and hips. Feel the gap between your shoulders and ears lengthening, and each vertebra spreading out from its neighbours.
  • Now focus on engaging your abdominal muscles. Pull your navel back towards your spine, whilst continuing to breath normally and tucking your bottom in.
  • Correct your posture every time you think of it. Soon your body will retrain and good posture will become automatic.