At one time, exercise may have been seen primarily as a way to change the appearance of your body. But as you get older, you start to realize just how revolutionary this can be in securing your body’s future, improving your daily movements and reducing your risk of injury, aches and pains.
According to personal trainers and Pilates instructors: Eloise SkinnerIf you’re training for longevity, there’s one area you need to pay particular attention to. That’s the point.
Your core is made up of all the muscles around your stomach and lower back, including your abdominals, obliques, and pelvis. “Core strength is very important for both men and women as they age,” says Skinner. Fit & Well.
“Training your body to activate your deep core muscles can actually have a protective effect,” says Skinner.
“When you slip or trip, your body uses your core to stabilize and protect you. If your body isn’t used to using core strength to power its movements, it typically ends up putting the force somewhere else, like your lower back or other joints,” says Skinner. This could easily lead to injury, he added.
As your core becomes stronger, your daily life becomes easier. “Getting up from a chair, standing up from the floor, and carrying your grandchildren all depend on body strength and alignment, so your core is really important,” says Skinner.
Here are Skinner’s three moves to build core strength and stability.
1. Roll down
This is a Pilates move that many people think of as a stretch, but it’s also a fantastic way to activate your core muscles. “It’s really good for mobility, flexibility, breath integration, as well as core engagement, alignment and focus,” says Skinner.
manager: 3
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
- Engage your core by tucking your ribcage in and slightly squeezing your glutes.
- Slowly pull your chin toward your chest, lower your head, and move from the top of your spine down each vertebra, letting your arms hang loosely at your sides.
- As you get closer to the floor, bend your knees.
- When your hands touch the floor, slowly return to the starting point.
2. Bird dog
This is a popular full-body Pilates move, but Skinner says it’s a great way to learn how to engage your core.
“It’s really good for balance, proprioception (the sense of where your body is) and spatial awareness,” she says, explaining that these skills are especially useful as you age. “Having a good understanding of how the body moves in space can help prevent injuries.”
manager: 3-5 on each side
- Start on your hands and knees, with your knees directly below your hips and your hands directly below your shoulders.
- Tuck your pelvis in and strengthen your core.
- Extend one arm forward to shoulder height and extend the opposite leg back.
- Pause for a moment to keep the rest of your body steady.
- Slowly bring your arms and legs underneath your torso, gently rounding your spine.
- Complete the repetition on one side, then repeat on the other side.
3. Forearm Plank
The plank is a basic core exercise. It trains a variety of muscles and tests your stability. “It keeps your back in proper alignment and works your core, glutes, and hamstrings, as well as your arm muscles,” says Skinner.
She recommends forearm planks over full planks for beginners. “Forearm planks are a little gentler on the wrists,” she says.
hour: 20 seconds
- Kneel down with your forearms on the floor, with your forearms and elbows under your shoulders, palms facing down.
- Tuck your toes, tighten your core, and lift your knees off the floor so that your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
- Hold for 20 seconds to start. As you get stronger, aim to gradually increase the amount of time you can maintain.
