Behind the Bluff
Uncover best practices to participate in life on your terms. Every week, hosts Jeff Ford and Kendra Till guide listeners with short conversations on trending wellness topics and share interviews with passionate wellness professionals, our private club leaders, and additional subject matter experts offering valuable tips. Each episode conclusion includes Healthy Momentum, five minutes of inspiration to help you reflect and live differently. Subscribe now and discover the keys to living your greatest active lifestyle.
Behind the Bluff
Core Strength: Beyond the Six-Pack
Core strength is often misunderstood, with many equating it solely to having a visible six-pack, when in reality it involves a complex group of muscles that stabilize the entire body and protect the spine.
• Core consists of four main muscle groups: transverse abdominus (deep "safety belt"), internal/external obliques (rotation), rectus abdominis (six-pack), and the diaphragm
• Six-pack muscles can actually be overactive, preventing proper activation of deeper stabilizing muscles
• Breathing plays a pivotal role in core engagement, creating intra-abdominal pressure that stabilizes the spine
• Posture and pelvic stability are key indicators of core strength
• Essential exercises include dead bugs, hollow holds, farmer's carries, glute bridges, bird dogs, side planks, and reverse planks
• A stronger core doesn't automatically prevent all back pain – mobility and other movement patterns are equally important
• Focus on function and stability rather than aesthetics for true core strength
Text that person who made a difference in your life during a pivotal season, and be that core connection for someone else who needs it most right now.
Are you ready to live an active lifestyle? Welcome to Behind the Bluff, where we believe every moment of your life is an opportunity to pursue wellness on your terms. I'm your host, Kendra Till, and I'm joined today with fellow co-pilot, Jeff Ford.
Speaker 2:Welcome to this episode, everyone. Today we're going to be discussing the importance of core strength and why having a six-pack doesn't solely equate to having a strong core. And good news is, kendra is in the driver's seat.
Speaker 1:As she mentioned, I am the co-pilot in the passenger seat today.
Speaker 2:Kendra is clearly a expert, if you've heard in previous podcasts when it comes to Pilates and when you think about Pilates, it's all about core strength. So, we're going to dig into her expertise a little bit more today.
Speaker 1:Yes, I'm excited.
Speaker 2:Yeah, ready to get going, let's do it All right, Kendra. Well, let's start very simply here. We hear all the time I've got to get my core stronger. I know it's good for me. What exactly is the core and why is it important for overall fitness?
Speaker 1:Very good question. So the core is more than just your abs and I think a lot of people just think core, they think six pack muscles, but it's actually a complex group of muscles that help to stabilize and support your kind of midsection, your trunk basically and the entire body. So I like to break it down into like four different groups of muscles. So you've got your transverse abdominus, which I kind of call your, like your safety belt around your midsection or like a core set safety belt.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like a big thick safety belt you know, and transverse abdominus.
Speaker 2:These are the deeper core muscles, is that?
Speaker 1:correct, that's right. They're the deep, deep core muscles, a little more challenging to activate, but it definitely takes a lot of practice to get those activated, but absolutely achievable. But basically they're really crucial for stability. So again, if you think about almost like, even like a big brace that some people have to wear, like a back brace, for example, it's kind of like the same thing.
Speaker 2:They really are actual muscles.
Speaker 1:They're actual muscles, yeah, and, like you said, there are a deep layer of muscles that wrap around, so all the way from your spine they wrap all the way around the front. Um, and so they, they create this, yeah, sense of stability for your, for your, for your center.
Speaker 2:So that's the first section that we could break our core up into. What are the other three? The?
Speaker 1:other ones are your internal and external oblique, so those play a pivotal role for rotation and side bending, for example.
Speaker 2:So I love oblique work, so fun, feels good.
Speaker 1:So in like, for example, I, I um taught a rotational sports Pilates class. We would focus a lot on those internal, external oblique activation um exercises, basically.
Speaker 2:So so when you're working the obliques, you're essentially engaging the midline, but then you're twisting and turning to activate that specific group of the abdomen.
Speaker 1:That's right, yeah, so again, they play a really, really pivotal role in your actual core, um, and then, third, we have your rectus abdominis, which is your six pack muscles. They're probably the most popular and basically what they help to do is with forward bending. So they help with flexing your spine. So when those six pack muscles contract, your spine bends forward. So they are the most commonly used muscles, because most of what we do in life is forward motions. You know forward bending to pick something up and you know, unfortunately, a lot of exercises are more forward focused too.
Speaker 2:So that's why it's so important to have such a mix of different movements in your training regime, in your training regime Understood and with rectus abdominis, basically when we round our spine like bend, from the actual spine angle, not like in the practice of the hinge, that's when we're activating those muscles.
Speaker 1:Correct. Yeah, so, and that's again just to kind of go to the reverse of that you've got your erectus spinae, so the muscles that help you, go into extension. So when you bend your back, the other way as well, so for listeners that would be doing a Superman exercise.
Speaker 1:That's right? Yeah, absolutely. And then fourth is um, I don't think one that many probably wouldn't think of as part of these complex muscles is your diaphragm, and the diaphragm plays a pivotal role in breathing. What's your primary muscle for breathing? But it just plays a key role in your core engagement. Um, it actually works really well with the pelvic floor as well, which can also be considered part of the core group of muscles, Um, but it's just an important to know that your breathing can pay a pivotal role in core activation and core strength.
Speaker 2:In fact it's very, very important and it seems like just the little I know about Pilates, breathing is cued so frequently. That is the goal to activate the diaphragm as we're um going like through positions on the reformer or in a mat class, for instance.
Speaker 1:Yeah, awesome question. Yeah, so breathing is the number one principle of Pilates. So Joseph Pilates actually that was like his main number one If you're not breathing, then you're not really moving correctly. And so it's cool how he actually had a lot of the movements would be facilitated by the breath. So you cue, you're going to exhale through forward flexion and you're going to inhale through extension, for example. And then he also liked to say that use the breath as like it's not a rule but more of a tool. So use breath to help facilitate a really good movement pattern, which is awesome, I think.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. The breath is not a rule, it's a tool. I've never heard that phrasing.
Speaker 1:I think that's a great social media snippet that we might be able to snag today.
Speaker 2:To add to that, I almost think about breathing, especially under like heavy loads in a strength training session. Bracing your core is very important. So often we'll cue athletes.
Speaker 2:bracing your core is very important, so often we'll cue athletes, members, to take an inhale through their nose, engage and hold their core in as they move through the range of motion of, say, a loaded squat or even a loaded deadlift, but then taking the air at the top of the movement. So what I find very important about understanding core is when to brace and when not to brace. Uh, because that relates to daily living too. It protects us in different ways.
Speaker 1:Totally. I actually worked with a guy in Australia. He was a breathing specialist, he was a physical therapist, but he really dove down the niche like breathing specialist and it was so fascinating to cause. He worked a lot with athletes and so he would use different breathing techniques for specific um sports. You know, for example, like you mentioned, like weightlifting or swimmers, yeah, to engage different responses.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Big wave surfers too was really cool, Like so just using those different techniques and then going back to you know, using the breath as as a tool to help you perform, Um and, but most importantly, for core engagement.
Speaker 2:So we have four core groups. We've got transverse abdominus, obliques, internal and external rectus abdominus and the diaphragm. Are there any other muscle groups in the body that contribute to overall core function?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I, like I said earlier, you've got your, your trunk, which is like your center, and so I think it's important to also pay attention to the, to your glutes, particularly the glute max, and then all I mean you could do glute men and glute, glute, glute meat and glute men as well, but then also your hip flexors. So just you know basic functional movement patterns that you look at, you know those. Those muscle groups are very pivotal for that, so, but sometimes, when we look at core engagement, it is also in conjunction with those muscles too. So it's just important, but they're not necessarily the most you know.
Speaker 2:I would Frequently contracted necessarily.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they're not in that main group, but they're. I think it's important to note that they're, you know. Equally important to to make sure you're activating correctly equally important to make sure you're activating correctly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, understood, okay, well, now that we have an overview of, kind, of the overall structure of the core and the muscle groups that we're engaging. What are some of those big misconceptions that you hear a lot of the time Before we dive into how we should be training the core, like, what are you hearing from folks when you put them on a reformer or just in general about core training?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so first I just want to mention that it's just in terms of core activation and core strength. It's really pivotal for almost every movement we do walking, running, lifting and, like I mentioned, breathing and so your strong core is going to give you the balance and it helps with your posture, and one of my most favorite is injury prevention. So I just want to highlight that that's super important, to note, that that's the importance of having a strong core.
Speaker 2:It relates to all movements, all our functions. That's right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely. So what it doesn't mean. So core strength, as we mentioned before, doesn't just mean that you have a six pack. In fact, you and I were just talking before we jumped on air without having a six pack is actually.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's great Aesthetically, it looks fantastic, but it doesn't mean that you have the stability Because, quite honestly, if you're too dominant in your rectus abdominis, which are those six-pack muscles, it probably means that they're a little overactive and not allowing the obliques and the TA, or that transverse abdominis, as well as the diaphragm, to work correctly through particular movement.
Speaker 2:So it could almost be fair to say that a six-pack could potentially be an overtrained muscle group in a way a muscular imbalance, and not to make this about me, but since I'm not, in the driver's seat today I find that when I do neutral spinal position type core exercises like the hollow hold, I'm way weaker than doing full range of motion sit-ups, and I would say that it has to be because I do full range of motion sit-ups at least three days a week and in the range of 100 to 150 sit-ups.
Speaker 2:Now I'm not saying that so that people are like, wow, Jeff does a lot of sit-ups. I'm explaining that because I feel like I train more the rectus abdominis muscle group and I'm strong there, but when I start to stabilize, like on a reformer the other day, my body starts shaking and it's a lot more challenging than expected.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so and it sounds like, yeah, that those muscles, your six pack muscles, are super dominant and that's probably why you struggle a little bit with some of those stability exercises that we worked on on the reformer the other day. So that's probably why because the six pack muscles are like they're not really needed so much. They need to work in in unison with the other muscle groups, um, to create that stability, um throughout the entire, like all the way around, all the way around the midsection, not just the front part.
Speaker 2:We need the safety belt the safety belt.
Speaker 1:Yeah that's right and I do. I referenced that when I teach too, cause it's you know, you want to. You want to be able to actually feel that transverse abdominus. I would actually say that the TA is one of the most important to activate.
Speaker 2:from my experience Now, in essence, of size, this might be beyond the scope of the conversation, but is our, is the TA group of abdominal muscles bigger, or do we know? I?
Speaker 1:don't think it. I think it's quite dense, but it, like I said, it wraps around, so potentially it could be bigger. Yeah, exactly, and it's closer to your spine. So if you think about it it's deeper, like a core of an apple. So it's it's even more important to work because it's like you think about the physics of it, it's like that needs to be really contracted. You know how to contract it to help stabilize your spine.
Speaker 2:I like the apple analogy there it's like to keep the meat of the apple around you need the deeper core to hold it all together.
Speaker 1:I maybe took it a little too far now, I'm a bit of a visual learner, so when I do teach I'm a bit of a visualized visual learner. So when I do teach, I there are a lot of these imagery cues that you can use to help activate these certain muscle groups, because what I think is super cool too, is it's a lot of mind body connection. So it's actually taking the time to think about this particular activation of each of these muscle groups like where you're actually contracting.
Speaker 1:Which builds overall awareness which, again, like I mentioned earlier is is important and imperative for injury prevention, which I'm a huge, huge advocate for.
Speaker 2:I think a lot of the time we forget that motor control is a big benefit of training consistently too Like we need to know, like, what to fire and when to fire outside of the walls of the gym, totally. Um talk to us a little bit more about crunches and like how do they? Relate to a strong core.
Speaker 1:Well, more crunches does not equal a stronger core, unfortunately, jeff, I'm very sorry to disappoint you on that one, but I think just to reiterate that, um, you know, just by doing the crunch, you're really just targeting those superficial, um, abdominal muscles, again, that your rectus abdominis, um, and you're not really learning to engage those deep stabilizing muscles like the TA.
Speaker 1:So, um, functional movements like, uh, the planks, for planks are really great, um, dead bugs, for example, are really great. So those are the movements, or the exercise, when you're on your back and your arms are lifted to the air and your legs are lifted but your knees are bent, and then you can, you know, reach your opposite arm, opposite leg, away from each other. So you're stabilizing the core, and it's really hard because your extremities, meaning your arms and your legs, are really heavy. And so, again, I like to think about the body in the physics form, so like when you're taking those heavy limbs away from your center, which is your core, um, you know, you have to activate those core muscles to stabilize and to make sure that you're not bending your back and over, like compensating on the movement to get there. So it takes a lot of practice.
Speaker 2:And when you say not bending your back back, essentially gluing that the lower vertebra to the ground correct almost all the way up through almost into the thoracic spine, depending on the movement yeah, yeah, yeah, and there's different.
Speaker 1:You know, you could definitely keep the more natural curve of your lumbar, which is, I think, like only five degrees extension, or you can imprint the lumbar spine, which really kind of supports your lower back a little bit more. So there's different ways to go about it. But but yeah, the main thing is, um, you know, doing other exercises than just. I mean, I'm not saying crunches are bad, but they're obviously important and then uh, have you heard of toes to bar?
Speaker 2:That's a full flexion movement. You're hanging on a bar like you're going to do a pull up and then you swing your feet up. You can do them strict, you can do them rapidly. Um, I I do think a lot of the time people want to feel that their core did something. But but I'm with you, like I, we definitely have to look at training all of it. Any any other misconceptions related to core training.
Speaker 1:Yeah, this one, a stronger core, doesn't necessarily prevent all back pain, which I think most people would be a little shocked by this one Because, like you and I are talking before, a lot of people just believe that if they're strong in their core it's going to be the magic pill. For everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a good point.
Speaker 1:Unfortunately, it's not. You've got other movements that you need to do, other aspects about fitness that are equally as important. So, while core strength is important for spinal support, it's you know again, there's other things like mobility, focusing on your posture, and you know also just different movement patterns that you need to do. That will play a pivotal role in the health of your body, basically. So making sure that you're not just that will play a pivotal role in the health of your body, basically. So making sure that you're not just a one-all. So I'm just going to focus on my core or I'm just going to focus on my legs or I'm just going to focus on my arms. You need to make sure, like we've spoken about in, other podcasts.
Speaker 1:make sure you're doing your mobility, make sure you're doing these other movement patterns, not only for your body but also for your brain too, to help, when you're out there in the real world doing real movements throughout your day, that you become just aware of where your body's at in space, which is really important again for injury prevention.
Speaker 2:most importantly, yeah, and to go back to previous episode on shoulders, mobility, stability and strength. So I think the core when we train it, it's more in that stability and strength spectrum and mobility for, say, lower back pain. Well, if your upper back's tight, you may have lower back pain. If your legs are weak and tight, you may have lower back pain. So I do think it's important to note that we're always going to have to treat the whole person. But core is helpful to prevent lower back pain. So I do think it's important to note that we're always going to have to treat the whole person.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But core is helpful to prevent lower back pain. To your point though it's not like I hear it all the time Someone coming in for a new comprehensive screening. They're getting started and probably in the top three things they quote of wanting is like I've got to get my core stronger. I've got to get my core stronger and honestly I think it's a little bit of a buzz word a buzz phrase and at the same time, there's validity to it.
Speaker 1:For sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so let's keep moving here. I think we can get to the tactical side of like okay, we understand a little bit more about the core, we understand the muscle groups involved. We don't want to just do full flexion type movements all the time. Uh, and I especially just as a side note I don't love doing full flexion movements with folks who are exhibiting lower back pain.
Speaker 1:Yes, because.
Speaker 2:I think we can do other things first before we start to do that style of core work.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Uh, so that's just a little tidbit from from my angle of this but, let's let's get into breathing a little bit more before we get into specific exercises. You mentioned some cool imagery about the diaphragm earlier and even classifying it in the four sections of the core. I found interesting. What role does breathing truly play in core engagement and in strength?
Speaker 1:So your diaphragm is yeah, it's a pivotal part of core engagement and in strength. So so your diaphragm is yeah, it's, it's a pivotal, pivotal part of core engagement and diaphragmatic breathing the best way to explain it is just belly breathing. I think, jeff, you and I both know that a lot of people are more accessory chest breathers. Uh, we see that often, um, but when you engage the diaphragm and really get it expanding so it actually sits like kind of under the rib cage here and it's kind of cool. If you ever go on YouTube to like look at how it works, just like a video of it, it's super cool.
Speaker 2:You know what else is on YouTube.
Speaker 1:What, oh gosh?
Speaker 2:So, listeners, I've been waiting. What, oh gosh? So, listeners, I've been waiting. I did want to announce that I have gone viral on YouTube for a hollow rock video 420,000 views. Go check it out. Huge. I am a chronic interrupter, like you see right here. But yes, youtube, there's excellent videos for diaphragmatic breathing and if you type in how to do a hollow, the hollow rock core exercise, you'll see a younger version of me pop up jeff did show me this video before we went on air and I will say, listeners, go check it out.
Speaker 1:It was jeff about what 12 years ago is when you recorded, I think it was 50.
Speaker 2:It might have been 12 yeah 12 to 15 years ago. Please enjoy. Anyways, back to the episode You're. You're talking about the diaphragmatic breathing and how we can visualize this and see this through videos, Could you?
Speaker 1:explain more. Yeah, so, engaging the diaphragm, we basically are helping to. Um, it works in coordination with your transverse abdominus and, like I mentioned earlier, your pelvic floor muscles, which I think is super cool. Um, but what it does is it creates this like intra, intra and abdominal pressure, which can help stabilize the spine during movements, which is super cool.
Speaker 2:Now, let's stay right there on intra abdominal pressure. Do you mean like the breath pushes against the spine? Is that what you're saying?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so like when you're taking an inhale, for example, your diaphragm actually kind of opens up and it presses like closer towards the pelvic floor.
Speaker 1:So, and then, yeah, so it basically just helps to stabilize the spine Um, and then also, like when you exhale, for example, it's like you're you're creating this um kind of more effort for the movement as well, but but definitely the inhalation is really quite key for the stabilization of the um of the spine. So I think that's that's really cool. But but yeah, basically, um, you were mentioning before like this aspect of like bracing um. You know, proper breathing can help with bracing the core, like you mentioned. You know, you said you said you asked the person to inhale and then they hold.
Speaker 2:They exhale hold through the range.
Speaker 1:Yeah which is really, really cool. So again, that can help to engage all those core muscles the way that they need to, in particular with that transverse abdominus. Too Hollowing can actually weaken the core a little more, and when I say weaken I mean overall all four of those aspects.
Speaker 2:Can you elaborate on hollowing? That's a fun word.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you think like hollowing, like kind of sucking in your belly almost in a way. Does that make sense Like kind of hollowing out your tummy, so yeah, so that's kind of what that means in particular. But I think what's really cool, though, is you can train your core through the breath, and, as I mentioned before, the exhalation is really helpful with, like, the power of the movement, whereas the inhalation helps to stabilize more.
Speaker 1:And again, just referencing Pilates, we really cue the breath from movements because it plays a pivotal role in actually executing a certain movement and to make sure that the integrity of the movement is there. So it really helps with controlling movements and, yeah, just to, to, to support your body.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's. That's a nice way of looking at it and and appreciate you elaborating on that. Let's uh jump into where to start. So someone out there listening, today they've got a weak core. What are the first steps?
Speaker 1:Well, if you live in Palmetto Bluff, I highly recommend a wellness screening with Jeff Ford.
Speaker 2:We will test your core.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I would. I would highly recommend to come in and do a wellness screening just to gives you a bit of a base point of where you're at in terms of your overall strength. Um, a big one that I'm super passionate about is just paying attention to your posture. I think little things that you can do throughout your day to help yourself, I guess, to bring your awareness of, like, where is your body at in space. I think many of us just go about our days and they don't really pay attention. Like you know, when you're talking to friends or when you're standing in line to get a coffee, pay attention to your posture. So, notice, are you slouching, are you excessively arching your lower back? Um, is it hard for you to maintain that upright position? Cause, that's a really good indicator that, hey, you're not really stable in your core, you're not really strong in those areas that you need to be.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Like does it hurt to stand for long periods of time?
Speaker 1:Totally, because it shouldn't, it, shouldn't I even remember learning from this physical therapist.
Speaker 2:I went to a weekend mobility course and the PTs who were leading the course if, when you're standing up, if one of your feet were turned out like almost 45 degrees. They would come by and they'd push your foot to where the toes were forward Totally, and it's a great example of how these small things add up because if I'm chronically standing up and I have that foot turned out well, what's gonna happen to that hip over time?
Speaker 2:What's gonna happen to my core over time? If I'm standing up and I have that foot turned out well, what's going to happen to that?
Speaker 1:hip over time.
Speaker 2:What's going to happen to my core over time if I'm standing up and overarching my back constantly, Totally?
Speaker 1:yeah, and that's actually how I learned. So my Pilates educator is a physical therapist, and so they actually did the exact same thing to us in our first weekend of training and they went through and we had to stand there and they would correct how we were standing.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I do have to admit I am a chronic looking at how people move and I don't. I'm not judging, but I'm kind of judging because it's interesting Cause I guess, just when you see it through the lens of like, oh gosh, I bet that person has lower back pain, or I bet that person has a really tight hips, or it's just because it's been embedded into me from my training, it's. I find it so fascinating what you can tell from the body, just how people stand and how they move. It's really cool.
Speaker 2:So leading indicators versus lagging indicators. Lagging indicators the pain, the lagging indicators, the weak core. The leading indicator is your, your posture being a big one.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So pay attention to your posture and then also like, if you have difficulty performing like basic movements like the planks, squats, pushups, it's probably an indicator that you need to look at what's going on with your core strength as well. Um, as well as hip or pelvic instability. I know I mentioned at the very start about your, your, your glutes and your hip flexors. They play a pivotal role in that stability through the hips, hips and the pelvis.
Speaker 2:Now, really briefly on that hip or pelvic instability. Um, is this what's referred to it? Cause I want to get your take on it as, as a core expert, I do this chronically. When I squat especially not under load is my pelvis moves. It almost drops under at the bottom of a squat. In training it's got a funny name it's called a butt wink.
Speaker 1:I've never heard of this.
Speaker 2:And so it's excessive movement. When under load is problematic, it's basically the lower vertebra dropping under and moving at the bottom position of a squat. Is that an example of instability? Do you have any other examples of an instable?
Speaker 1:pelvic position. That's very interesting, jeff, because I'm just going back to when we were on the. We did a reformer session with a group that came to visit us here at. Palmetto Bluff and the instability of the pelvis. That's a prime example, and what I saw firsthand when you were moving was just this like.
Speaker 2:Outstanding specimen of a human first and foremost. Outside of that, yes.
Speaker 1:But if you think about your pelvic bowl, so you've got like your iliac crest and the ASIS and et cetera, etc. But the actual bones of the pelvis are like wobbling around, which is basically what you're describing. So in pilates we really cue, particularly at the very start of class, as well as in those foundational beginner classes like how to practice stabilizing your pelvis, and I will say, a big one is that like mind body connection, so it's actually being able to like tune into that and then build those stabilizing muscles more like the TA, yeah, so the pelvis can almost rock left and right it can go forward and back.
Speaker 1:You can move a lot of different directions.
Speaker 2:You know, I think this is why I was terrible at whitewater kayaking. Now that we're talking about it, what do you mean? So in college, I would always take these courses that were like one credit. So I took, like um, racquetball I, you know, took that as a course fun sport.
Speaker 2:That's why you teach record fitness now, yeah exactly, but when I would go to, uh, whitewater kayaking for anyone out there who's done whitewater kayaking, you have what's called a skirt over the kayak and your hips need to like stabilize, and so if you flip over, you have to use your hips to flip yourself back up. And I could never do it, and I think it's because I'm very instable in that part of my body. Sometimes, like, is it related to flexibility? When someone's very flexible, it could be harder to stabilize the pelvis?
Speaker 1:Yeah, totally, absolutely. Especially people with like hypermobility, for example, too, it's really challenging for them to stabilize. Yeah that's, that's a big one.
Speaker 2:So I'm just trying to figure out the excuses I can have of why I was poor at whitewater kayaking.
Speaker 1:But yeah, a lot of, a lot of movements can help. I mean, it's definitely fixable, which is great. You know that's. I've seen a lot of people come in with, yeah, very unstable pelvis and hip region and we can work on that to stabilize and, like I said, I'll reference it again. But just injury prevention is the main reason for why it's so imperative.
Speaker 2:Okay, so we've got. Wellness screening is a good place to start uh paying attention to your posture, how you're moving uh is your hips and pelvic stable?
Speaker 1:when you are moving any final places to start for that person who has the weak core start with proper diaphragmatic breathing, so that belly breathing or that three 60 degree breathing, like we mentioned, um, really expanding into your ribs when you're, when you're taking your inhalation, and that's just going to help to engage those deep core muscles as you exhale, so bringing your awareness to your breathing and again, that's something we have to do, all that we breathe all the time, so just pay attention to it.
Speaker 1:These little things, like I said, that you can do throughout the day can really add up, which I think is awesome.
Speaker 2:Great. Well, I think all those places are outstanding. To start, I couldn't agree with all of them any more than I do, and I'd like to jump to that listener who's like okay, tell me what to do, kendra. I want to develop a strong core. What exercises do you think should be part of everyone's plan to develop all of these core regions on a weekly basis? Like, what exercises can we, can we not live without?
Speaker 1:Love it. Did I say that right? Yeah, you did. I love it, I love it. I think the main one we mentioned earlier is the dead bug. So on your back, arms and legs lifted, and then you extend the extremities away from your midsection. So start with maybe one at a time and then move to two at a time and then try to do all four at the same time with your head down, Understood Like the all four limbs all four limbs.
Speaker 2:Yep, reach away Now, when someone gets more advanced at this. I wanted to ask you can we load this movement? Are you okay with that? Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't do super heavy, can we?
Speaker 1:load this movement. Are you okay with that? Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't do super heavy Um like 20 pounds.
Speaker 1:No, I wouldn't recommend that, um, just to make sure your shoulder health is okay, cause we want to still make sure you're stabilizing your shoulders too. But, um, but yeah, you can absolutely load that for sure. And, like I mentioned, you know, generally you keep the your head, which also leads into more of a hollow body hold, or what we call in Pilates the hundreds position, um, and this is when you're laying on the ground on your back and you lift both legs and the arms and the head, neck and shoulders off the ground, so the arms full contraction and you hold it there. In Pilates, you can actually do different types of breathing to assist with this Um, but yeah, that's also a really cool exercise to do, which is very, very helpful to build that core strength.
Speaker 2:Also, your farmer's carries which I know Jeff made the list.
Speaker 1:Yeah, made the list. Just working, as you mentioned, under load is important and you're trying to keep that posture. So I'm a huge fan of farmer carries for posture alignment. I actually get a lot of people to do that in my one-on-one sessions and I I going back to my physical that you know physical therapist at the start of my Pilates training and looking at their, their alignment when they're when they're moving under that load. Another one is glute bridge. Um, and then you can also add in the March too. So your glute bridges you're just knees are bent, you're lying on your back and you lift your hips when you're in your bridge, so you can just lift and lower the hips. That's a great one that engages that posterior chain, but it also helps you to stabilize when you are lifted and you actually then so your hips are lifted and then you can lift one leg up to the ceiling and you can then put that foot back down but keep the pelvis lifted off the floor.
Speaker 1:You keep it contracting in the same position the whole time. Yeah, so your, your pelvis is elevated. That's an awesome one Bird dog. We call this quadruped and Pilates, but it's fancy, I know right, it's way better than bird dog, I think.
Speaker 1:But you're on your hands and your knees and, just like the dead bug, you've just flipped it. So now you're on your hands and your knees and you can reach the limbs away from the center of your body. So you just lift one, you can lift your arm or, excuse me, your hand off the ground, or you can do your, your hand and your leg away from each other. So, um, I mean, obviously you can't do all four, but yeah, you can do, um, two, two limbs at the same time, and then also your side plank, which is going to engage those oblique muscles that we mentioned earlier, I think side planks also adding in like a reach through. So you're on your hands, you're, you know, let's say you're on your right side, you're on your right hand, you lift up your hips and then you take your left arm and you thread it underneath your right side.
Speaker 2:That's super challenging. Yeah, and might I add to the side plank. This is a trick that I picked up just a couple of years ago. When you're inside plank and you're new at it, step one foot over and keep those hips up. It's just a little gentler on the shoulder for folks who are new to this challenging exercise, love that Any weight-bearing exercise is.
Speaker 1:just I love them. And then the lastly is your reverse plank, and again, in Pilates we call this the leg pull front. So you're basically, you bring your hand, so you're sitting on your bum, you bring your your hands behind you. Legs are either, you know, you can have your knees bent or your legs straight, and then you lift your hips off the floor. Um, and then you have to hold that there.
Speaker 2:Wow, yeah, what. What kind of duration, um, like at first, on a hold for a reverse plank.
Speaker 1:Ooh, good question. I mean I would hold it up there for maybe five full breath cycles, If you could that would be pretty cool, like that's a pretty good um duration yeah, if I'm inhaling for five, exhaling for five. Correct, yeah, nice and slow, but obviously if that's too challenging, I would start with just one breath and go from there.
Speaker 2:Well, I think all of these exercises are going to start to be groomed into my personal plan.
Speaker 1:I see that sit-ups didn't make the list but I'm sure you're okay with a few sit-ups here and there, hopefully Every now and again. They are important, but they're just not the sole thing you should be doing. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, very enlightening. I think we've covered plenty today and love having the time to just talk about the midsection. If listeners could take anything away from their time with us today one key lesson for core strength from today's episode what would it be?
Speaker 1:I would say that it's not just about the aesthetics. It's about function and stability and overall movement quality.
Speaker 2:Boom yeah. Function, stability, overall movement quality.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, kendra. Thank you so much for being in the driver's seat today and for your expertise.
Speaker 1:Thanks, jeff. Yeah, we should do this more often. Yeah, I think I might be a better co-pilot than I am a pilot.
Speaker 2:Um well, listeners, we hope you enjoyed your time with just Kendra and I once again this week and if you've got a little bit more time, feel free to hang around for the next five minutes or so and get some healthy momentum for the rest of your week. Fun fact when we were brainstorming names for the podcast, we almost decided to name our podcast Core Connections. Yeah, that's right, it wasn't going to be behind the bluff, it was catchy and it spoke to the first part of our vision that we share every week. Everyone deserves to feel connected. Everyone deserves to feel connected. As we ran through the principles of the core today just Kendra and I it reminded me that we almost went this route. So, if you like core connections, let us know. There's always an opportunity to rebrand, but that's besides the point For Healthy Momentum.
Speaker 2:This week I was thinking about my core connections, my relationships, specifically the connections I was fortunate enough to make in the pivotal seasons of my life. You know the connections I'm talking about. You see, we all have that friend or human connection, maybe even a stranger, that helped us in a difficult season. They were the core of what we needed most and the connection we had with them during that season of our lives drove us positively to where we are today, and I reflect on this a lot during my drives this week and lots of questions came up. I asked myself what if that person hadn't been in my life at that time? Where would I be? And have I told that person how much of a difference they made in that pivotal season of my life?
Speaker 2:The message I want to leave with you today is that, as much as we desire a six-pack, the true core to our lives is our connections. Text that person this week, right now, who made a difference in your life during the season that you needed it most, and be that person, that core connection for that person in your life who needs it most now. And this isn't because you're going to get credit later, but it's because it'll bring that much joy to your life. That is a wrap on this week's episode. We hope that you enjoyed time with just Kendra and I once again as much as we do Next week. We have Superintendent Michael Minx of the May River Golf Club coming on. With spring upon us, it's important to continue to bring in our professionals who oversee the beautiful landscapes of Palmetto Bluff. I think you're going to enjoy the episode with Michael and until next week, please remember to actively participate in life on your terms.
