More core!

I recently (okay, it’s been a few weeks now) read an article in the Health Journal Section of the Wall Street Journal about the latest fitness rage – core strength regimens.  The author, Kevin Helliker, describes his experience in working with a personal trainer to develop his core strength.  He had been running, swimming and lifting free weights, but had not done anything for his core – the muscles of his torso from under his arm pits to his knees  (the part of his body that has to be stable in order to safely and efficiently perform any of the other activities he had been doing).  ”Many sports-medicine specialists expect core-strength exercises to become the third leg of public-health recommendations in regard to workouts.  Just as cardiovascular exercise is promoted for heart health and resistance training for strong bones, experts expect core-strengthening movements to gain public-health favor for avoiding muscular-skeletal pain and injury, particularly of the neck, back and hips.” Mr. Helliker worked with his personal trainer twice a week for three months and after that time, his running speed increased, he lost body fat, he was pain free in his shoulders and neck and his posture improved.  I, too, have experienced the benefits of core strength training.  I have seen improvements in so many of the people I have worked with these last two years.  One of the reasons I was so attracted to kettlebells in the first place was that I was building core strength without having to do sit-ups (one of my least favorites activities).  We do do activities in class that specifically target these core muscles, but everytime we swing a bell or use the TRX, we are strengthening our core muscles.  We get our cardio, resistance training and core work in on everything we do.  Can’t get much more efficient than that!