Core Exercises Are The Key To A Strong Body

As of right now, do you perform core exercises such as a plank, or isolation ab exercises such as a crunch?

If you perform the latter, you're robbing yourself of many benefits. Many modern day bodybuilders teach that you should perform "isolation exercises" in order to make your muscles pop out the best. While this may be true in some circumstances, what good does that do?

I've never understood the point of isolating muscles when exercising. In my opinion it does nothing for making your muscles functional. Your body is meant to be worked as a unit. Remember that you're only as strong as your weakest link. You could have 22" biceps, but what good are they if you have a weak back? If you go to lift something, you'll only be able to lift as much as your back can handle.

When you're lifting a couch, how many muscles do you use? Well, you use your legs, arms, shoulders, your abs, back, wrists, hands, and your forearms.

This principle also applies to your core. Many people complain they can't do ab exercises because their back bothers them. Have you ever wondered why people's backs bother them? Because they only train their abs!

For example, take the ab wheel. This is a powerful exercise that works your core like it should be worked - as a whole. If there is one exercise that challenges your core as a unit the most, this may be the one. If you're weaker in one part of your core, you're going to find out where it is.

Core exercises are geared to strengthen everything from the front of your abs to the back of your back. The good ones will even develop your internal ab muscles.

So Why Are Core Exercises More Effective?

• Your Body Works As A Whole - Since you know that in your daily life your body works as a whole, you should train your body as a whole. If your body is used to being exercised using your entire core, it will utilize it more efficiently when you use your entire core in daily life. So when you go to pick up a couch, you won't struggle with it!
• HGC Benefits - When you train a muscle, your body releases a chemical called Human Growth Hormone. This is a kind of "natural steroid" that helps you grow muscle. The larger the muscle that's being used, the more of it you produce. Therefore, by doing core exercises and exercising your lower back and your abs, you have a greater chance of building muscle.
• Muscle Equilibrium - By training your core as a unit, you run less of a risk of having 1 side stronger than the other. This is a major cause of back pain. If opposite muscles aren't close to equal in strength, your body has a hard time utilizing them correctly, leading to pain.

• It's More Fun! - Another reason to do core exercises instead of isolation exercises is simply that they're more fun to do. Exercises tend to be more fun as you involve more muscles. If you take a look at my page on 6 pack abs you'll notice that all of my favorite workouts just happen to involve the entire core, not just the abs.

The "core" of anything usually tends to be the most important part of the object. This is no different when talking about the human body. Your core is used in virtually every single exercise, even if it's just to help stabilize your body. Remember, your body is only as strongest as its weakest link.

Make it a point to get serious about training your core as a unit instead of individual parts. When I first started doing this my strength went through the roof. Try it out and watch yours do the same.

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