In this third of my Core Training posts, (#1 here and #2 here) I will touch on the muscles, which comprise your Outer Core Muscles. And I will remind everyone how the inner core and outer core muscles must be thought of a “One Unit” in order to be functionally effective.

The “outer core” refers to the muscles that most of us would refer to when talking about “abdominals training”.

These include:

• Rectus abdominis (the 6-pack muscle)
• External obliques
• And the big extensor muscles on your back collectively referred to as the erector spinae.

These muscles are responsible for generating movement and the overall stability of the body. But since, none of these muscles are directly attached to the spine, they need the coordinated efforts of the inner core muscles in order to be most effective.

In essence, the inner and outer core muscles (The Core) need to work synergistically to stabilize the spinal cord while allowing you to move your limbs and function normally on a day-to-day basis.

The muscles of The Core are the links between the lower and upper body’s muscles groups. They effectively transfer the force and power generated by these other muscles groups.

A functional and solid Core will help you maintain a good erect posture, increase your stability and balance, improve your performance in your activities of choice and keep your low back and spine healthy!

The best way to train your core muscles to build a solid and functional core is to use different exercises through a variety of planes of motion.

In my next post, I will describe some of these exercises.

Train Smarter – Not Harder!

Michel