If you are new to working out, you may not consider what your core (everything except your extremities) are doing when working out. It’s easy to forget. You may be focused on lifting with your arms or focused on a leg workout, but in almost every single strategic motion during heavy lifting it is important to remind yourself to tighten your core.
This does several things. By tightening your core your body focuses more on the area that you are working out. It also helps protect your spine to prevent injury. Mainly these muscles can act as an isometric or dynamic stabilizer movement, and can help transfer force from one extremity to another. Flexing your core puts focused power into whatever isolated area you are working out.
If you are new to working out, this can take some practice. Before you start your first rep, just remember to tighten, or “flex” your stomach so that those muscles are activated and protecting your spine. Mentally, I’ve also found it helps flex and firm up muscles that surround other joints as well. Remember that your core is not just your abs– when working on arms it can help to flex not just your abs but your entire central body region including your pectorals.
If you are new to working out at all, and 2017 is the year you are looking for a healthy change, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation.