In the Advanced Edition of Fitness with Handsome Sister 100 Days, Sister and Coach Sun Xizhe have repeatedly stressed that the core should be tightened in sports, but where is the core?

What should be done to tighten the core? If you don't feel the core force, what can you do?

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Where exactly does the core mean?

Although the perspectives of different research projects are different, the "core" of domestic and foreign research as a whole should refer to "lumbar vertebra-pelvis-hip joint", forming a whole, that is, the area below the shoulder joint and above the hip joint including the pelvis.

The core area extends from diaphragm to pelvic floor muscle, including transverse abdominis and multifidus, as well as rectus abdominis, oblique abdominis and oblique abdominis.

As can be seen from the distribution and quantity of core muscles in the figure below, core muscles include but are not limited to abdominal muscles.

In training, tightening the core is mainly to let us concentrate on stabilizing the body and do a good job as the transmission chain of the upper and lower parts of the body, not just tightening the abdomen.

Therefore, even if you don't practice vest line and abdominal muscles, core tightening is still a problem that must be paid attention to in fitness.

Only the functional core can support the normal operation of the whole body, and the powerful core can escort your sports performance. Specifically, it has the following benefits:

Steady your body and keep the correct posture.

As mentioned above, the stable contraction of the core can create a fulcrum for the contraction of the muscles of the limbs, improve the contraction strength of the muscles of the limbs, and ensure that the limbs maintain the correct posture during exercise.

Improve sports efficiency

The core muscle group of our body plays a connecting role in the power transmission of the whole power chain.

Strong core strength will play the role of power transmission, making the bridge connecting the upper and lower limbs more stable, so that the efficiency of power transmission is higher, and we can better complete the training movements.

Prevention of sports injuries

In sports, especially some explosive sports, strong core muscles can ensure the limbs to maintain normal posture during sports, so as to play the role of deep muscle stability and avoid sports injuries such as low back pain and abdominal sprain.

Avoid compensation and relax tense muscles.

Core training can increase the flexibility of core muscle groups, balance the muscle length between antagonistic muscle groups, avoid muscle compensation caused by weak core strength in exercise and reduce the exercise effect.

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How to find the feeling of core tightening?

So how do you find the feeling of core tightening? Here are some ways to introduce you:

Fake smile method

Inhale to inflate the stomach, exhale to deflate the stomach, let the stomach deflate all the time, then cough or giggle, put your hand on your stomach, and the feeling is the feeling of core tightening.

Supine position breathing method

Bend your knees and lie on your back on the yoga mat, keep your back close to the mat surface, put your fingers on the navel line in a V shape, take a deep breath, keep your pelvis, back and chest still, tighten your abdomen, and then exhale slowly.

At this time, your stomach will not fluctuate greatly, but your fingers can feel the tension in your stomach, which is the feeling of core tightening.

Line method

Another difference between core tightening and simple abdominal tightening is whether the body is in a straight line, because core tightening will make the body become a tight "rigid body". In this case, no matter what you do, your core area will not bend at will.

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How to train the core

Platform entry

Plate support has always been considered as one of the most effective methods to train core muscles.

Lie prone, with elbows bent and supported on the ground, shoulders perpendicular to the ground, feet on the ground, body off the ground, trunk straight, core taut, head, shoulders, hips and ankles on the same plane, eyes on the ground, and even breathing.

Each group should be kept for 60 seconds, and 4 groups should be trained each time, and the interval between groups should not exceed 20 seconds.

Hip lift on your back

Lie on your back, bend your knees and spread your legs, and press your feet against your hips. The core tightens and the hips vibrate up and down from the ground. When standing, the gluteal muscles tighten and contract the anus. Don't touch your ass when you come down.

This action is repeated 10 times, and finally the hips are still 10 seconds.

Side bridge

Lie on your side and straighten your knees.

The upper body is supported by elbows and forearms. Tighten your core muscles, lift your hips, and keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Take a deep breath during the action. Hold this position for 20 seconds.

This is a group of movements, and you can do four groups in a row.

Superman style

Stretch your hands forward and lie on your back on the yoga mat, tighten your core, exhale, look straight ahead, and stretch your limbs naturally; Inhale, slowly lift your limbs to both ends, and let your body assume a superman posture. Wait until your body tries to stretch, exhale and recover.

This is an action that can be repeated ten times.

Fitness is really rewarding.

This is especially true for core training. Every time the core is strengthened, it awakens the powerful body function again. It is like a fulcrum, sending your body index to a higher place.

Remember that starting today, try to feel the core strength, and you will find that we are particularly energetic when tightening the core.