Rethinking core training: more than planks and crunches
“Strengthen your core” is advice we hear everywhere, but why is core strength important, and what does having a strong core actually mean? Core strength is often associated with visible abdominal muscles or being able to hold a plank for a long time. In reality, your core plays a much broader role. The muscles of your trunk help create stability around the spine and pelvis, allowing your body to control movement, transfer force, and respond to the physical demands of everyday life, exercise and sport. What is your core and what does it do? Your core is not just your abs. It is a group of muscles that work together, connecting your pelvis to your lower ribs like a muscular cylinder. It includes your abdominal muscles, diaphragm, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae, pelvic floor and other smaller muscles surrounding your spine and pelvis. These muscles work together to control the position and movement of the trunk, particularly when the arms and legs are moving. When you pick up a heavy object, your arms and legs do most of the work. The core muscles, however, must maintain the stability of the torso to transfer the force. This is one of the main functions of the core. Core strength and spinal stability The spine is designed to move. Spinal stability does not mean keeping your spine completely still or maintaining one “perfect” posture. Instead, stability is the ability to control movement and resist unwanted movement when a force is applied. Your spine is supported by passive structures such as bones, joints, discs, and ligaments, as well as active muscular support and the nervous system. Your muscles don’t simply switch on to “hold your spine in place”. They constantly adjust their activity depending on what you are doing. For example, carrying a heavy bag on your left side creates a force that could pull your trunk towards the bag. Your nervous system responds by activating the muscles on the right side of your body to contract, maintaining a straight spine. The same principle applies when you run, jump, lift, reach or rotate. Good core function therefore isn’t about being rigid. It is about being able to control movement while still allowing movement to occur. Why is core strength important? A strong and well-coordinated core can help you: What does core strength actually look like? It isn’t necessarily the person who can hold a plank for five minutes. Core strength is task-specific. Someone might have excellent endurance in a plank but struggle to maintain control when carrying a heavy object, rotating or moving quickly. This is why core training shouldn’t be limited to exercises performed on the floor. My perspective on core training has changed When I was younger, I definitely thought core strength was mostly about doing crunches, planks and trying to get visible abs. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I still love a good mat Pilates class, and there is something very satisfying about a set of abdominal exercises that leaves your core burning. But as I’ve learned more about movement, I’ve become much more interested in how we use our core outside of those traditional exercises. Now, I tend to focus more on functional core strength and the ability to maintain control while the rest of the body is moving. That might look like balancing on one leg while reaching in different directions, performing a single-leg squat, carrying a weight on one side of the body, doing an exercise with an unstable base of support, or controlling a movement where the arms or legs are moving independently. Even something as simple as standing on one leg while rotating your upper body challenges your ability to control your trunk while your centre of mass changes. Other examples include: These exercises don’t necessarily look like traditional “ab exercises”, but your core is working throughout them. Do you need to brace your core all the time? No. There is a time and place for bracing, particularly when lifting heavy loads or performing a movement where you need a high level of trunk stiffness. But maintaining a maximal abdominal brace throughout the day is not the goal of good core function. Your trunk needs to be able to adapt. When you walk, breathe, reach overhead, rotate or sit down, your muscles are constantly changing their level of activity. Stability comes from this ability to respond to changing demands, not from keeping everything switched on at maximum effort. How to improve your core strength? Start by considering what you actually need your core to do. If your goal is general strength, exercises such as dead bugs, side planks, carries, squats, deadlifts and controlled rotational movements can all be useful. From there, you can gradually make the challenge more functional by introducing single-limb exercises, changes in balance, external loads, different positions or movements that require your trunk to respond while your arms and legs move. The key is progressive overload. Just like any other muscle group, your core needs an appropriate challenge to become stronger. This could mean increasing resistance, repetitions, range of motion, exercise complexity or the amount of time you can maintain good control. You also don’t need to train your core every day. Your trunk is already working during many of the exercises you perform throughout the week. Core strength: the bigger picture Core strength is not about creating a rigid spine or achieving a perfect posture. It is about having enough strength, endurance and coordination to control your trunk while allowing the rest of your body to move. A strong core gives you a better foundation for everyday activities, exercise and sport. More importantly, it allows your body to respond to different loads and movements rather than relying on one fixed position. The goal isn’t to stop your spine from moving. The goal is to give it the capacity and control to move well.
Resistance training matters for women
As a chiro, I see firsthand how bone health impacts every aspect of my patients’ lives. With a focus on women’s health, let’s talk about why resistance training isn’t just about building muscle – but about building a foundation for overall health and wellbeing. Bone health and resistance training Here’s something that might surprise you! Your bones aren’t static structures. They’re constantly breaking down and rebuilding themselves in a process called bone remodelling. Think of it as your body’s renovation project that never stops. Every day, old bone tissue is removed and fresh, new bone takes its place. But here’s the catch—this process slows down as we age, particularly for women. After menopause, the decline in estrogen accelerates bone loss, with women losing up to 20% of their bone density in the five to seven years following menopause. This is why osteoporosis affects women four times more often than men. Strength training and menopause When you lift weights, perform resistance exercises, or even do bodyweight movements like push-ups, you’re not just working your muscles. You’re sending a powerful signal to your bones: “We need to be stronger.” This process is called Wolff’s Law—bones adapt to the mechanical stress placed on them. When you create controlled stress through resistance training, your bones respond by becoming denser and stronger. Research shows that women who engage in regular resistance training can increase their bone mineral density by 1-3% annually, while sedentary women typically lose 1-2% per year! Benefits beyond bone density Recent studies have been particularly encouraging about resistance training’s impact on bone health: Postmenopausal women: A 2023 systematic review found that resistance training programs lasting 12-24 months significantly improved bone density at the spine and hip in postmenopausal women. The key was consistency—exercising 2-3 times per week with progressive overload. Younger women: Research shows that building peak bone mass in your 20s and 30s through resistance training creates a “bone bank” that protects you later in life. Women who strength train during these crucial years enter menopause with stronger bones and experience less dramatic bone loss over time. Fracture prevention: Perhaps most importantly, studies demonstrate that women who regularly perform resistance exercises have a 40% lower risk of hip fractures and a 20% lower risk of spine fractures compared to those who don’t. Beyond bone density: the complete picture Resistance training doesn’t just make your bones denser—it creates a comprehensive defence system: Improved balance and coordination: Stronger muscles and better proprioception mean fewer falls. Since 95% of hip fractures result from falls, this protection is invaluable. Better posture: Strong back and core muscles support proper spinal alignment, reducing stress on vertebrae and decreasing the risk of compression fractures. Functional strength: Being able to carry groceries, lift grandchildren, or get up from a chair without strain isn’t just about quality of life—it’s about maintaining independence as you age. Safe exercises for women at every stage You don’t need to become a powerlifter to protect your bones. Here’s what we recommend to our patients: Start simple: Begin with bodyweight exercises like squats, push-ups (wall or modified), and planks. These movements load multiple bones simultaneously and require no equipment. Focus on key areas: Prioritise exercises that target the spine, hips, and wrists—the most common fracture sites. Examples include: Progressive overload: Gradually increase the challenge by adding weight, increasing repetitions, or progressing to more difficult variations. Your bones need to feel challenged to adapt. Consistency over intensity: Two to three sessions per week are more beneficial than sporadic intense workouts. Your bones respond to regular, repeated stress. For the gals Perimenopause and menopause: This is when resistance training becomes even more critical. If you haven’t started yet, there’s no better time than now. Even women in their 70s and 80s can improve bone density through appropriate resistance training. Pregnancy and postpartum: Modified resistance training during pregnancy can help maintain bone health, and resuming training postpartum is crucial for rebuilding bone density that may have been affected by breastfeeding. Hormone health: Regular resistance training can help support healthy hormone levels, including growth hormone and IGF-1, which play important roles in bone formation. Work with your healthcare team As chiropractors, we often see patients who are dealing with the consequences of poor bone health—compression fractures, postural changes, and chronic pain. We wish more people understood that many of these issues are preventable. If you’re new to resistance training, especially if you’re over 50 or have existing health conditions, we recommend: Whether you’re 25 or 75, your bones can still respond positively to resistance training. The earlier you start, the greater your bone bank will be. But even if you’re starting later in life, studies show significant improvements are still possible. Ready to build stronger bones and prevent osteoporosis? Book a consultation with our chiropractors at Pittwater Chiro today.
