Core muscles. What is it, where are they, exercises for women, how to pump up

The core muscles are one of the main muscle groups that directly affect the appearance and fit of the athlete's body. They are found in the abdomen, back and buttocks.

Based on their localization, it becomes obvious that in order to properly develop the muscle corset, it is necessary to perform multidirectional exercises within the framework of one workout, while strictly observing the technique suggested by the fitness trainer.

What muscles make up the core, where are they

The muscles of the cortex are located in the middle part of the human body, in the vertebral and hip regions. Despite the fact that part of the muscle group is located on the surface (for example, the abs), the core muscles are classified as deep.

Fitness trainers recommend that every athlete, regardless of his age and physical fitness, strengthen the core, since it is this muscle group that is officially recognized as the center of muscle activity in the body.

On the belly

The muscles of the core located in the abdominal region include:

• rectus muscles are located in the median region of the peritoneum... It is the state of this part of the musculature that directly affects the presence or absence of "cubes" on the stomach of a particular person;
• transverse muscle represents muscle bundles located across the sides of the rectus muscles.

On the back

The core muscles located on the back include:

• back extensors (these muscles are leading when an athlete performs traction of various types - dead, dead, and so on);
• coracohumeral muscle (is a flat muscle located under the head of the biceps brachii);
• infraspinatus muscles (triangular, flat muscle located in the region of the scapula deepening).

On the buttocks

The muscles of the food located in the lower limbs and buttocks include:

• small and medium muscles of the buttocks (muscles belonging to the deep, which are located under the gluteus maximus muscle);
• adductor muscles (this group is formed by 3 types of muscles - long, short and large, which are located on the inner surface of the thigh);
• muscles of the back of the thigh (this group is formed by the biceps of the thigh, the semitendinosus muscle and the semimembranosus muscles).

Consequences of weakness of the muscle corset

Due to weakness and general underdevelopment of the muscle corset, it can:

• deteriorate posture. Due to the inability of the core muscles to take on some of the load, body weight is distributed exclusively along the spine. Under excessive load, the spinal column bends, the person begins to slouch, the shoulders can shift to different levels of height;

• losing the ability to maintain balance;
• decrease overall body flexibility;
• deterioration of the health of the circulatory, excretory, digestive systems, as well as reproductive organs (the muscles of the cortex are of particular importance for women);
• change in a negative direction the appearance of a particular person, in particular the press and buttocks (the body becomes more flabby, muscles weaken, skin elasticity is lost, cellulite may occur);
• there is a displacement of one or more internal organs from their natural place;
• decrease in the indicator of strength, endurance (this factor is especially important for athletes who are interested not only in a physical indicator, but also in the presence of "explosive" strength necessary to perform jumps, strikes or perform plyometric exercises);
• deterioration of the health of the spinal column, as well as joints and tendons (this can lead to the premature development of serious diseases, for example, osteoporosis, osteochondrosis, and so on).

Pros of core training

The core muscles are located in 3 areas of the body, which means that strengthening these areas will have a wide range of benefits:

• strong muscles are able to maintain the stability of the spine, as well as the pelvic bone, minimizing the risk of injury;
• the muscles of the core, being in good shape, will allow to increase the indicators of endurance and strength in the shortest possible time (on average, people without good physical training will be able to significantly increase them in 5-8 weeks of regular training);
• a strong muscle corset, contributing to the correct distribution of the load on the back and shoulder girdle, will help maintain posture, and also significantly reduce the risk of developing spinal diseases;
• training the muscles of the core, regardless of its location, will eliminate existing muscle clamps and prevent the emergence of new ones.

How to test muscle strength

A core check should include several steps:

1. Testing the ability to maintain the stability of the trunk. To do this, the athlete needs to lie on the floor with his stomach down, and place a long gymnastic stick or a regular PVC tube on his back. The upper and lower limbs must be placed in the starting position, which is recommended to be taken before performing push-ups. Having taken a deep breath, as you exhale, you should bend your arms and lower yourself as low as possible to the floor, while making sure that the body remains motionless (no new deflections are formed). You can check how successful the exercise can be considered by the position of the stick (if the exercise is successful, it must maintain its original position and lie on the back of the athlete motionless).
2. Testing the ability of the trunk to be in a static position. To do this, it is necessary to alternately take the position to perform the classic and side planks (alternately the right and left sides should be located closer to the floor). The check can be considered completed if the athlete managed to stand for 90 seconds in a straight bar on the arms and forearms, and in the side bar - for at least 60 seconds for each arm.
3. Body dynamic strength test... Such a test involves the need to raise the athlete's legs from a hanging position on a horizontal bar. The result will be considered satisfactory if the person has managed to lift the knees to the chest area at least 5 times. Ideally, the legs should be lifted straight, touching the bar with the feet (at least 5-7 times for women and men, respectively).

General training recommendations for girls, women

The muscles of the core are located in three large areas of the body, which means that it is recommended to train them in strict accordance with the basic rules formulated by fitness trainers for sports for girls and women.

These are the following rules:

• before the main part of the training, it is necessary to perform a warm-up complexs, the duration of which should be no more than 5-7 minutes. If the athlete has no contraindications, she should use cardio loads as a warm-up. They will not only prepare the body for further sports, but also increase the blood flow rate, due to which the cardiovascular system will adequately supply the body with oxygen, increasing the athlete's endurance during exercise;
• after the main part of the training, it is necessary to cool down (it will help restore the heart rate and adjust the frequency, depth of breathing);
• during sports, it is recommended to observe the drinking regime (otherwise, dehydration may occur, which sometimes provokes fainting or sudden jumps in blood pressure);
• time for sports should be selected taking into account the characteristics of the body - biological rhythms (the duration of the exercise has no effect on the effectiveness of the training).

Exercise at home

The muscles of the core are located in the area of ​​the back, lower extremities and the press, which means that in order to strengthen them correctly, it is necessary to perform diverse loads within the framework of one workout.

Planks

Planks are one of the most effective exercises for girls in strengthening core muscles.

They can be done in several ways:

If a girl does not have good physical fitness or resumes classes after a long break, the time spent in the rack can be halved (in the presence of relative contraindications, standing in the bar can be no more than 15-20 seconds).

Bridges

To strengthen the core muscles located in the lower body, fitness trainers recommend doing the Bridge exercise.

It also has several variations:

Muller complex

The Müller complex, which can also be practiced to strengthen the core muscles, includes 10 simple exercises:

1. Alternating forward leg raises (to maximum height).
2. Alternate side raises (to maximum height).
3. Alternate leg raises back (to maximum height).
4. Breeding the heels in opposite directions. When performing this exercise while standing, the feet must be placed at the maximum distance from each other.
5. Squats. When performing this exercise, it is recommended to slowly bring your hands in front of you at chest level (the hands should be contracted), then do a deep squat, and then return to the starting position with inhalation.
6. Alternate abduction of straight legs back (without lifting the feet from the floor). The exercise is performed while standing, while the feet must be placed parallel at a minimum distance from each other.
7. Body tilts forward. Keep your torso straight while doing this exercise.
8. Back tilts of the body. Keep your torso straight while doing this exercise.
9. Rotation of the torso. When performing the exercise, the feet must be spread as far as possible from each other, while turning them inward.
10. Bent leg raises from a standing position. When performing the exercise, the feet should be positioned shoulder-width apart. With exhalation, the knee should be raised to the chest area, and with inhalation, lower it to its original position.

Exercise in the gym

You can strengthen your core muscles both at home and in the gym.

To work out the area of ​​the muscles that is in the upper body, you can use:

• various variations of hyperextension exercises (classic lifts, lifts of the body with fixation at the top point, lifts of the body while holding a metal pancake, and so on);

• classes on the Butterfly simulator;
• traction of the upper block to the chest or abdomen (with parallel reduction of the shoulder blades).

To strengthen the core muscles located in the lower body, do:

• a simulator for lowering the legs from a sitting position;

• leg extension machine lying on your stomach.

To work out the abdominal muscles, it is recommended to include in the training program:

• hanging body lifts;
• lifting the body from a position lying on an incline bench;
• twisting while holding a kettlebell, dumbbell or metal pancake.

Exercises in the gym, the purpose of which is a high-quality study of the core muscles, are convenient because, within the framework of such training, you can perform exercises both in the simulator and with weights or your own weight. The combination of various types of loads significantly increases the speed of achieving the desired result by the athlete.

Core workout plan

Your core workout plan should be designed in accordance with the basic principles formulated by professional athletes and fitness trainers.

Principles:

• a sign that the exercise is performed as efficiently as possible is the presence of a burning sensation and tremors in the muscles during the last repetition as part of the final approach;
• the duration of the interval between approaches should be no more than 60 seconds;
• it is important to strictly follow the technique of performing the exercises (otherwise the effectiveness of the training will decrease, and the risk of injury to the athlete will increase);
• all muscle groups of the core must be worked out evenly (this is necessary to maintain the proportionality of the body);
• the training program must be changed every 3-4 weeks, since during this period the muscles adapt to the loads, which means that the effectiveness of the exercises performed is significantly reduced, regardless of the regularity of the exercises.

How women can strengthen their cores without increasing their waist size

To strengthen the core muscles without increasing the waist, girls are advised to:

• when doing exercises, focus on the lower part of the press, as well as stabilize the lumbar spine;
• when determining the optimal number of approaches, it is important to pay attention to overall well-being, and not a specific number of repetitions (muscles should tremble and "burn");
• the frequency of training to strengthen the muscles of the core should be at least 2 times a week;
• the number of repetitions for a beginner should be 8-9 in 1 approach (after a week, the number of repetitions can be increased by 2), and for a professional - at least 12;
• in addition to properly organized training, the girl needs to adhere to the principles of proper nutrition (you should not follow diets, since after leaving them, the progress achieved will be quickly lost).

The muscles of the core, despite the fact that they are located in several parts of the body, require uniform workout with the help of appropriate physical activity... Provided that the training process is properly organized, the muscles will help improve posture, increase blood flow to the internal organs, and also reduce the risk of the onset and development of spinal diseases.

Video set of exercises for the muscles of the core

A set of exercises for the core muscles: