How to Build Functional Core Strength

My yoga origin story is similar to many others – I started practicing yoga regularly after a back injury in college. I had zero experience with fitness and the gym beyond watching Food Network on an elliptical because A) we didn’t have cable in our apartment and B) I was a broke college student and living off macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets.

And while I played sports growing up, I never did any serious training or workouts. Yoga was the one familiar movement practice that I knew would build my core strength, which was the one thing the PT said I needed to do to get better.

I wasn’t interested in doing crunches or sit-ups on the floor in my apartment (who is!?) – but I still wanted something that would help me heal from my sciatica and be beneficial for the rest of my body (and mind).

In the 8 years since I committed to moving regularly, I’ve learned a lot about how to incorporate core strength into everything that I do. That’s the thing about posture and breathing – once you crack the “code”, every move you do is great for your core. And not in a super tight and restricted way, but in a way that moves and supports you from within.

Your core is at the literal and figurative center of your being. The abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transversus abdominus, are responsible not only for keeping your guts in place, but assisting the movement of your body throughout your day.

They don’t have to go it alone, however, as they’re supported to two unsung (and often unthought of) heroes – the diaphragm and pelvic floor.

In fact, your core is such an important structural piece of the body, oftentimes with chronic neck, shoulder or hip issues, a weak core is just as important as working on where it hurts. 

Watch my latest episode of Anatomy with Alex (below) to learn:

• What muscles comprise the core
• Why sit-ups aren’t helpful for building a strong core
• How sitting weakens the core
• Exercises and fixes you can do to improve core strength

Tune in every Wednesday at 3:15pm PST on the AE Wellness Facebook Page for Anatomy with Alex, my weekly show where I teach you anatomy and physiology in ways that are relevant to you in your life so you can maximize your mobility and live pain-free in your body.