How To Strengthen Your Lower Core & Why It’s Important

Your lower core plays a key role in many of your daily habits, whether you realize it or not. 

The lower core includes stabilizing muscles, pelvic muscles, abdominal muscles, and your hip flexors.

These muscles help stabilize your spine, pelvis, and torso. They also play a role in breathing. Your hip flexors are involved in the alignment of your spine and pelvis, and they are key to walking, running, and hinging.

Uno’s Fitness believes your core is so important that we incorporate core exercises into every single workout session.

Exercises For Your Lower Core

There are many exercises you can do for your lower core, but here are some of our favorites:

• 6-Inch Holds: Lay on your back, place your hands underneath your butt, straighten your legs and lift them off the ground. Focus on pushing your belly button through the ground and make sure your knees are locked out.
• Flutter Kicks: In the same position as the 6-inch holds, alternate leg kicks as if swimming. Bigger kicks are easier, smaller and lower kicks are more difficult.
• Leg Raises: In the same position as the 6-inch holds, lift your legs straight up and down in the air. Knees are locked out so you are targeting the lower abs and hip flexors. Try to keep your back on the ground.
• Sprinter Abs: Laying on your back, move your arms as if you’re running. Perform a sit-up. As you sit up and one arm comes out in front, bring the opposite leg up to your chest. Alternate opposite arm, opposite leg.

Why Your Lower Core is Important

Your lower core plays a key role in many of your day-to-day functions.

• Provides stability for movement, protecting the spine when you lift, bend, or twist.
• Helps keep your pelvis, spine, and rib cage aligned, reducing the risk of back pain.
• Hip flexors allow you to walk, run, and climb stairs. 
• Some lower abdominal muscles work with the diaphragm to help you breathe effectively.
• Standing up, sitting down, and carrying things in your day-to-day life requires the use of lower core muscles.
• Athletes who run, jump, and lift need strong lower cores.

Symptoms of a Weak Lower Core

If you have a weak lower core or hip flexors, you may notice some symptoms, such as:

• Weakness and instability in day-to-day life. This could be caused by a sedentary lifestyle, an injury, or poor posture, and it could present itself in the form of back pain or poor balance, which could increase your risk of injury or falling.
• Tightness of some muscles can lead to overuse of others. This commonly happens to hip flexors when people sit for a long time. Over time, this can lead to the pelvis tilting forward and cause reduced mobility.
• An over reliance on other muscles, such as the lower back or quads, can cause muscle imbalances and lead to pain or injury.

Improve Your Core With Uno’s Fitness

We’re rolling out an entire series about core workouts and the importance of focusing on your core. Over the next few weeks, look for content about your lower core, upper core, obliques, and rotation.

If you want to work on your core strength and stability, contact us to setup your free consultation.