Ask ten people what the “core” is, and you’ll get ten different answers.
For some, it’s the abs. For others, it includes the hips, back, or even
the shoulders. The confusion makes sense when you think about how
often the term gets tossed around in fitness, often without context or
consistency. What’s not confusing is that a strong core only has upsides.
This blog breaks down what the core is, why it matters, and
how to strengthen it safely. We’ll also look at how physical therapy can
help build a foundation of strength and stability for everything you do,
from lifting weights to playing with your kids.
What is the Core?
For this discussion, we’ll define the core as the muscles that directly
move or stabilize the spine—those responsible for flexion, extension,
side bending, and rotation. That includes the rectus abdominis, obliques,
transverse abdominis, erector spinae, and quadratus lumborum. Other
muscles, like the lats or glutes, can assist in stabilizing or transferring
force through the trunk, but we’ll focus mainly on the spinal movers
and stabilizers.
The core does two different jobs: resist movement & transmit force
through movement. These muscles have to work in unison to both
stabilize the trunk and allow efficient force active range of motion.
When you tense your midsection to carry a heavy bag of groceries,
you’re using your core to maintain stiffness and stability. When you
swing a baseball bat, your core helps generate and transfer rotational
power from your legs through your torso and into your arms. Whether
the task is static or dynamic, your core is what connects everything
together.
Key Benefits of a Strong Core
A strong, coordinated core benefits nearly every movement you
perform. Here are some of the key advantages:
- Increased functional strength – A strong core enhances your ability
to perform everyday activities that require lifting, bending, or twisting. - Better balance & stability – Core muscles play a major role in balance
by keeping your center of mass controlled over your base of support. - Enhanced athletic performance – Nearly every sport relies on the
core for force generation and transfer. From sprinting to throwing,
your trunk is the bridge that connects lower-body power to upperbody output. - Injury resilience & pain reduction – While a weak core isn’t always
linked to back pain, poor trunk control can contribute to movement
compensations and downstream issues.
Exercises to Strengthen Your Core
Core training can be divided into two general types of exercise. Isotonic
exercises involve moving through a range of motion, while isometric
exercises involve resisting movement to create stability. Both are
valuable, and the examples below target different motions of the spine.
Squat
Benefit: Trains core stability through loaded hip and knee motion,
challenging the trunk to maintain an upright posture.
How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, brace your core,
and lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep
your chest tall and spine neutral, then return to standing.
Plank with kettlebell pull-throughs
Benefit: Builds anti-extension and rotational stability by forcing the
trunk to resist twisting and sagging.
How to do it: Start in a forearm plank with a kettlebell placed beside
one arm. With minimal hip rotation, reach under your torso to drag
the kettlebell to the opposite side. Alternate sides for controlled reps.
Kneeling single-arm landmine press
Benefit: Trains anti–side bending and challenges shoulder and trunk
control.
How to do it: Kneel on one knee with the opposite arm pressing the
landmine upward and slightly forward. Keep your torso tall and avoid
leaning as you press.
Standing landmine rotations
Benefit: Develops active rotational strength and control. Can be
performed with or without hip rotation depending on the goal.
How to do it: Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width.
Holding the landmine with both hands, rotate the bar side to side in
a controlled arc, pivoting your feet if desired. Focus on generating
movement from your trunk rather than your arms.
How Physical Therapy Can Help
Physical therapy takes the guesswork out of core training. A PT
can assess your movement patterns, strength, and pain triggers to
identify what’s limiting you, then design a personalized program that
challenges you safely. Each week, your plan can progress in load, reps,
or complexity as your control improves. And on days when pain or
fatigue are higher, your PT can modify exercises to keep you moving
without aggravating symptoms.
Conclusion
The “core” may not have a single, universal definition, but it is a
foundational component to your musculoskeletal health. A strong core
supports everything from daily movement to athletic performance and
plays a key role in reducing injury risk.
Whether you’re looking to improve strength or mobility, prevent
injuries, or enhance athletic performance, physical therapy can help
you build core strength safely and effectively. Use our interactive map tool to find a physical therapy clinic near you and start feeling better today.
