Core of Fitness and Health

You can't really go anywhere these days in the fitness world and not hear the word "CORE".  It's all about working the core.  Try to find a DVD or book on exercise and fitness that doesn't take about the core.  Well what is this core?  Often times it might depend who you talk to.  If you look at the Wikipedia definition of the core, in its most general of definitions, is the body minus the legs and arms. It also states that functional movements are highly dependent on the core, and lack of core development can result in a predisposition to injury.  While there is general consensus on which muscles these are, there is some varying opinions out there. That debate can be left for a different time.  What I want to talk about today is the simple fact that most of us would agree on that we need to develop our core, whatever those muscles are.

I really like this definition, especially looking at the part talking about lack of core development can result in a predisposition to injury.  I think that is vital in all the things in life the importance of developing our core.  I appreciate watching my newborn, Lanie, grow up at this point in her life all of 3 months into it.  She has the basic understanding of what it takes from a health standpoint what needs to be done to develop her core.  Why is it as we age and supposedly get wiser we complicate it and get it so confused and many times wrong?  We cheat the basic ideas and try to find short cuts or work around that might still allow us the ability to develop our core without sticking to the basic principles we knew from birth.  Often times its because we do not want to take the time to develop them, development takes time.

At this point in her life she primarily does three things (four if you count the making diapers dirty): she sleeps, she eats and she gets some physical activity/exercise.  Yep that's it.  Those three things done properly are all we need to do to develop our core and help so we don't predisposition ourselves to injury.  Over the next few posts I will dive into each a little deeper on these three things as the core of health and fitness.