Getting Started with Cardio and Core

Posted on

Jul 07, 2021

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Written By: Dr. Meredith Butulis, of Coastal Orthopedics
For more information on Coastal Orthopedics, CLICK HERE!

Welcome to February, a month to recognize spine health, heart health, and senior independence. What do these national health celebrations have in common? All of them require a strong core.
What is the core?
We often think of sit-ups when we hear the word core, but the core contains so much more! The core is literally the entire center of the body. It is like a cylinder with a roof and floor. More than 40 muscles wrap around the center of our bodies to form the cylinders walls. The diaphragm, or breathing muscle, serves as the cores roof. All of the muscles in the pelvic floor serve as the cores floor. Glute strength and stability hold our core up on top of our legs for endurance in walking, standing from a chair, rolling in bed, going up stairs, and playing sports. All of the muscles attach to our skeleton, as the spine, discs, other bones create cement-like structures to anchor our strength.
Deep within the core, we have another muscle that can be strengthened too: the heart.
With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the U.S.,1we also need to strengthen our hearts with aerobic exercise to help decrease risks of strokes and heart attacks.
How do you strengthen core muscles?
While returning to the sit-ups we were taught as kids might seem like a great start, many adult spines have some level of degenerative joint disease, disc degeneration, or arthritis that may make sit-ups difficult. Great news! You can still work on strengthening every muscle in your core without sit-ups. Here are a few essential exercises for inspiration:


Ab activation:While sitting at a desk or table, press your forearms down gently. Feel your abs contract. Hold for 10-30 seconds. Repeat 5-10 times.
Inner thigh squeeze:While lying on your back or sitting, squeeze a folded pillow or sports ball between your knees. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10-20 times.
Balloon inflation:Blowing up a balloon works the diagram. Your diaphragm is your breathing muscle, or roof of the core. No balloon? No problem. Practice breathing out for a count of 5. Repeat 10 times.
Hip bridge:Lie on your back with your knees bent ' 90 degrees. Squeeze your glutes and then raise your hips any amount. Do not push through pain or muscle cramping. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10-20 times.

When it comes to heart strength, begin with a walking program. The CDC recommends brisk walking 150 minutes per week.2
Starting a walking program too quickly, however, can lead to tendinitis, hip bursitis, stress fractures, back pain, knee pain, and foot pain. Here is a sample program to help you build up to 150 minutes/week.


If walking this duration all at one time feels overwhelming, it is OK to work on accumulating minutes over the course of a day. For example, you could walk 5 minutes in the morning, and 5 minutes in the evening on each day of the week to achieve 10 minutes. With practice, your stamina will increase, and your walking program will feel easier. If walking isnt your favorite activity, try swimming, biking, water aerobics, or other favorite total body continuous movements to build your aerobic base.
How do strong core muscles support independent living?
If you sense that daily activity like stairs, getting off the floor, or enjoying recreational activities are getting harder, you are not alone. Sarcopenia, or muscle fiber shrinking, is part of the normal aging process. This leads to muscle weakness and decreased endurance. You can restore your strength and stamina with exercises, like the ones above.
With the core being the center of strength, and heart supporting endurance, your capacity to perform your daily activities and recreation originate from your daily exercises to stay strong.
Summary:Your core has 40+ muscles, a spine, and a heart. Keep them strong by incorporating the above exercise suggestions into your fitness routine today. Feel free to modify to fit your bodys needs.

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