By: Nancy Hawkins Rigg, Founder and owner, Forever Fit Foundation

Core is the newest buzz word in the fitness world. You hear it on TV and see it on packaging for fitness apparatus and DVDs. Most people have only a vague awareness of where the core of the body is, and little to no awareness of its function, let alone how to strengthen it.

First of all, when you think core, a good analogy might be an apple. The core is deep in the center and all the fruit encircles it. The same is true with your body. The core is deep in the center of your torso, extending from your pelvic floor and up to your diaphragm. It is corseted by hips and some of your ribs.

The core muscles include not only all of the abdominal muscles, but also large and small back muscles, as well as those which stabilize the spine. When your core is working properly you will also engage the inner and outer thigh muscles for even more stabilization.

Just as with an apple, a weak core creates an imbalance in other areas of your body. Simply put, although you may be able to perform bicep curls with big dumbbells all day long, if you have no core strength, all you have are muscular-looking arms and perhaps a sore back. So, quit doing those 100 rapid crunches, and then start a serious program of core conditioning. This area of the body is quite complex, and fortunately the muscles will respond to a variety of training options, particularly programs that include Pilates, Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis,® or custom-designed programs based on your individual strengths and weaknesses. When Joseph Pilates developed his system of training in the 1920s, he created the exercises to improve the body’s functioning. After all, his first clients were hospital patients, and the first Reformer was a modified hospital bed. Since then, Pilates has come a long way, but his basic principles remain the same. That doesn’t mean you must rely on the classical apparatus, such as the Reformer or Cadillac, to get a good workout. Some clients may select those options, but a personal trainer may also suggest mat exercises or others using small pieces of equipment, such as balls or bands, that are also effective and very challenging.

Pilates is a gentle, focused form of exercise that when performed properly is quite effective in correcting and fixing postural imbalances associated with weak core muscles. Each exercise is performed slowly, deliberately as it stretches and strengthens those core muscles. Your trainer will asks you to focus and concentrate on the muscles as you use them.

One of the key tenets of Joseph Pilates’ system was a mind/ body connection, so you will also learn key breathing techniques. You may do fewer repetitions than you perform while strength training, and in classical Pilates exercises, you will not use external weight. You will find using your own body weight correctly is quite challenging enough, thank you!

Nancy Hawkins Rigg is the founder and owner of Forever Fit Foundation, a personal training business specializing in Pilates, Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis, Yamuna Body Rolling and sport specific training. Forever Fit Foundation accepts clients at three sites: Dover and Lewes and Mendenhall Station, Pa., just over the Delaware line. A certified athletic trainer, she earned her bachelors degree from the University of Delaware and her masters degree in exercise science and sports medicine from Miami University in Ohio. Please call (302) 423-1816 or (302) 698-5201 to schedule an appointment or for more information.