Core training and abdominal training: What is the difference?

Have you ever found that an exercise described as an “ab exercise” in one place is the exact same move classified as a “core exercise” in another? These two terms are synonymous in the fitness industry. It is often used in different meanings, and there are different ideas about each component. Additionally, there is a lot of overlap between the two.

However, there are some important differences between abdominal muscles and core muscles. Simply put, your core includes your abdominal muscles, but your abdominal muscles don’t encompass everything in your core. Strong abdominal muscles are important, but it’s not enough to only train your abs and ignore the rest of your core.

To better understand the difference between core training and ab exercises, and get step-by-step instructions on how to strengthen both, we spoke to two fitness experts.

what is your core?

Your core includes everything from your hips to the bottom of your chest, says certified personal trainer and functional strength coach Matthew Forzaglia, CPT, CFSC, and founder of Forzag Fitness. “We’re talking about the pelvic floor muscles, internal obliques, external obliques, transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, and erector spinae,” he explains.

You can think of your core as a corset or a weightlifting belt, and that includes the quadratus lumborum muscles in your lower back, says PT, DPT, CSCS, physical therapist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and founder of Movement Vault. Grayson Wickham says. “When we think about the core, we think about all the muscles that surround the midsection,” he explains.

The core is a source of support and stability. It protects your internal organs and spine, allowing you to maintain an upright posture and manage abdominal pressure. Core muscles are also involved in trunk flexion, lateral bending, extension, and rotation. In other words, your core allows you to twist, bend, arch, and curl.

what are your abs?

Most people use the term “abs”, short for abdominal muscles, to refer to the rectus abdominis muscles. “This is ‘six-pack abs’ seen from the front of the body,” says Forzaglia. The abdominal muscles function to flex the spine and protect the internal organs behind it.

Technically speaking, the abdominal muscles are small muscles that are thought to tighten not only the rectus abdominis, but also the internal obliques, external obliques, transversus abdominis, and the connective tissue that runs through the middle of the rectus abdominis. It also includes the pyramidal muscles.

Like your core, your abdominal muscles provide support, stability, mobility, internal pressure regulation, and protection.

“Remember that everyone is an athlete. Everyone has to move throughout the day.” —Grayson Wickham, PT, DPT, CSCS

Difference between core and abdominal muscles

The abdominal muscles are part of the core, which includes the abdominal muscles and all the other muscles that make up the midsection, such as the pelvic floor, erector spinae, and quadratus lumborum muscles. Basically, “core” is a broad umbrella term that refers to your entire midsection, while “abs” refers to a specific group of muscles within your core.

Benefits of a strong core

When you think of your body as a home, Forzalia says, the core is its frame. “A weak frame makes other parts of the house more susceptible to failure,” he says, noting that an unstable core can lead to imbalances and movement compensation, which can lead to injury. Masu.

A weak core can lead to a feeling of tightness in other parts of your body, especially your lower back, says Wickham. “The human body is constantly seeking stability, so if you don’t have stability in your core, it’s likely to be taken away from the next available joint,” he says.

Strengthening your core can not only protect you from inefficient movement patterns, pain, and injury, but it can also improve your posture by reducing the amount of time you spend sitting or slouching. And Study 1 shows that a strong core can optimize an athlete’s power and control of movement, improving performance.

“And we have to remember that everyone is an athlete,” Wickham says. “Everyone has to move throughout the day. Everyone has to do some kind of athletic movement, whether it’s reaching and twisting to pick up a 10-pound box or snatching a barbell off the ground. yeah.”

Great core exercises to add to your workout

Activate your entire midsection during your next strength workout with these proven core exercises from Forzaglia. Choose a few to incorporate into your routine, or run them back-to-back in core-focused circuits. You will need a large balance ball and at least one set of dumbbells or kettlebells.