I need to get something straight. Your abdominal muscles are not your “core”. Your abdominal muscles are only part of your core.

Just about every article on core exercises and just about every workout that claims to focus on the core really is only focused on the abdominal muscles, and usually targets the rectus abdominis muscle, and has little to do with the overall function of the core.

So what is the core? The core is the torso. It is all of the muscles that control the spine. The core has many functions but it’s primary function is to control and guide movement. It includes muscles of the thoracic spine (upper back), lumbar spine (lower back), abdominal muscles, pelvic floor muscles and the diaphragm.

Technically, every exercise is a core exercise because the core is active with any and all movement. Having proper control of your core is the foundation of proper movement or form as we like to say in the gym. If someone lacks good form it is typically because of poor control of the core. Improving core control can rarely be achieved through strengthening exercises and certainly cannot be improved by training the rectus abdominal muscles. To take it one step further, poor control of the core typically occurs because of poor mobility or flexibility. An individual who has reduced mobility typically is forced to compensate with movement patterns that disrupt proper control of the core. In these cases strengthening exercises only make the situation worse because it usually leads to reinforcing the poor movement patterns that already exist.

So how should we be training the core? First of all we need to resolve any mobility issues that may be present. Then the focus should be on neuromuscular control exercises. These are exercises that train the nervous system how to control the core. They are exercises that train the muscles of the core to work together to align the spine in a neutral spinal posture and resist spinal flexion, rotation and extension during certain movements as well as how to flex, rotate and extend the spine when needed. The neuromuscular system can be challenged with increasingly complex exercises such as plyometrics, balance exercises and exercises that require coordination.

What about the abs?? Of course it is ok to train the abdominal muscles. Having strong abdominal muscles can be complementary to good core control and strong abdominal muscles look great on the beach. But remember to train all of the abdominal muscles and not just the rectus abdominal muscles. Learn how to use the oblique muscles and the transverse abdominal muscles. These muscles are critical in stabilizing a neutral spine and in controlling movement of the spine and extremities. You should learn to use the transverse abdominal muscles and oblique muscles when doing traditional abdominal exercises such as planks, bicycles, scissors and crunches and side planks.