Why core strength matters and how to build it

Updated June 2024 | 5 min read 
Expert contributor Amelia Phillips, exercise physiologist  
Words by Charmaine Yabsley 

A strong core can help to reduce the risk of lower back pain, improve your balance and help you with everyday activities. Here’s how you can build core strength. 

You may have heard people talk about ’core strength’, or that it’s important to ’tighten your core’. But what does it mean, and why does it matter? 

Your core isn’t just your six-pack, but a combination of muscles that are vital for your body’s overall strength and stability. 

“It refers to all the muscles that support and stabilise your midsection, starting from the deep pelvic floor muscles all the way up to your neck,” says exercise physiologist Amelia Phillips. “When we move our body, the back muscles, abdominals, glutes and a whole bunch of tiny muscles and fascia [connective tissue] should work together to create something called intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure turns our midsection into a firm, strong unit.”  

Why it’s important to strengthen your core

A strong core can improve your balance and stability, prevent injuries and can make it easier to do a range of physical activities – from training in the gym to tying your shoelaces. A strong core isn’t just for professional athletes.

Around four million Aussies are affected by back pain and Amelia says that many problems associated with back pain can be alleviated by strengthening your core and reducing sitting time.

“If our core is weak, we’re no longer protecting our spine, hips and other joints effectively. A weak core also means our posture deteriorates so that the natural curve in our spine becomes over-pronounced, placing more pressure on the spine.”

This vicious cycle can result in compression of the important intervertebral discs and an increased risk of injuries such as slipped discs.

Sitting is another cause of back pain. Our sedentary lifestyle is putting our health at risk: it has been found that Aussies spend more than eight hours a day sitting. But we can counteract the damage of sitting by training our core.

How to strengthen your core

Your pelvic floor muscles span the bottom of your pelvis and engaging them will help strengthen your core. There are different ways for men and women to exercise these muscles. Continence Australia provides general exercises that can help strengthen the pelvic floor and core muscles.

To start, squeeze and draw in the muscles around your back passage and the vagina or base of the penis. You should have a sense of ‘lift’ each time you squeeze your pelvic floor muscles. Try to hold them strong and tight as you count to eight. Then let them go and relax. You should have a distinct feeling of ’letting go’.

Once you’ve mastered that, you can train your core with functional moves that mimic everyday life, like squats and deadlifts (raising a weight off the ground to hip level).

“Moves where you keep your back straight and neutral while lifting something heavy will help train your core to protect your back,” says Amelia.

But make sure you don’t overdo the weights – it’s better to start small and only lift what your body can comfortably manage. If you’re not sure you’re engaging your core correctly, try a Pilates class, where you’ll learn how to correctly engage your core.

Strengthening your core throughout the day

“The great thing about the core is that it responds quickly even to small amounts of training,” says Amelia. “Little bursts of core training throughout the day really do make a difference.”

She recommends doing the following movements throughout the day.

• Diaphragmatic breathing: Take a deep breath in and as you breathe out, draw your belly button in towards your spine. When you breathe in, relax and allow your belly to expand. Most people breathe the other way round or shallow breathe. Practise this every day until it feels natural. 
• Belly button in when you lift: Every time you pick something up, draw in your belly button and tighten your core. This goes a long way to protecting your spine. 
• Balance on one leg: You might feel silly, but your core will thank you. The instability of standing on one leg forces your core to work overtime to prevent you from falling. The more you practise single legwork, the more responsive your core becomes. You can even do this while brushing your teeth, drying your hair or waiting for the kettle to boil.
• Do a plank: Get down on the floor for a core strength session. With your forearms on the ground, start on your knees. Once you can hold a plank for 45 seconds in this position, do 20 seconds on your toes, and repeat six times. Someone with a strong core can hold a plank for two minutes with no rest.

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