[Closed] A survey of sorts - what is core strength?

I think, and this is an opinion rather than a dig at anyone or anything, that it is an over-rated and little understood thing.

Is it the ability to bite through an apple in one fell swoop?

It's the strength that you lose if you sit around doing nowt worthwhile..

I think its a thing that people trot out as a stock answer to 'sore back' or 'can't bend over enough' and as an actual thing doesn't mean that much.

It probably means 'good tummy muscles' to most folk

knowing a fair few people who research this malarkey (and the whole LBP thing) i'm not really sure anyone knows truly what it is or how to measure it, and even if you can whether it actually works...

If i remember correctly isn't it all that trans abs, QL, abs, and pelvic floor stuff. Needless to say i'm not musculo-skeletal

is it what big hitters have and flouncers lack?

Posterior chain?

The ability to do a plank for xx seconds.

As measured on the Gnarr-Jay scale?

Maybe. I say gnaaaarrrr lots when doing a plank.

Ahh...but Cptn... that makes you Jaycore.

I always thought it was to do with your "inner self"/personality/outlook on life/moral values etc.

For example, you often get people who'll put themselves out for anyone, always offering to lend a helping hand - these are described as having a "good core" or "good core strength"

Those that have nothing good to say about anyone, never lend a hand, always moaning/arguing/trolling etc. etc. are described as being "rotten to the core" or perhaps have a poor "core strength"

The Southern Yeti - Member
Ahh...but Cptn... that makes you Jaycore.

Cool, thanks.

I'd agree with Crikey. Good tummy muscles. They were forever going on about core muscles at gymnastics

I should add that I have no idea which end of the scale is which.

Any further ideas?

I always thought it meant your 'body' muscles; back, front, sides. Torso, I suppose. But I confess, I don't actually know, that's just been my understanding.

Is it something akin to BMI maybe, like an 'overall muscle mass' index or something, as that what you're getting at?

I know what I think it is, why don't you put us out of our misery and tell us what you think you know it is...

Is it something to do with magnets?

TSY - where's the fun in that?

Fun.... FUN?? Who said anything about fun!?

i thought it was something to do with making sure the muscles that have any impingement on the spine are strong and balanced. having a 6-pack on it's own ain't enough. i'm sure i read that somewhere when i decided i should work on my core strength... (which i never bothered doing, btw. i was petrified of making things bad by not balancing it right and snapping my spine, or something)

Torso, and you only realise just how important those muscles are when you crack / bruise your ribs and you can't do anything for a month 🙁

I'm sure there's an accepted medical definition in terms of attachments and flexion/extension of the peripheral skeleton but I would sum it as saying that core muscles work to align the pelvis, ribs and spine to resist either dynamic or static forces.
Core strength would be, in everyday terms, the ability of the body to maintain posture, resist force and initiate movement.
I'd class pelvic floor, diaphragm, transverse abs, obliques (internal and external), sacrospinalis & rectus abdominus (6 pack) as core muscles and also include lats, gluts and traps as having core function...

...hmmmm must get the anatomy books out again, I'm sure I've forgotten loads 😳

To me, it's not the muscles that we can see - abs, glutes, pecs etc.

It's the muscles inside you, which hold you up and hold all your organs together.

take up pilates brilliant for cycling and works on posture and your core strength good to do over the winter period you wont regret it.

Core strength = the muscles that let you swing a sledgehammer without falling over.

when you have it, you know it. And you wonder why you've lived so long without it.
It's great for walking, running and even standing better. And superb when you want to put some power into the bike.
Particularly helpful when the tube driver jams the brakes on too hard 😉
More people would have it if they knew how it felt

The muscles you use on a singlespeed

when you have it, you know it. And you wonder why you've lived so long without it.
It's great for walking, running and even standing better. And superb when you want to put some power into the bike.
Particularly helpful when the tube driver jams the brakes on too hard

the same could be said of having a willy like an anvil.

Isn't it a religious thing a bit like "core beliefs"?
Only more kick ass and smitey with super powers like Moses messing up baddies with the sea or the Jebus beating up satan with a burning bush or something innit?

Whenever I'm told someone has good "core strength" I assume they are extra pious and can fly or see through walls...

Interesting.

Muscles between the shoulder and knee all go towards supporting your torso. Some wrap around, some travel up but all go towards allowing you to walk upright.

I agree that being able to sustain the plank for over 60 seconds (without crying for mummy) displays some decent core strength.

FFS SBZ GOWI

Naw!!!

Plank for 60 secs, pah 2 minutes is more like it. Then I want my mummy.

Grrrrrrrrrrr

muscles in the abdomen that act as the leverage for limbs to act against. it does not mean abs.

I think it is misunderstood by a lot of people.

surely the only important muscles are your biceps and 6pack, they're the only reason men work out aren't they?

Don't forget your glutes Phil.

Guns and Buns baby, guns and buns.

Its a measurement of how many crunches you can do. Everyone knows it

OK - take a cylinder with your pelvic floor as the base and your diaphragm as the lid and the muscles round your belly and back as the wall. It's basically every muscle that can be used to increase the pressure within that cylinder whilst keeping it cylinder shaped.