Core Stabilising Muscles
The core stabilising muscles are the collective name for the deep and superficial muscles surrounding the spine and the pelvis; their job is less to produce movement than to control it. This is the region known as the core.
| Location | Around the trunk: the front and side wall of the abdomen, the deep back muscles, the diaphragm and the pelvic floor |
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| Function | Holding the spine and pelvis steady; resisting unwanted bending and twisting; transmitting force |
| Role in daily life | Staying tall while carrying a load, gathering the trunk during sudden reaches, posture control and breathing support |
| Movement patterns |
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| Related exercises |
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| Common misconception | A strong core is assumed to be the same thing as visible abdominal muscles; in fact visibility is a matter of nutrition and genetics, whereas stabilising capacity can be high without showing, and it is that capacity which carries functional value. |
Not one muscle, a team
Gathered under this heading are the deep abdominal muscle (transversus abdominis), the side abdominal muscles (the obliques), the straight abdominal muscle (rectus abdominis), the deep muscles running along the back (multifidus), the diaphragm and the pelvic floor. The team's job is to protect the spine from unwanted bending and twisting while the arms and legs produce force: a solid trunk is a platform that transmits the strength of the limbs efficiently.
More than the sit-up
Core training was identified with the sit-up for a long time; yet the main job of these muscles is not to bend the trunk but to resist bending. The Dead Bug and the Bird Dog train exactly that skill of resisting, and the Farmer Carry teaches staying tall under load. A heavy set of squats or deadlifts is serious core training too.
A partnership with breathing
Because the diaphragm is a member of this team, breathing and trunk tension are intertwined: on a demanding lift, taking the breath into the abdomen and tightening the trunk raises the pressure inside the abdomen and supports the spine. The breathing rhythms recommended in the exercises are that partnership put into practice.
Related terms: Dead Bug, Bird Dog, Farmer Carry, Gluteus Maximus