Most of us have heard someone tell us, or felt the need to “strengthen our core” or “stretch more”, but what’s the big deal? Why is that so important and how much does it really help? Keep reading to learn more about the health benefits of stretching and core strength. Read all the way to the end to see how you can start making progress on BOTH today!

1. Better Posture

When there is an imbalance of strength and flexibility in your body, it is only a matter of time before your posture becomes compromised. It gets progressively difficult to stand upright for long periods either due to pain or weakness. A strong core and good flexibility of the chest, hips, and legs helps to maintain good posture and fortify you against postural abnormalities.

2. Fewer Aches & Pains

When you put forth a little effort to maintain your mobility and core strength, you can prevent a lot of aches and pains. This is especially true when it comes to lower back pain which a large percentage of the population suffers from. If you are a part of this group already, it’s not too late to get started with a guided strength and mobility program.

3. Less Risk Of Injury

Optimizing your strength and mobility will undoubtedly help fortify you against problems down the road. When your body is strong and flexible, you can place more load through it without damaging it. That means, you won’t hurt yourself as easily the next time you want to spend a long weekend working in the yard or carrying one of the kiddos around for a while.

4. Better Balance

Many people are shocked when they realize how bad their balance has gotten in midlife. Having a strong core and good flexibility can actually help you prevent falls down the road because you are able to control for instabilities outside of your center of gravity better.

5. Age Well

We all want to “age well” and that may mean different things for different people. To me, aging well means still having a zest for life and the independence to continue doing what brings me happiness. The people I see who are having the most success with that, are people who invest in maintaining their strength and mobility. They exercise daily in some capacity and don’t use “old age” as an excuse. In fact, they use that as the reason and motivation behind why they choose to exercise. This boils down to a lifestyle choice and not something that will be handed to you. You won’t age well by sitting on your tush or laying in bed all day. You will have to put forth an effort proportionate to the level of activity you want to do.

So there you have five reasons to strengthen your core and enhance your mobility. I hope it’s enough to motivate you to take action now and not wait another day. Just like a rocket ship uses most of its fuel in take-off, getting started is more than half the effort!

If you would like to make some progress with your own core strength and mobility, be sure to check out our Core Strengthening & Mobility Booster Online Programs! Each program includes 5 individual classes each lasting between 25-40 minutes, plus two BONUS classes.

As with any new exercise program, be sure to consult with your trusted healthcare provider before getting started. If you have specific questions and want to be sure these programs are right for you, give us a call at (504) 407-3477.