Having a strong back and abdominal muscles has several health benefits beyond bragging rights on the beach. Your back is part of the core group of muscles that stabilizes your spine when you are walking, sitting and moving. Having a strong core will reduce your risk of back injuries, especially lower back injuries.
As anyone who has suffered from lower back pain can attest, there is no relief in any position. You can’t splint your back and in any position you find yourself your back muscles will engage and activate in order to maintain your balance. Just the small act of balancing can increase muscle spasms and pain.
But reduced risk of back injury is just one benefit of a strong back and abdominal muscles. Your core will also improve your posture. Standing straight and tall improves your self-esteem and improves the perception others have of you. You appear more powerful and self-confident.
A strong, sleek core also improves the way you look in clothes, and who wouldn’t be happy having an easy time buying new clothes? Strong core muscles also protect your abdominal organs, giving them protection from injury in an accident.
Having a strong core does not mean you’ll have six pack abs. You can have a strong core and still have a layer of subcutaneous fat that covers those muscles. However, you don’t want to have layers of belly fat or visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is just under the skin and on top of the muscle while visceral fat is under the muscle and wrapped around your internal organs.
Visceral fat is often the easiest to put on and the easiest to take off. But, it is also metabolically active. This means that it produces chemicals and hormones that increase your insulin resistance and your potential for developing diabetes.
Subcutaneous fat will overlay the muscle and is harder to both put on and take off. It takes more work and energy to take off subcutaneous fat. But it can be done. Fortunately, having a layer of fat over muscle doesn’t reduce the strength of the muscle or the ability of the core to support your body. And, if it’s just a thin layer of fat over the muscles, it also doesn’t detract from a sleek body either!
Resources:
Fitness Mag: 5 Minute Core Workout for Strong Back
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/abs/express/5-minute-core-workout-strong-abs-and-back/
Spine-Health: Back Exercises and Abdominal Exercise Recommendations
http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/back-exercises-and-abdominal-exercise-recommendations
Real Simple: 6 Easy Lower Abdominal Exercises
http://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/lower-abdominal-exercises-00100000062453/
Fitness Magazine: Top 10 Abs Exercises
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/abs/exercises/top-10-abs-exercises/
Mercola: Confirmed: Belly Fat is Far More Dangerous than Having a Total BMI in Obese Range
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/10/26/belly-fat-health-dangers.aspx
Time Health Family: Can Love Handles Kill
http://healthland.time.com/2012/08/30/can-love-handles-kill-why-having-a-paunch-may-be-worse-than-being-obese/
NY Times: Brown Fat, Triggered by Cold or Exercise
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/health/brown-fat-burns-ordinary-fat-study-finds.html?_r=0
Joslin Diabetes Center: Turning up the heat on brown fat
https://www.joslin.org/diabetes-research/turning-up-the-heat-on-brown-fat.html
US News: Belly Fat May Hurt Your Heart the Hardest
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/08/28/belly-fat-may-hurt-your-heart-the-hardest
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