This post will define The Core and What Core Training is.
What is The Core?
In the strength & conditioning and physical training worlds, the core often refers to a specific part of the human body being trained.
While the definition of the core may differ based on who you are talking with, Powercore 360 defines the core as the part of the body that runs from the base of the hips up through the shoulders.
Over the past 10-20 years, I believe the body core was first generally referred to as the area where the abdominal muscles are positioned. In time, many individuals started to broaden their definition, as many started to define the core as the area of the body (from the hips up through the shoulders, not just in front of the body, but 360 degrees around the body).
What is Core Training?
Core training has been viewed as exercises that strengthen or condition of the muscles of the abdominal region of the body. This typically meant doing exercises that trained the abdominal muscles, and progressed to include lower back exercises.
The early core exercises typically included exercises where the spine was repetitively bending & extending. Common core exercises included: abdominal crunches, sit-ups and back extensions.