a>Improving the health of your heart and circulatory system can be achieved through cardiovascular exercise such as running or aerobics. Toning and strengthening your muscles can be done with weights and resistance exercises. But let us be clear about this, Having a strong core is the key to success when it comes to all the fitness and exercise routines we participate in.
What is typically referred to as the core is the midsection of our bodies. The abdominal muscles, obliques and back muscles are at the heart of just about everything we do physically. It is our base and center of gravity from which everything else flows. It is because of this that it is so vitally important that we regularly exercise the core muscles at least 2 -3 times per week as a part of our overall fitness regimen.
As I mentioned, the core is typically thought of as our midsections, but it really is quite a bit more than that. The core is a series of muscles, tissues, tendons and ligaments that serve as the foundation for the rest of our bodies. Our spines, shoulders, hips and legs all rely on a strong core to function at peak efficiency. If I may use a musical analogy, think of the core as the conductor and our extremities as the musicians.
While they can function independently of one another, it most certainly is not optimal unless they are working together as a cohesive, single unit. There is a great deal of information available on this web site as well as others on the importance of core exercises. They need not be stressful and in fact, can become rather enjoyable as you become more comfortable doing your workouts.