Why is my core not getting stronger? 😩

This may be the most common question I get since working as a physiotherapist over the past decade. Whether you’re recovering from back pain, are getting older, have hip or knee injuries, or are pregnant/postpartum, a strong core sets up a foundation for efficient movement. Does a weak core automatically lead to pain and injury? Not at all. But we know that having a stronger core means better support for the trunk, which allows your arms and legs to work better. Picture this: you can carry your kids longer, jump higher, run faster, shovel quicker, etc.

This week on Instagram, my post about why your core isn’t getting stronger led to some amazing discussions, so I wanted to expand on it here. You’ll see that none of the reasons have anything to do with your diastasis recti, your genetics, your anatomy or your core itself.

So, let’s dive into the 6 reasons your core isn’t getting stronger, shall we?

1. Your exercises are too easy

   Choose exercises that are challenging for you in order to make strength gains. If you’re still doing core activation exercises, heel slides and bridges months after having a baby or a new injury, it’s just too easy. It’s not that you’ll lose strength, but you won’t really gain any either.

2. Your exercises are too hard

   Choose exercises that slightly push, rather than blow right through, your current capacity. I love using a simple Math analogy - if you’re struggling with simple addition and subtraction, you’re not going to be very successful if you skip right ahead to advanced calculus and algebra, right? In the same way, pushing your exercise tolerance is good and important, but if you blow right past it, you may experience setbacks, bringing you right back to square one (and I’m not talking about the mall).

3. You’re doing the same thing over and over again

   If you want different results, do something different. With any given exercise, you can make it more difficult by changing the speed, the position, the weight/load and the length of time. This keeps things more interesting. Doing the same workout over and over can get really boring.

   Example: to make abdominal crunches more challenging, you can try one of the following:

   • do them on an exercise ball so you can go through a great range of motion

   • slow down the speed

   • hold the crunch for a longer time

   • hold a weighted plate in your hands to increase the load

4. You’re thinking too much about your core

   There are few things in life that benefit from overthinking. Your core is probably turning on just fine, and thinking about it too much can actually make your movements less efficient. If thinking about all your core cues (“engage your abs,” “breathe out,” “shoulders back”) are not working out for you, let it go and just try the movement. Lift the weight, see how you feel. Is it actually painful? No? You might find that you can actually do MORE if you’re not overthinking.

   Example: When you reach for your carton of orange juice, you don’t really think about how you’re doing it. You’re not wondering how wide your hand needs to open, or how much your fingers need to close, or how much muscular effort your gripping muscles need to give. You just do it. Overthinking it would make the movement less effective.

5. You’re forgetting the rest of your body

   Your core isn’t actually responsible to move you. Your core mostly just stabilizes your trunk while your arms carry things or while your legs move you. You can have a strong core and weak legs, but that will result in you feeling like your core is weak. Remember to strengthen those arms and legs so you core can better do its job.

6. You’re not sleeping, eating or drinking enough

   This is the most important point of all. We are not invincible. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re stressed out, you’re not eating or hydrating enough, you won’t make the strength gains you want. Prioritize sleep, nutrition, hydration and mental health.

Reasons #3 and #4 impact me the most.

• To try to challenge myself so I’m not always sticking to the same exercises, I like to try new movements each week. This week, I tried kettlebell swings for the first time. It felt awkward at first, but so fun to learn new ways to move!

• As for overthinking - I find listening to music or exercising with my kids around provides just the right amount of distraction to prevent me from overthinking all my core cues.

Hope this helps, friends! Which of these 6 reasons do you find impact YOUR core and training the most?

Wishing you strong cores, but most of all, that you stay healthy and well,

Surabhi

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