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March 2023:  Why it matters so much to have a strong core

3/13/2023

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There’s a lot of talk out there about having a “strong core” but what does that even mean? 
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​Oftentimes when we think about our core we think about our abdominal muscles, and while they are an important part of your core they’re just a piece of it.  The core is also made up of our obliques, the abdominal muscles on our sides, a number of muscles around the spine, the diaphragm, pelvic floor muscles, the glutes (a.k.a your tush) and the hips.  
​
​You can think of your core like a barrel with the pelvic floor at the bottom, the diaphragm at the top, and all of the muscles that wrap around your torso.  This group of muscles play an incredibly important role in our posture, our digestion, and even how we feel emotionally. A strong core helps to protect our joints from impact related injury and they are also important in protecting our back and our organs.  

Each of the muscles of the core can be broken down into two groups - stabilizers and movers.  The Stabilizers are important for maintaining intra-abdominal pressure and keeping you stable and strong.  The movers are responsible for allowing you to sit up, bend over, twist, bend to the side, bend backward, and more.
It’s important that we have balance between our stabilizer muscles and our mover muscles.  When we don’t have strength & balance between our stabilizer muscles our bodies will compensate resulting in us using mover muscles for stability and our stabilizing muscles for moving.  As you can imagine, that can result in many problems including pain, particularly in the lower back, and an increased risk of injury. 
​
The glutes are the largest muscle in our body, so when this muscle group isn’t working optimally we will likely move dysfunctionally and experience pain.  The reality is that most of us sit for a significant amount of our day.  We started this way back in Kindergarten when we started sitting at a desk for school, so it feels relatively normal to sit 8 hours a day, but doing so can take a real toll on our glute and overall core strength.  We often don’t notice that we’re losing strength in this important muscle group until we start experiencing pain and other movement dysfunctions.
​

Some signs of weak glutes include:
  • Knee, back & hip pain
  • Tight hips & lower back
  • Poor Posture
  • Finding that walking up stairs or jumping feels harder than it used to be.​

The pelvic floor is often a forgotten muscle that helps to support our organs, including our bladder, and for women, our reproductive organs.  A weak pelvic floor is associated with incontinence, and in more severe cases prolapse which can feel like these organs are falling out of our bodies. For women in menopause the risks associated with a weak pelvic floor only increase, so maintaining a strong pelvic floor is incredibly important for leading an active life with confidence well into our elder years.
​
​Our core muscles work together to support healthy posture.  Healthy posture has a significant influence on our overall health including how we feel both physically and emotionally.

​Poor posture will result in inadequate engagement of our core muscles leading to weakness and imbalance resulting in pain, but that’s not all.  Poor posture can have a negative consequence on other parts of our bodies.
​
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Digestion:  Sitting with poor posture after eating can result in pressure on the abdomen resulting in acid reflux, heartburn, constipation, bloating & gas.

Pelvic Floor:  poor posture can also put pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, which makes it harder for those muscles to stay engaged leading to incontinence, adding insult to injury if your pelvic floor is already weak.  

Mental Health:  Studies have shown that poor posture can have a direct effect on how we feel, including our mood, stress levels and self esteem.

These are some pretty good reasons to care about our core strength.  

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​​If you are experiencing any of these symptoms that are indicators of a weak core you may want to start incorporating some core exercises into your daily routine.  Check out our Core Strong Guide.   
​

You can download your
​FREE copy here:
DOWNLOAD HERE

Could you use some extra guidance & support in moving better, feeling better, and living your best life
​(including having a strong core!)?
Check out our Free Group
​Personal Training Trial Program.

This is a great way for you to experience our functional approach to fitness in an
​incredibly positive and supportive environment.

Visit www.wilcoxwellnessfitness.com/trial 
​for more information and to get signed up.
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March Athlete of the Month - Juley Salisbury

3/10/2023

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We are so proud of Juley Salisbury and all that she has achieved since starting her training program with us last April. ​
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​Juley joined us with a number of her workout buddies from a local gym that closed and we’ve just loved getting to know Juley and her “crew”! Having a “tribe” of people who you can share in the common goal of committing to health & fitness can be a huge help in building momentum and sticking to your routine for the long term.  Juley has been working out with her group of friends for 10 years and I’m so happy that Wilcox Wellness & Fitness has provided a place where they could stay together in their commitment to their health.  Even better, since starting at Wilcox Wellness & Fitness, Juley has continued to make friends in the gym. 
​ Juley not only connects with the comradery of the community, she also contributes to it by offering up a little extra guidance or support to others in her group. It’s the attitude and spirit of people like Juley that creates the welcoming and supportive culture that we’re so proud of!

​Juley has some cardiac issues that limit her ability to push as hard as she wants to, but she’s always listening to her body and taking appropriate breaks to prevent her heart rate from getting too high.  When she first joined our training program she was concerned about attending the Strength & Conditioning Training Sessions for this reason.  We reminded Juley that everyone should work at their own pace, and that if a Strength & Conditioning Session is best for her schedule, and the session that her friends are joining, that she should also feel confident joining.  
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​The trainer team is always prepared to help her slow down the movement when needed.  Juley’s communication about what’s working and not working helps the trainer team guide her in her session so that she can stay safe and feeling strong and confident.
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Although, a decade ago Juley may have not seen herself as someone who feels comfortable in a gym setting, we are so happy that she has found her tribe and found our gym.  She brings an amazing attitude to every session and is often surprising herself with her own strength & power.  One of Juley’s favorite exercises is the Slow Squat Ball Slam, where we use a weighted sand filled ball, which is slowly raised up overhead as one ascends from a squat, and then powerfully thrown to the ground.  


​When Juley throws that ball to the ground she feels the ground shake beneath her and she feels strong and powerful.  She’s also working harder on choosing a slightly heavier weight, reminding herself on the regular that she’s much stronger than she thinks.

​We are so proud of everything that Juley has accomplished in her training program and just love having her in our community.

​Keep up the great work Juley and keep bringing that positive energy to every session.
​
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    Author

    Hi!  My name is Allison Hopkins and I am the owner of Wilcox Wellness & Fitness in Brunswick, ME.  I am excited to bring WILCOX to Brunswick and share in my passion for living a great life through health and fitness.

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  • HOME
  • Get Started
  • Personal Training Programs
    • Private Personal Training
    • Group Personal Training
    • LIVEStream Group Personal Training
  • Programs
    • KickStart
    • FREE TRIAL Program
  • Location
    • Bangor, Maine
    • Brunswick, Maine
    • LIVEStream Training
  • Reviews
  • Schedule
    • Bangor, Maine
    • Brunswick, Maine
    • LIVEStream Training
  • Meal Plans
    • Meal Plan Bundle
    • WINTER MEAL PLAN
    • SPRING MEAL PLAN
    • SUMMER MEAL PLAN
    • FALL MEAL PLAN
    • CUSTOM MEAL PLAN
    • Plant Based Whole Foods Meal Plan
    • Holiday Cookbook
  • Newsletter / Blog
  • Information Packet
  • Photo/Video Vault
  • Career
  • QuickStart
  • Keep In Touch
  • Apparel
  • Sugar Detox Program
  • What Your Trainer Wants You To Know
  • Finding the Right Personal Trainer for You
  • Release Tight Hips Now
  • Website Terms & Conditions