“I thought core training was supposed to help me… but it made my pain worse.”
That’s what one of my patients, Sharon, told me when we first met.
She had been told, “Just strengthen your abs,” but every crunch, sit-up, and plank left her feeling tighter, weaker, and more frustrated.
The truth?
- our core isn’t just your abs.
- And not all “core training” is safe if you’re in pain or injured.
When you do it the right way, your core becomes a protective brace that supports your spine, hips, and pelvis—helping you heal, not hurt.
Here’s what works best if you’re dealing with pain:
- Start small. Gentle, controlled movements to “wake up” your core, not burn it out.
- Train the deep muscles. Your internal stabilizers (transverse abdominis, multifidus) are your body’s armor.
- Breathe with it. Proper breathing activates your core and reduces stress on injured areas.
- Skip pain-provoking moves. If it hurts, it’s not helping.
When you rebuild your core from the inside out, you’re not just getting stronger—you’re giving your body the stability it’s been missing.