Muscles of the Core

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https://www.acefitness.org/blog/3562/muscles-of-the-core

MUSCLES OF THE CORE

BINDI DELANEY
As a fitness professional and an exam candidate, there is no way of getting
around the fact that you need to know your anatomy! Understanding how the
body moves and creates movement with the muscles is a huge part of the job. In
earlier blogs, we looked at how to study anatomy. We then started breaking
down each body part, with the latest two blogs looking at the muscles that move
the scapulae and the Muscles That Move the Arm
Here, we will look at the muscles of the core.
The major muscles that move, support and stabilize your spine are called the muscles of the core or trunk.

Action of the Trunk

What the Action Looks Like (Mov e

Your Body !)

Primary Muscles

Trunk flexion

Bend forward, or curl up action

Rectus abdominis (trunk flexors)

Trunk extension

Stand up straight (from bent ov er),

bend backwards

Erector spinae (back extensors)

Trunk rotation (ipsilateral

and contralateral rotation)

Twist to the left and right

Internal and external obliques

Lateral trunk flexion

Bend to the side

Obliques and one side of rectus

abdominis and erector spinae

C ompression of the abdomen

Draw y our belly button into y our

spine

Transv erse abdominis

Spinal stability

Holds y our spine stable during

mov ement

Multifidi

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Muscles of the Core

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https://www.acefitness.org/blog/3562/muscles-of-the-core

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Muscles of the Core

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https://www.acefitness.org/blog/3562/muscles-of-the-core

A helpful way to learn the muscles is to get up out of your chair and move and mimic the actions for the muscles you are
learning that week. Look at the picture of the muscle, find it on your body, and picture how the muscle is contracting and
what muscles are involved in the movement. Make the muscle contract and complete the different actions that muscle is
involved in.
Stay tuned for our next blog in this series, which will discuss the muscles of the legs and hips. If you have any additional
questions that were not answered here, please dont hesitate to contact our Resource C enter at 888-825-3636, Ext. 796, or
resource@acefitness.org.
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