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other hand, might make you feel more confident and alert. It also helps you breathe better and get more oxygen to your body. That makes ex- ercising even easier and more beneficial. GET BETTER AT SPORTS Most sports involve some sort of core movement. Gymnastics definitely does! So do tennis, biking, swimming, volleyball, golfing, and more. Pretty much every sport involves using the core to some degree. Even sports that mostly rely on arm or leg strength, like running, are affected by core strength too. After you try some core workouts a few times, you may notice right away that playing sports is easier. All the benefits of core workouts can make you better at your chosen sport or sports. Exercise in general helps you breathe better and makes your heart stronger, which is al- ways great for sports performance. Core workouts also strengthen mus- cles that are necessary for any movements in your torso. And because the core muscles connect to other muscles, your arm and leg movements may feel stronger too. STAY INJURY-FREE AND PAIN-FREE Injuries happen while playing sports, while doing chores at home, or even just while walking around. Core exercises won’t prevent you from ever getting injured, but they will protect you from some of the more common kinds of pain and injuries. A strong core means more balance and stability for your body over- all, as well as more flexibility. Injuries, especially those involving falls, are often caused by a bad sense of balance or a lack of flexibility. By getting better at those things through core exercises, you’re improving your body’s ability to stay strong overall. Some people’s jobs involve a lot of core strength. If you have to bend, twist, or stand all day at your job, you’re using your core muscles. Someone who works during the summer as a camp counselor is prob- ably going to be running around a lot after campers. After weeks of

The Benefits of Core Workouts

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