Why We Begin with Core Integration & Mat Workouts Before Resistance Training

Learning how to properly engage and integrate your core will stabilize your spine and pelvis so that your body is protected and your movements are optimal.

Once you’ve set your mind to starting your fitness journey, you may feel the need to get your hands on some weights right away. After all, resistance training is such an important component, right? True, but this episode of Movement: The Science of the Self breaks down why we begin with core integration and mat workouts before resistance training.

“You want to have as much healthy movement as possible for you, and everybody's body is different,” explains guest Kristen Latteri, NASM certified personal trainer.

Kristen prioritizes helping her clients achieve their individual fitness goals in a way that’s both fun and safe.

If people don’t know how to properly do each exercise, they can actually be doing more harm than good to their body overall. 

Starting with core integration and working out on a mat- or a chair for people who are not yet ready to get down on the floor- is imperative to learning how to move your body in the healthiest way possible.

By laying down on a mat or sitting in a chair, you can keep your spine and pelvis in a neutral position while slowly adding in new types of movement. Once you learn which muscles to use for each movement and how to properly engage your core, you can start adding in things like resistance and speed, depending on your individual goals. 

Check out this episode to learn more about the importance of core integration and taking it back to the basics on a mat before moving on to more complicated exercises.