To me this means hold in your abs (don't forget to breathe though!).

How much more is there to core strength than this? Or have I got it ALL wrong?

Pilates, that's the stuff - look what it did for Darcy

There's a bit more to it than that.

The core originates almost all of the full body movements when you dance and determines your posture because it plays a large role in aligning your ribs, spine, and pelvis.

As a dancer this means a strong core is essential for just standing in basic positions to balancing and even turning.

The core is actually more than just the abdominal muscles; it's all major muscle groups including a few key back muscles;

Transverse Abdominis
External and Internal Obliques
Rectus Abdominis
Erector Spinae

Bet you wish you wish you hadn't asked!

If you have never had any ballet training Pilates is the Rolls Royce of exercise.

All dancers do Pilates.

Very informative .

Pilates is great. Pull up your pelvic floor and suck your tummy muscles back towards your spine. Then do it on one leg (don't look down) I promise you will find your balance improves immediately. Over time the internal abdominal muscles will strengthen. Your posture, balance and figure will improve. the latter regardless of how otherwise fat or thin you are.

Try brushing your teeth standing on one leg with core engaged. Swop legs after 1 minute. That way twice a day you will engage these muscles.

Another vote for Pilates from me. Even if I were not dancing I would still do it. It makes an amazing amount of difference and I actually find it quite enjoyable.

Good for discovering glute muscles too and correcting imbalances in the legs, feet that turn out, knees that turn in, hunched shoulders and so on.

Yes, I've had all the problems.......

This is all very well but you haven't mentioned the breathing - which is key.

Can I suggest to anyone who is interested that you go to a properly qualified Pilates teacher and find out how to do it properly, otherwise it will not work and you could hurt yourself. You need to learn the technique from scratch.

Oh yes breathing is good. It wasn't intended to be a pilates lesson though just a simple technique for helping to improve core strength.

Spot on! Makes perfect sense, how you have summarised the elements........ So why does it attract such ridicule and scorn whenever it is mentioned on this forum......?

Core strength is ... core! how can you do anything properly if your centre is all floppy? it makes your spine more vulnerable for a start if it's not properly supported by a "corset" of muscles. I have an exercise sheet of Pilates-inspired exercises given to me by a physio some years ago. I would love to be able to afford to have proper Pilates lessons with an instructor who can deal with injuries correctly rather than just some woman wafting around a church hall in a leotard.

Can a person's core strength really be improved to the levels that are suggested as being necessary in the time frame of this programme, or would the contestant need to have started it some time before? I appreciate that fit active people may already be there, but what about the cases of a real coach potato, or someone overweight, or a more elderly person?

That's a very good point. If you are reasonably fit and not too overweight you can make a difference, but it's hard work. Exercise can make a huge difference but logic dictates that a body which has been neglected and is not used to exercise can only be altered by stringent diet and intense, daily workouts.

While I usually absolutely agree with Darcey's astute comments on the celebs physicality, I also have a little silent snark at how they could only really make proper use of the advise if they had access to a time machine

We should all work on our core

I have in the past referred to a judge's very mention of it and been told that I (not the judge) am talking nonsense.

All the responses here seemed to have mentioned Pilates very favourably. Well, as indispensable really.

I have done a bit of Pilates and I do rate it although I find it rather dull as I like being active. Usually the less drawn you are to an activity the more you need it.

My shoulders tend to rise when I'm drawing up the pelvis and pulling the abs to the spine. But I am going to do the 'one-leg' more. To be fair I'm a bit of a one for 'high shoulders' at the best of times.

A dancer I am not but if ever the call came I'd know to do lots of Pilates!

To strengthen the core to a near perfect level (such as with Darcey) will take a very long time. However the celebs are getting anything up to 30 hours a week training and they can certainly improve their core during that time sufficiently to improve their overall posture.

My elderly gran is virtually chair ridden - she can just about shuffle a few yards. A year ago she was suffering with dreadful indigestion after every meal and a physio suggested she worked on her core.... sounds daft perhaps. But she was given exercises to do (while sitting down) & gradually she noticed a difference - no indigestion and less back ache as well. Incidently, my gran is a big lady - big as in wide (Bless her). Hope that answers your question about couch potatos, overweight and elderly.

I know exactly what you mean. Pilates is brilliant but God I find it boring to do. But even if not a dancer I really do think it is worth taking a course sufficient to get to grips with the principles.

Gaining core stability (and lengthening muscles) is really valuable for supporting the back and by focusing on the Pilates principles when doing normal jobs lots of back pain could be avoided. I have been double digging today and with every spade full I engaged my core muscles before I lifted it so that tomorrow I am not in pain or immobile.

Not only that the hip joints, knee joints etc are all compromised by poor core strength. I don't know why we don't teach it in schools - over time it would save the NHS billions. I had no idea it could have an impact on the function of internal organs but it stands to reason.

Its certainly not JUST for dancers.

"Core" is not a correct anatomical term, except for apples. I class it as pseudo-technical gobbledegook, which fits perfectly into Strictly Come Dancing.

What term would you prefer?

Would you like to let the Harvard Medical School know then?

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/b...e-201212285698

That's just a blog written by one person, and not part of an anatomy lesson. I doubt very much if you would find it in an anatomy textbook - if you do I would like to know about it.

Interested to read all your views. Just surprised no-one has mentioned Tai Chi. As a probably-a-bit-older-than-you person I can't do Pilates for various medical reasons but was recommended to do some Tai Chi. I have found this has strengthened me over all, improved my balance and flexibility. There is an emphasis on movement from your Centre - so I can relate to Darcy's comments about strengthening your core. As in comments above about lifting, digging the garden etc, if more people had some knowledge of this, there would be fewer people with strains and back problems.

Well, everyone knows what boobs are, probably wouldn't find that in an anatomy textbook either.

The man I quoted was a doctor and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. I'm sure the blog wouldn't put inaccurate or false information under it's name.