What is “the core”?

So often, the term “core” gets thrown around within the realm of exercise without clear knowledge of what its components are. In this chapter, we will examine the different components of the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (LPHC), the body’s center of gravity, the role of the core in the kinetic chain, and developing core training.

The LPHC is named after its primary components:

• lumbar spine
• pelvic girdle
• abdomen
• hip joint