The Importance of Core Strength: More Than Just Abs

Exercise boosts self-esteem through several key psychological, physiological, and social mechanisms. Here's a breakdown of why and how it has such a strong positive impact on how you view yourself: 1. Sense of Accomplishment Why it matters: Completing a workout, reaching a fitness goal, or simply showing up when you didn’t feel like it reinforces a sense of achievement. Effect: Builds confidence in your abilities and fosters a “can-do” attitude. 2. Physical Changes You Can See or Feel Why it matters: Regular exercise often leads to improved posture, muscle tone, weight management, and energy levels. Effect: Feeling stronger, fitter, or more energetic can make you feel better about your appearance and physical capabilities. 3. Improved Body Image Why it matters: Exercise helps people feel more connected to their bodies and appreciate what they can do—not just how they look. Effect: Greater body acceptance, which boosts self-respect and self-worth. 4. Mastery and Progress Why it matters: Learning new skills (e.g., lifting weights, yoga poses, running longer distances) builds a sense of personal mastery. Effect: Feeling competent and skilled translates to confidence in other areas of life. 5. Positive Feedback Loop Why it matters: Feeling better emotionally after exercising reinforces the behavior and improves self-trust. Effect: You begin to believe in your ability to make positive choices for yourself. If you need the accountability and support to get started on an exercise routine, Axio Fitness is here to help!

Golf season in Ohio has finally arrived! Here are four effective exercises for golfers that target mobility, stability, and power — all crucial for an efficient and injury-free golf swing: 1. Rotational Medicine Ball Throws Purpose : Builds rotational power for stronger swings. How to Do It : Stand sideways a few feet from a wall. Hold a medicine ball at waist height. Rotate your torso and hips away from the wall, then explosively rotate toward it, throwing the ball against the wall. Catch and repeat. 2. Lunge with Rotation Purpose : Improves leg and core strength and hip mobility for better turn in your backswing and follow-through. How to Do It : Start in the lunge position with one foot forward, and one behind while both knees are bent about 90 degrees. Keep your back tall and rotate your body towards the side of your front leg. Push off your front leg and return to a standing position to switch legs. 3. Deadbugs Purpose : Strengthens the core while promoting spinal stability — essential for maintaining posture during the swing. How to Do It : Lie on your back with arms and legs up. Lower opposite arm and leg slowly while keeping your back flat on the floor. Return to start and alternate sides. 4. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts Purpose : Enhances balance and glute/hamstring strength for better control and lower body stability. How to Do It : Stand on one leg with a slight knee bend. Hinge at the hip and lower your torso while extending the other leg back. Keep your back flat and return to standing. If you need help with proper exercises, or you need accountability to stay consistent with golf exercises, Axio Fitness is here to help!

Have you ever heard the phrase “sitting is the new smoking”? Well, I tend to agree with that. In our modern culture, we all sit way too much. Most of us have desk jobs and hardly move more than our fingers and thumbs for hours at a time. And beyond our sedentary jobs, there is a tremendous lack of activity in our free time and social lives. Before we could stream an endless number of shows, movies and documentaries, our free time consisted of dancing, roller skating, racquetball leagues, push-mowing our yards, or cleaning our own windows and gutters. For many of us these days, we not only sit way too much at our jobs, but we sit way too much when we aren’t at work. Sitting too long can negatively affect your health in several ways. Here are three key reasons: 1. Increased Risk of Chronic Diseases: Prolonged sitting is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. It can lead to poor blood circulation and insulin resistance, even in people who exercise regularly. 2. Muscle Weakness and Poor Posture: Sitting for extended periods, especially with poor posture, can weaken core muscles, hip flexors, and glutes. Over time, this can lead to back and neck pain as well as decreased mobility. 3. Mental Health Effects: Extended sedentary behavior is associated with increased feelings of anxiety and depression. Physical movement supports the release of mood-regulating chemicals like endorphins, which are reduced during long sedentary periods. To mitigate these risks, you should exercise daily but also get up and walk or move around every 30-60 minutes. Be mindful of how much you’re sitting throughout the day and be intentional about more movement. If you need help and accountability to get moving, Axio Fitness is here for you!