The 'core' myth has shaped how we think about strength for decades. Find out what the science actually says and how our Newcastle Pilates classes can help.
Ask most people what core strength means and they'll point to their stomach. It's a reasonable answer, but it's also an incomplete one, and it reflects a decades-old idea that the science has largely moved on from. Understanding what the core actually is and how it works is the key to building real, lasting strength through movement.
Where the 'Core' Myth Came From
The concept of the core as a distinct group of muscles responsible for back pain and stability became popular in the early 1990s. It led to an entire industry built around isolating and engaging the transverse abdominal muscles, with countless people taught to brace, zip up, or pre-engage their stomach before any movement. The problem is that in the thirty years since, the evidence for this approach has not held up. The body simply doesn't work that way.
Strength and stability are whole-body qualities. They depend on how well all your muscles, joints, and movement patterns work together, not on how effectively you can tighten one group in isolation. For the vast majority of people, the answer to pain and weakness is not more isolation but more movement, more strength across the whole system, and better body awareness.
What Pilates Actually Develops
Physio-led Pilates at Gosforth Physio & Wellness is built on this understanding. Rather than teaching isolated muscle activation, our approach develops strength, flexibility, and functional movement across the whole body. Our Newcastle Pilates classes focus on how you actually move, building the kind of integrated strength that reduces pain, improves posture, and supports you in everyday life and sport.
Physio-led Newcastle Pilates
Because every class is led by one of our physiotherapists, with expertise in anatomy, biomechanics, and pain science, the exercises you do are the right ones for your body: performed correctly and progressed appropriately. This is particularly important for those recovering from injury or managing a persistent condition, where generic Pilates instruction can sometimes do more harm than good.
With 19 weekly classes running across mornings and evenings, Monday to Saturday, we’ve got a class to suit your needs and schedule. Email wellness@gosforthphysio.co.uk to book your free taster session and find out what our physio-led Pilates can do for you.
