Core Confidence: The Strength Midlife Women Are Not Being Told to Build

Most women hit midlife and assume back pain is just part of the deal.

That the feeling of being physically off is something to accept.

That core work is either a vanity exercise or something for people who actually enjoy planks.

None of that is true.

Your core is the structure holding everything else up. And when estrogen drops and muscle mass starts to shift, this is one of the first places it shows up. Not as a six-pack problem. As a stability problem.

This episode is about rebuilding that foundation. And what happens when you do.

Because the physical strength is only half of it.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why your core is about far more than your abs
• How hormonal shifts in perimenopause and menopause affect your stability and posture
• The surprising connection between physical steadiness and mental confidence
• Why three simple moves done consistently will always outperform an intense routine done occasionally
• How to start building core strength without a gym, equipment, or a 45-minute commitment

Action Step:

Pick two moves and do them three times this week. That's the whole assignment.

Not perfectly. Not for long. Just show up.

Notice how you feel when you're done. Not how you look.

It doesn't have to be big.

It just has to be yours.

Craving more? Get the full episode notes here: https://kimberlyriggins.com/core-confidence-the-strength-midlife-women-are-not-being-told-to-build/

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Let me guess. When someone says core workout, your brain immediately goes to crunches. Or some fitness influencer on the floor doing bicycle kicks with perfect hair and a spotless sports bra. And somewhere in the back of your mind you think, yeah, that's not for me. Well, maybe you've had back pain for years. Maybe you had kids and your core hasn't felt the same since. Maybe you just haven't thought about it at all because nobody told you it mattered this much. Here's what nobody told you. Your core is not a vanity muscle. It is the foundation of everything. How you stand, how you move, how your back feels at the end of a long day, how confident you feel walking into a room. And in midlife, when everything starts to shift, your core is one of the most powerful things you can rebuild. Not to look a certain way, to feel like yourself again. That's what today is about. Welcome to the Love Your Naked Ass Podcast, the Midlife Rebellion Edition. I'm your host, Kimberly Riggins, health and life coach, holistic nutritionist, and your go-to bullshit detector for all things midlife. If you've ever rolled your eyes at the phrase aging gracefully, you're my kind of rebel. Because midlife isn't about swelling down, it's about showing up, speaking up, and maybe flipping a few tables along the way. So grab your coffee or your cocktail. I'm not here to judge. It's time we raise some hell, laugh a little, and love our naked asses again. Let's do this. Let's dig right in. Why core strength matters more in midlife than you probably think? So here's the thing about your core that nobody really explains. It's not just your abs, it's the deep stabilizing muscles that run through your entire midsection. Your lower back, your hips, your pelvic floor. It all works together to hold you upright. It protects your spine, and it really helps you power every single movement you make. You just don't realize it. And as estrogen drops in perimenopause and menopause, as you know, muscle mass declines faster, including here. So the results? Well, your posture starts to round forward, you may have more lower backaches than you're used to, and you may have a general feeling of instability, like something is just a little bit off. Most women don't connect these dots. They think the back pain is related to stress, they think the fatigue is just aging, and they think that feeling physically unsteady is, well, just something they have to accept now. I promise you it's not. It's literally a signal. Your body is telling you that the foundation needs work. And this isn't bad news. This is the most actionable news you've heard all week. So I'm gonna be upfront and honest. I absolutely hate doing core work. Hate it. But I know how important it is. Back in the day, I was way more interested in lifting heavy and walking and doing all the things that felt like they were actually doing something. But then I started noticing just these small things. Like my lower back would start aching, not just that day, but for days on end. And I started realizing when I was walking, my posture felt off. And there were certain lifts that I used to love doing that just didn't feel as stable. And so I thought, yep, that's it. I gotta start doing core exercises again. Not just crunches. Absolutely not. I'm talking about 15 seconds in a plank, glute bridges on my living room floor. I could go on and on with all the exercises. My point is, these are the type of exercises that are not fancy. They are not Instagram worthy, but they work. And we need to do them regularly. This is what helps you with aging. Now, let's go back to my story really quick. After about a month of consistently adding core, even though I didn't want to, I immediately felt a shift. My posture was better, my back stopped complaining, the lifts that I love felt way more controlled, and I could lift heavier, so that's a good thing. But the thing that surprised me the most had nothing to do with my actual body. I actually started to feel more confident. Not because I looked different, because I felt solid. Like I had something to stand on. Core strength is not just physical, it literally lives in how you carry yourself. I think this is the connection that nobody talks about. Core strength and confidence. There is something that happens when your body feels stable underneath you. Your posture changes, you stop punching forward like you're trying to make yourself smaller. You walk into a room differently, you sit at a table differently, you speak up differently. And I promise this is not woo-woo because I am not woo-woo. This is neuroscience and lived experience both pointing at the same thing. When your body feels capable, your mind catches up. When your body feels strong, your confidence has somewhere to live. And in midlife, when so much feels like it's shifting out from underneath you, that physical steadiness matters way more than ever. You're not trying to look like someone in a fitness magazine anymore. You're just trying to feel like yourself again. Solid, grounded, here. That is what a strong core actually gives you. So, how do you start without making it a whole thing? Listen, you do not need a gym, you do not need special equipment, and you do not need 45 minutes and a performance playlist. You just need three moves and the willingness to start small. So here's what I want you to try. Move number one. The good old trusty plank. Yep, the plank. Start with 15 to 30 seconds. Hold, breathe. That's it. And build slowly over time. The goal's not perfection here, the goal is showing up. And once you can do 30 seconds, you can go to 45, a minute, a minute and a half. My kid and I have fun challenging each other to see who can hold the longest plank. Yes, of course, he always wins. He's a track athlete. Number two, glute bridge. Lie on your back, feet flat, hips up. Then hold at the top for a beat. This one does more than you think. I promise. Strong glutes means a supported lower back and better stability everywhere. And honestly, it's great for your glutes, but it's also great for your gut. And I love glute bridges. So fantastic. Then the third movement I want you to try is a dead bug. So a dead bug is where you lay on your back, you have one arm extends overhead, the opposite leg extends out, and your core stays braced. Slower and more boring than it sounds. Also, way more effective than almost anything else for building that deep stabilizing strength, I promise. That's the starter kit. That's it. Those three moves. Five to ten minutes. Let's start with three to four times a week. Be boring on purpose, because boring done consistently beats intense done occasionally every single time. Alright, so clearly your action step this week. I'm gonna make it even easier for you. Pick two of those three moves. Just two. And do them three times this week. So you get to pick. Is it a plank? Is it a glute bridge? Or is it a dead bug? I'll also leave you some links so you can see videos of these exercises so you can watch as well. So again, pick two. Do them three times this week. Don't worry about being perfect. Don't worry about how long it is. Just show up and do the work. And when you're done, notice how you feel. Remember, this is not how you look. Concentrate on how you feel. You feel taller, more grounded, a little more in your body than you were before. If that's true, that is core confidence. That is what we're building here. Core confidence is not about aesthetics. It never was. I know on Instagram people make it out to be something completely different, but hear me out. Core strength is about stability, it's about protecting your body so it can carry you through this season and the next one. It's about the quiet confidence of a woman who feels solid in her own skin. You don't need to be perfect at this. You don't need to do it all at once. You just need to start. Because here's the truth. When your body feels strong, everything gets a little bit easier. The way you move, the way you stand, and even the way you show up. That's the midlife power move. And you are more capable of it than you realize. Alright. Next week we're going to talk about something too many midlife women have completely forgotten about. Play. Fun. Doing something just because it feels good. Not because it's productive, not because it's on the list, just because it lights you up. Somewhere along the way, we convinced ourselves that fun was frivolous, that joy needed to be earned. That if we weren't suffering a little, we probably weren't doing enough. Well, I call straight up bullshit on that one. Because midlife is the perfect time to reclaim your joy. And I'm gonna show you why. That isn't selfish. It's essential. Make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss it. And that's a wrap for this week's episode of the Love Your Naked Ass podcast, the Midlife Rebellion Edition. If you're loving the show, be sure to smash that subscribe button, drop a rating, or leave a review. Because we're not here to tweak the old narrative. We're here to torch it, rewrite it, and make damn sure every woman knows midlife is her time. Don't forget to join me on Substack at Rebel Midlife, where we get raw, real, and a little rebellious about what it means to thrive in this chapter. I'm Kimberly Riggins, signing off with this reminder Midlife isn't a crisis. It's your comeback story. Catch you next time, Rebel.