Hit the Slopes with the HARD CORE! Are crunches a good exercise for the core and how important is the core for skiing and snowboarding? Before we discuss exercises for the core, we must first dive into what areas make up the "core." Your core is not just made of up the "abs." Your core runs from your neck down to your hips and/or from the hips up to the neck. It is also important to realize that your core is three dimensional. Meaning we have a front, back and two sides. Therefore, and effective core program should challenge all three dimensions. In addition, your core is the center of the body. It attaches the upper body to the lower body and also the lower body to the upper body. This is vital since information during movement is traveling through the center of the body and is being sent to the extremities. A faulty core will limit how well someone can move, whether it is in the game of life or on the snowy slopes.