Core Training and Balance

The Core • Defined as the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex, thoracic and cervical spine • Where the body’s center of gravity is located • Beginning point for movement • Necessary for muscle balance and movement throughout the entire kinetic chain

The Core • 29 muscles that attach to the lumbo pelvic-hip complex • Divided into two categories: –Stabilization –Movement • Stabilization: –Responsible for stability of the lumbo pelvic-hip complex • Movement: –Responsible for movement of the core

The Core • You must work the core from the inside out: – Stabilization Movement – This would be analogous to building a house without a foundation – An individual must be stable first to move efficiently

Muscles of the Core

Stabilization

• Transverse Abdominis • Internal Oblique • Multifidus • Pelvic Floor Muscles • Diaphragm • Transversospinalis

Movement

• Rectus Abdominis • External Oblique • Latissimus Dorsi • Erector Spinae • Iliopsoas • Hamstrings • Hip Adductors • Hip Abductors

Importance of Properly Training the Core • If the movement muscles are strong and the stabilization muscles are weak this will lead to compensation: –Example: performing a lunge, squat, or overhead press with excessive spinal extension –This results in unwanted motion of vertebrae and may lead to low back pain and injury

Importance of Properly Training the Core • Performing abdominal exercises without stabilization has been shown to increase pressure on the disks and compressive forces on the lumbar spine • Performing low back hyperextension exercises without stabilization has been shown to increase pressure on the disks to a dangerous level • These unsupported exercises can cause damage to the ligaments supporting the vertebrae • Fitness professionals must strengthen the stabilization muscles before the muscles that move the spine

Solutions For Stabilization • Draw-In before core training: –Pull in the region just below the naval toward the spine • Maintain the cervical spine in neutral position during core training • Do not allow the head to protrude forward during movement • Maintain the eyes level during movement

Solutions to Stabilization • The core stabilizing muscles consist primarily of slow-twitch, type 1 muscle fibers: – They respond best to isometric contractions – 6-20 seconds Abdominal Drawing-In Maneuver

Designing a Core-Training Program

•There are three levels of core training: –Stabilization –Strength –Power

Designing a Core-Training Program • Execise Selection: –Progressive: • Simple to Complex • Known to Unknown • Stable to Unstable –Systematic: • Stabilization • Strength • Power –Activity or Goal Specific

Designing a Core-Training Program • Exercise Selection: –Safe –Proprioceptively Challenging: • Stability Ball • BOSU Ball • Dyna Disk • TRX • Foam Roller

Designing A Core-Training Program • Variables: – Plane of motion: • Sagital • Frontal • Transverse • Type of Resistance • Stability Ball • Medicine Ball • Cable • Tubing • Bands • Dumbbells

Designing a Core-Training Program • Variables: –Body position - Speed of motion • Supine - Duration • Prone - Frequency • Side-lying - Amount of Feedback • Kneeling (fitness professional cues) • Standing • Staggered stance • Standing on an unstable surface

Stabilization • Exercise involves little motion through the spine and pelvis • These exercises are designed to improve the stabilization muscles • Exercises include: –Quadruped Drawing In –Posterior Pelvic Tilt –Supine Bridge –Prone Plank

Strength • Core-strength exercises involve more dynamic eccentric and concentric movements of the spine throughout a full range of motion • Exercises include: –Cable/Tube Rotations (high-to-low, low to-high, and 90 degrees) –Push-Up (SB, TRX, BOSU, MB) –Supine Row (SB, TRX) –Jackknife (SB, TRX)

Power • Core-power training exercises are designed to generate force • Exercises include: –MB Chest Pass –MB Chest Pass to a Burpee –Tube Running –Lateral Tube Running

Core Training Program Design

• Stabilization:

–1-4 exercises –1-3 sets –12-20 reps –Slow tempo (4/2/1) –0-90 sec rest

Core Training Program Design • Strength: –1-4 exercises –2-3 sets –8-12 reps –Moderate tempo (3/2/1) –0-60 sec rest

Core Training Program Design

• Power:

–1-2 exercises –2-3 sets –8-12 reps –Fast but controlled tempo –0-60 sec rest

The Importance of Balance • Whether walking down stairs, supine on a stability ball, or playing basketball,

balance is key to all functional movements

• Balance should constantly stress an individual’s limits of stability • An individual’s limit of stability is the distance outside of the base of support that he or she can go without losing control of their center of gravity

The Importance of Balance • Training functional movements in a proprioceptively rich environment (unstable yet controllable), with appropriate progressions facilitates maximal sensory input to the central nervous system • Balance training focuses on functional movement in a multisensory, unstable environment

Goals of Balance Training • Improves joint stabilization: –Ability of the kinetic chain to stabilize a joint during movement • Examples: –Rotator cuff stabilizing the head of the humerus while performing a push-up –The hip abductors and adductors stabilizing while performing a squat

Goals of Balance Training • Continually increase the client’s awareness of his or her limit of stability or kinesthetic awareness by creating controlled instability • Example: – A 65-year-old client balancing on one foot on the floor – A 25-year-old client balancing on one foot on a BOSU

Designing a Balance-Training Program

• Three levels of balance training:

–Stabilization –Strength –Power

Designing a Balance-Training Program • Exercise Selection: –Safe –Progressive: • Simple to complex • Known to unknown • Stable to unstable • Static to dynamic • Bilateral to unilateral • Eyes open to eyes closed

Designing a Balance-Training Program • Exercise Selection: –Safe –Proprioceptively Challenging: •Floor •Stability Ball •Dyna Disk •BOSU •TRX

Designing a Balance-Training Program • Variables: – Planes of motion • Sagital • Frontal • Transverse – Types of resistance: • Body weight • Dumbbells • Tubing • Bands • Cable

Designing a Balance-Training Program • Variables: – Body position: • Two-Legs Stable • Single-Leg Stable • Two-Legs Unstable • Single-Leg Unstable – Speed of motion – Duration – Frequency – Amount of feedback •

Visual, Verbal, and Tactile Cueing

Stabilization • Exercises involve little joint motion • They are designed to improve joint stabilization • Example Exercises: – Single-Leg Balance – Single-Leg Balance with Eyes Closed – Single-Leg Balance Reach – Single-Leg Balance on Disk – Single-Leg Balance on Disk

movements Strength • More dynamic eccentric and concentric • Movements involve dynamic control in mid-range of motion, with isometric stabilization at the end-range of motion • Example Exercises: – Single-Leg Squat – Single-Leg Squat and Reach – Single-Leg Deadlift – Step-Up to Balance – Lunge to Balance

Power • Exercises are designed to develop high levels of eccentric strength, dynamic neuromuscular efficiency, and reactive joint stabilization • Exercise examples: –Squat jump with stabilization –Multiplanar hop with stabilization –Single-Leg hop with stabilization

Balance Training Program Design • Stabilization –1-4 exercises –1-3 sets –12-20 reps –Slow tempo (4/2/1) –0-90 sec rest

Balance Training Program Design • Strength: – 1-4 exercises – 2-3 sets – 8-12 reps – Moderate tempo (3/2/1) – 0-60 sec rest

Balance Training Program Design • Power: –1-2 exercises –2-3 sets –8-12 reps –Controlled-hold the landing position for 3-5 sec –0-60 sec rest