Use of stability and core movements in training

Posted on Wednesday 6th Aug 08

But what is core stability and why do we need it?

The 'core' is a term used to describe a group of muscles that are situated around our stomach and lower back. They include our smaller abdominal and lower back muscles. These muscles function to hold our midsection tight, stabilise our lower back, and to keep us standing upright.

A yacht's mast is a great analogy to how our core muscles function. Let's say that a yacht has a 20m high mast, in order for the mast to remain upright and not move around it needs support from attached guide wires to hold it rigid. These wires attach at various height and opposing sides in order to counter balance each other. The end result is a solid mast that can harness the power of the wind to move our yacht wherever we desire. Relating that to your body; our spine is the mast, very unstable without the guide wires, which are of course our core muscles. These muscles attach to different parts of the spine so that each individual joint is nice and stable. Therefore if these muscles are working well, and are strong, we can use our stable midsection to transfer power from our arms and legs to the tasks we are performing. A strong 'core' allows the body to become much more efficient so we use a lot less energy; therefore enabling us improved performance for a longer duration in almost any activity.

Does this mean I need to do thousands of sit-ups and crunches?

While these exercises are good for improving the strength of core muscles, there are endless numbers of more interesting and effective ways to achieve this. You may have seen people using Swiss balls, or standing on balance discs, these are great for 'turning on' your core muscles. It is also as simple as only using one dumbbell at a time. Next time you are doing your bicep curls use one dumbbell and place your other hand on your tummy, what can you feel? You will notice that your abdominal muscles have been activated; you are working your core! There are lost of different ways to activate your core muscles. For the safe and effective exercises for you talk to you local fitness professional.