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7 million years ago, our human
ancestors began to walk upright which repositioned their base of support
from wide –four limbs, to narrow-two limbs. (1) The
change from quadrapedal to bi-pedal movement required muscles of the
‘core’ to develop and strength and endurance.
Core training has gained
widespread interest in the fitness industry recently. For years coaches
and rehabilitation specialists worked with athletes and patients to
develop exercise programs that emphasize core strength to prevent injuries
and maximize performance (2). Today, we know a strong
core helps healthy individuals with posture, lower back strength, and
functional capacity. For athletes, core training can develop a strong base
for power transfer, speed- agility- quickness (SAQ), endurance, strength,
and dynamic balance.
The central ‘core’ refers to the
trunk or torso area which contains the muscles, bones, tendon and
ligaments connecting the spine-the main axial support for the body, rib
cage, pelvic girdle, and hips. (3) There are
approximately 35 core muscles. (4) Some are ‘local’ or
‘stabilizer’ muscles and mainly stabilize the spine and pelvis while
others are ‘global ‘ or ‘mobilizers’muscles and are responsible for moving
limbs. (5) The core muscles stabilize, support, and
mobilize the spine, pelvis & hip region for movement in all planes while
motion is produced by the extremities, Listed Below are the ‘core’ muscle
groups including the hips, lower back, abdomen, and glutes.
a) Hip flexors: (Iliacus,
pectineus, psoas major, rectus femoris, sartorius) responsible for hip
flexion and pelvis stabilization.
b) Hip extensors: (biceps
fermoris gluteus maximus, semimembranosus, semitendinous) responsible for
hip extension
c) Hip abductors:(gluteus medius,
piriformis, gluteus minimus) moves the hip away from body’s midline and
provide pelvis stabilization.
d) Hip adductors: (adductor
brevis, adductor longus, adductor magnus, gracilis, and pectinous) moves
the hip toward body’s midline. (6)
e) Shallow abdominals: (rectus
abdominas and external obliques) trunk flexors and rotators.
f) Deep abdominals: (transversus
abdominas)-muscle controlling the hallowing of umbilicus, and (internal
oblique) responsible for trunk rotation and flexion while also providing
support for the pelvis and vertebral column.
g) Pelvic floor muscles: which
run from the pubic bone in front to the coccyx or tailbone. Responsible
for supporting internal organs in the abdominal cavity and continence. (7,8)
h) Lo back: (erector spinae
group, multifidus, quadratus lumborum, flexors, rotatores,
intertrasversalis and interspinals) muscles that allow the trunk to extend
and bend laterally. Essential for maintaining balance due to the high
number and densities of muscle spindes.
i) Mid and Upper back: muscles
including the back, shoulder, and shoulder girdle (latissimus dorsi,
trapezius, deltoid, & rotator cuff). (9)
A stable core has both passive
and active subsystem working together. Passive systems include the
ligaments that hold the vertebrae together. The neural and muscular
subsystem are active and therefore highly trainable by using isometric
holds and dynamic exercise. These two subsystems are responsible for
muscle tension controlled by feedback received from sensory organs (10).
These sensory organs, or proprioceptors include muscle spindles and Golgi
tendons. Stronger core muscles and ‘neural control’ will result in more
efficient energy transfer from the working muscles of the torso to the
limbs.
MEP and your core training
MEP offers core-strength exercises that can be performed at home with
swiss balls and Medicine Balls (MB), & balance discs. There are many
exercises that are routinely performed by fitness enthusiasts that not
recommended. MEP can show you safe alternative exercises that are
effective at engaging core muscles but do not create excess strain on your
back.
MEP will design a complete
exercise program for you that includes core exercises. Incorporating core
exercises into your routine will help you move better.
(1)
Christensen, Scott. Stride Length and the Human Organism-The Evolution of
Upright Running. Minnesota Running & Track. Dec-Feb 2007.
(2) Baker,
Cherry. Get Fit- Core Strength, MQ Publications, 2005.
(3) ACSM.
ACSM’s Health & Fitness Certification Review. Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, 2001.
(4)
Hoffman, Fred M.Ed. Core-ography: Form Meets Function, ACSM Health and
Fitness Summit, Long Beach, CA 2008
(5) ACSM.
Willardson, J. A Periodized Approach for Core Training. ACSM’s Health &
Fitness Journal, Jan-Feb 2008.
(6) ACSM.
ACSM’s Resources for the Personal Trainer, 2nd ed., Lippincot Williams &
Wilkins, 2007.
(7) Runners
World. Elite Abs, Feb. 2008
(8) ACSM.
ACSM’s Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing & Prescription.
4th ed. Philadelphia. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2001
(9)
Goldenberg, L & Twist, P. Strength Ball Training, 2nd ed. Human Kinetics,
2007.
(10) ACSM.
Willardson, J. A Periodized Approach for Core Training. ACSM’s Health &
Fitness Journal, Jan-Feb 2008.
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