What is Core Stability
‘Part one’
Go into any rugby club or greengrocers and you will get two different answers!
So what really is core stability, now I know readers of ‘Wynyard Life’ are pretty articulate and intelligent people, so………..here’s the technical bit.
At a recent strength and conditioning conference hosted by the British Olympic Association, top weightlifting coach and strength expert Mel Siff gave a compelling demonstration of how the abdominal (tummy) hollowing manoeuvre commonly used as a core stability exercise actually makes individuals less stable when attempting to stay on their feet during contact with others.
You can demonstrate this for yourself with the help of a partner, as follows:
 | Stand up facing your partner and grasp each other’s hands. |
| Now perform the abdominal hollowing manoeuvre by simply sucking in your navel |
| Get your partner to shove in random way and see how you are able to resist and balance |
| Repeat the exercise but, instead of hollowing, brace your stomach muscles as if you are about to be punched. Compare the difference in stability |
Increasingly, as early as the 1920’s Joseph Pilates talked about developing a ‘girdle of strength’ by learning to recruit the deep-trunk muscles. Even without a complete knowledge of anatomy and the benefits of any muscle activity research, it is easy to feel the importance of these deep muscles and their supportive effects. By definition, the deep-trunk muscles act as ‘stabilisers’ and are not involved in producing movements, but instead use static, or isometric, contractions. Furthermore, they must act as stabilisers continuously during everyday activities as well as sport, and so require very good endurance of low-level forces. These muscles do not need to be very strong, but they must be correctly coordinated and capable of working continuously; in addition, they must hold the lumbar (lower) spine in the neutral position – the correct alignment of the pelvis that allows for the natural S-curve of the spine.
The basics…..
Core stability training begins with learning to co-contract the transverse abdominis (TA) and multifidus (MF) muscles effectively. As this is the key to the lumbar-support mechanism. To do this you must perform the ‘abdominal hollowing’ technique (that we discussed earlier) with the spine in the neutral position, as follows: start by lying on your back with knees bent. Your lumbar spine should be neither arched up nor flattened against the floor, but aligned normally with a small gap between the floor and your back. This is the ‘neutral’ lumbar position you should learn to achieve.
Breathe in deeply and relax all your stomach muscles. Breathe out and, as you do so, draw your lower abdomen inwards as if your belly button is going back towards the floor. Personal Trainers describe this as ‘zipping up’- as if you are fastening a tight pair of jeans. Hold the contraction for 10 seconds and stay relaxed, allowing yourself to breathe in and out as you hold the tension in your lower stomach area. Repeat 5 – 10 times.
Sounds easy? Well maybe, but it is absolutely vital that you perform this abdominal hollowing exercise correctly; otherwise you will not recruit the TA and MF effectively.
Confused, please don’t be! Next month I will give you part 2 of this subject and hopefully explain the a little more. You will also get the chance to win a core stability or Swiss ball. Till then take care.
Yours in fitness
Davey