This is a question I get a lot. One of the top responses
when a trainer asks what someone wants to focus on is, “my core”. Most the
time, the trainee does not know what all constitutes “my core”. Some people
just want a 6 pack and get confused when their trainer starts to do back and
shoulder exercises with them. Well let me be the first to tell you, just
because you have a hot looking 6 pack that everyone likes to see at the beach,
does not mean you have a strong core.
Think of it this way. Imagine that you have this great pen.
I’m not talking about a simple Bic. I’m talking about a great grip, shiny pen.
The kind of pen baseball players use to sign million dollar contacts. However,
when you pick up the pen to write, it doesn’t work or it falls apart. This is
what it’s like to have a great 6 pack but not have a functional core.
Your “core” is made up of several different muscles. Besides
the abdominal muscles you can see (the 6 pack), the core consists of several
deep muscles: the transverse abdominals, multifidus, pelvic
floor, diaphragm and others. These muscles help to make your core the
stabilizing machine it was meant to be.
So what’s the point? Why have a strong core? Your core is
meant to stabilize the rest of the body. Some people want train it the same way
we train our quads or biceps, but that is not its function. Its function is to
stabilize, not act as a prime mover. By training it incorrectly and as a group,
you lose its motor control and function. Without those, your core strength,
endurance, and flexibility will suffer. Research has shown that athletes with
stronger core stability are at a lower risk of injury.
So how do you have core stability and properly train your
core? You must focus on your core as a whole, while remembering its proper function;
stabilizing and protecting your spine and surrounding musculature. The
Functional Movement Screen that we use identifies weakness in core stability
and provides a road map of how to erase the deficits. At the MVP Annex, we
specialize in identifying core stability issues and in correcting them. Whether
you are training for a competition or having back pain, we can help! Come see
me!
For more information on this topic, here is an article that
I really liked. It talks more about some of the things we do at MVP and how you
can gain core stability. Good luck!
